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Born at the Crest of the Empire

Sunday, April 23, 2006

Is Bin Laden's "truce offer" over?

A new Bin Laden tape is coming today. What it means, I don't know, but just a heads up.

6 Comments:

  • The only meaning to a bin Laden tape is that the Bush and Rummy failed to capture bin Laden, and so he continues as a living reminder of their ill-conceived and ill-executed War on TerrorĀ®

    I can't see how the actual content of bin Laden's message would mean anything to anybody, other than to those already converted to his demented world view.

    By Blogger -epm, at 8:03 AM  

  • I generally tend to agree, but at the same time, Bin Laden issued a "truce offer" to Europe that expired, followed shortly after by the bombings.

    I also agree that a Bin Laden message will not serve to convert anybody.

    It's really a question of whether his top command is still operational in any way as to whether this is significant.

    Mike.

    By Blogger mikevotes, at 8:11 AM  

  • Refresh my memory: what European bombings were these?

    The London bombings were shown to be home grown. Would you consider a bin Laden message to be a controlling factor, nonetheless?

    By Blogger -epm, at 8:30 AM  

  • Fair point. Maybe I've bought the rhetoric here. I was repeating something I read around the time the "truce" was offered.

    From what I know, I would say he acted as a unifying influence on the London bombers, but had no operational input. I don't think they act without Bin Laden's presence and example, but he had no input on the actual operation.

    Sorry, I think you caught me. I get a little sloppy/lazy blogging over the weekends, no real set times, I often write, like that last comment right before I'm headed out the door. I often end up writing quickly.

    On the weekdays, I have a more set schedule and have laid aside regular blogging time.

    Mike

    By Blogger mikevotes, at 1:41 PM  

  • Mike, hope I didn't come across as snarky... I don't read the foreign press as much as I should, and most American press is anemic in it's world coverage. Wasn't sure I missed something.

    At this point, Bin Laden is a martyr dead or alive. Disenfranchised youth, bombarded with messages of victimization from the pulpit (be they Muslim or Christian) will sink to the depths necessary to fight their phantom oppressors. We cocked it up with bin Laden back in 2002. His name is now a rallying cry to the easily influenced and that genie's not going back in the bottle.

    By Blogger -epm, at 11:06 PM  

  • By Blogger Unknown, at 3:30 AM  

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