Bin Laden calls Saddam an Infidel.

[Zero Signal]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...nm/iraq_dc_511

[ranxer]

I'm having trouble believing bin laden said whats reported
is the guy even alive?
how many different statements came out when?

he also said about the u$:
"Those soldiers are completely convinced of the injustice and lying of their government."



well, a few of them are anyway. most are following orders and trying to get thier buds through safely like most of us would in thier place so this aint gonna help the iraqis, heh

[GAsux]

I think it's no secret that bin Laden dislikes Saddam. bin Laden is very passionate about Islam, and is interested in creating a larger Arab nation in the name of Allah. Saddam is very passionate about Saddam and is interested in creating a larger Arab nation in the name of Saddam. Big difference.

Never the less, bin Ladens message was directed towards the people of Iraq. People who probably aren't too fond of Saddam themselves. People who likely share some of bin Ladens Islamic fervor. It's those who will stir to fight. People perhaps Saddam could not motivate. That's the scary part.

I think there is some part of Saddam that probably envisions himself as the leader of the Arab world. That sort of puts him at odds with bin Laden, who in some ways has become that person, in spite of not having a country of his own.

Anyway, I think the appeal to the people of Iraq without metnion of Saddam is significant. All dislikes aside, bin Laden sees the struggle of the Iraqi people as part of his greater cause. After Saddam's fall (assumming at this point that it's a near certainty), who do you think those devout Iraqi muslims will idolize?

[Zero Signal]

It's similar to the attitude to the Palestinians.

"We don't like you per se, but the enemy of my enemy is a "friend".

Same concept with Saddam.

[GAsux]

I just got done reading the bulk of the text of the message. bin Laden has a reputation for sending somewhat cryptic warnings prior to attacks. This paragraph struck me in particular.....

"We also want to clarify that whoever helps America ... either if they fight next to them or give them support in any form or shape, even by words, if they help them to kill the Muslims in Iraq, they have to know that they are outside this Islamic nation. Jordan and Morocco and Nigeria and Saudi Arabia should be careful that this war, this crusade, is attacking the people of Islam first. It doesn't matter whether the socialist (Baath) party or Saddam disappear. ..."

Seems like an odd group of countries to wanr considering the role they will play. Nigeria? Morocco? I dunno, perhaps it is only coindicental but I doubt it given bin Ladens history of delivering timely and well thought out speeches.

[FS]

I love how pro-war countries tried to declare this recording "evidence" that Saddam's in league with Al Qaeda. It's kind of like saying the sun revolves around the earth because you see it move through the sky every day.

[ranxer]

blind faith, if the gov'ment says its him it must be so..
bow down ye and look not for more than the scraps ye have been given.

bladin sounds like gw after he's passed through a translater a couple times. god this, god that its tailored to drive the war machine.. perfect. sorry, i dont trust anything the warmongers could use to execute more people

[GAsux]

Sorry, I guess I'm completely lost with where you were going there. Are you implying that the "bin Laden" message was somehow faked by the U.S. government to help make it's case for war?

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for casting a critical eye, but if that's the point you're trying to make, you've passed from being critical to being paranoid.

[ranxer]

I dont know who would fake the message, i just don't trust it.
first of all becuase its from a radical terrorist ..it shouldnt drive policy and shouldnt be used as "evidence" except to show yes, there's radicals in every society.

I'm also just pissed that it WILL fuel many peoples cheering sections, whether it be a rabid pro-war group in america or the radicals in iraq, it doesnt help anything at all.

[george]

i think the message is real, but i think the timing of the release of it is questionable to me.

it just seems that the government is trying to make everyone really nervous right now. what with telling everyone to buy plastic sheeting and bottled water and all. then suddenly releasing a bin laden tape.

and i think the list of countries is a call to arms for all Muslims. i think bin laden hates saddam as much as GW does, just that he has always insisted that saddam is a Muslim/arab problem to solve and that the rest of us should stay the fuck out of their problems.

[GAsux]

THe tape was released by Al Jeezera, not the U.S. government. bin Laden has historically shown his p.r. savy by using the media to his benefit. Al Jeezera has become his voice.

I don't doubt the timing nor the authenticity of it. I agree wholeheartedly that it's significagance in terms of the Iraq-AL Queada connection is vastly overstated. But it falls completely in line with bin Ladens normal operating behavior.

[Ronnie Raygun]

This has been the best thing to happen in a while...politically speaking.

Dems don't like this story because it shows that their is a link between Saddam and Al Qaeda...BUT...if they say Usama is really dead than Bush must be winning the war on terror which makes them look bad for not supporting him.

[KevinTheOmnivore]

Originally Posted by Ronnie Raygun

Dems don't like this story because it shows that their is a link between Saddam and Al Qaeda

No it doesn't.

[FS]

Explain to us how this tape proves that there is a link between Saddam and Al Qaeda. Preferably no regurgitated propaganda, but a personal analysis of the broadcast.

There's no hidden agenda here. Bin Laden just picked this moment to tell the world "remember? they still haven't caught me" and for the umpteenth time rally the population of a Middle-Eastern country against the "devil" America. I wonder if he considered how this would be yanked out of context.