Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Al Qaeda #2 Releases New Tape


Ayman al-Zawahiri issued a new tape calling George Bush a loser, and the “butcher of Washington”. The tape was meant as a condemnation to Bush for his air strike in Pakistan in the village of Damadola, which was targeting al-Zawahiri but killed 4 al Qaeda leaders and 13 other villagers.


“US airplanes ... launched a raid on a village in near Peshawar after Eid al-Adha in which 18 Muslim men, women and children were killed in what they call the war against terror," al-Zawahiri said. "They said this was intended to kill myself and four brothers but now the whole world has discovered their lies ...".


Very interesting is what is missing from American reports, but what is included on al-Jazeera. Similar to the message from Bin Laden last week, al-Zawahiri sends a message to the American people, warning them us that we are paying for the deceits of our leader, George Bush.

My second message is to the American people, who are drowning in illusions. I tell you that Bush and his gang are shedding your blood and wasting your money in frustrated adventures," he said, speaking in a forceful and angry voice.

Al-Zawahiri added: "The lion of Islam, Shaikh Osama bin Laden, may God protect him, offered you a decent exit from your dilemma. But your leaders, who are keen to accumulate wealth, insist on throwing you in battles and killing your souls in Iraq and Afghanistan and - God willing - on your own land."


Later in the tape:

“Your leaders responded to the initiative of sheik Osama, may God protect him, by saying they don't negotiate with terrorists and that they are winning the war on terror. I tell them: You liars, greedy war mongers, who is pulling out from Iraq and Afghanistan? Us or you? Whose soldiers are committing suicide because of despair? Us or you?"

"You, American mother, if the Pentagon calls to tell you that your son is coming home in a coffin, then remember George Bush. And you, British wife, if the Defence Department calls you to say that your husband is returning crippled and burnt, remember Tony Blair."


He also offers a second olive branch to George Bush, albeit a ridiculous one. He indicates that Al Qaeda will forgive all of Bush’s sins and leave the US in peace if Bush converts to Islam. Of course Bush would never do it, but would it be worth it to save all the lives that will be taken by the next attack? The next 5 attacks? 10 attacks? Believe me, we have not seen the end of terror in this country.

I know I’m going to hear about it from TS, and maybe he’s right. I mean, there is no way you can trust criminals like the members of Al Qaeda. But they are not the first government to accuse the Bush administration of crimes against their people, and I rarely believe that events happen randomly; there are reasons for the events that befall our country. While there’s no excuse for terrorism, we need to examine the mistakes we may have made to lead to this present state of affairs so as not to repeat those mistakes in the future.

Posted by Scottage at 1:53 AM / | |