Will the new bin Laden Tape Affect the US Election?

[onedomino]

As we know, the Terrorist Directorate of Public Relations, Al Jazeera, has released another bin Laden tape. Here is a UK take on how the propaganda content of the tape will affect the US election:

Bin Laden's Video Warning Works to Advantage of Bush

http://news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=1255432004

ANALYSIS
FRASER NELSON IN COLUMBUS, OHIO
Sat 30 Oct 2004

American reaction to terrorist enemy’s attack on president is likely to be one of defiance.

ONLY two months ago, John Kerry was taunting George W Bush about the absence of Osama bin Laden. The al-Qaeda leader, he said, was the "invisible man" of the war on terror - the enemy the White House likes to forget.

Perhaps, in his cave, bin Laden was listening. His foray into the American presidential race was spectacular and extraordinary - spectacular because of its timing, released in the final weekend of the marathon campaign.

And it was extraordinary because it did not consist of the usual repulsive and murderous threats that come from Islamic extremists. Bin Laden was addressing voters - saying "you" and meaning the American public. And he adopted the language of the Democrat campaign.

His attack on Mr Bush was not that he was a drunken infidel, or that he promoted violence on the Arab world. Bin Laden picked up the theme that the Democrats use against Mr Bush and the Tories use against Tony Blair: they lied. "Despite entering the fourth year after 11 September, Bush is still deceiving you and hiding the truth from you, and therefore the reasons are still there to repeat what happened," he said.

Bush lied - it’s written on thousands of badges and car bumper stickers across America. Now, the leader of al-Qaeda is joining the political refrain. He then moved on to a charge often made by Michael Moore, the film-maker: the White House is venal.

Mr Bush’s government, he said, resembles "corrupt" Arab governments - an apparent reference to repeated claims that the Bush administration is in cahoots with big business and runs policy to their advantage.

Exactly this charge resurfaced only yesterday, when the Pentagon said it was extending its investigation into the Iraq reconstruction contracts awarded to Haliburton, formerly run by Dick Cheney, the vice-president.

But to drive home that his war is with the American people, and not just their president, he said the threat of terrorist attacks is in the hands of the voters.

"The security of the Americans is not in the hands of Kerry or Bush or al-Qaeda - it is in your hands. Any state that does not threaten our security will automatically be safe."

Both political campaigns had been preparing for an al-Qaeda intervention, and there has been much debate in the US about whether the election should be postponed in the event of a terrorist attack.

But now, the candidates have something more to think about: how do they respond to this tape? In Columbus, Mr Bush had an hour to draft his script last night.

He said Americans "will not be intimidated or influenced by an enemy of our country".

His more detailed response over the coming hours is obvious. Voters, he could say, should ask themselves: "Who would bin Laden want me to vote for? Who is he most afraid of?" It is entirely possible for the Bush team to say he was endorsing Mr Kerry.

Even by the standards of a desperately tight, murkily fought presidential election, it would be too much to expect the Republicans to lump together the Democrats and bin Laden - explicitly, at least. Mr Bush will want voters to make up their own mind.

Mr Kerry's first words were hardly inspirational. "All of us in this country are completely united - Democrat, Republican, there's no such thing" - an unusual message ahead of the most divisive election in modern American history. He promised instead to "capture or kill" Bin Laden.

The al-Qaeda video served as a reminder that the most important issue facing the United States is not the economy, but security - and this, at least, will play to the Republicans advantage.

The slogan "it’s security, stupid" has remained the dominant theme of the campaign all year, with both presidential candidates arguing that they are better placed to protect the US.

Mr Cheney has on more than one occasion suggested that a Republican defeat amounts to little less than a victory for terrorists who wish to wreak fresh destruction upon the US.

But Mr Kerry’s theme is that the war on Iraq was a distraction from the war on terror - that bin Laden was responsible for the 11 September attacks and deposing Saddam Hussein gave him breathing space.

When he mocked Mr Bush for not mentioning Bin Laden’s name in any speeches, this was his point - the Republicans are pursing the wrong strategy. What’s the point of having Saddam Hussein in prison of bin Laden is still at large?

The bin Laden video demonstrates that the terrorist - credited with overturning Spain's pro-war government with the Madrid bombings seven months ago - has been studying the US election.

He even reinforces the findings of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission - that, under the Bush administration, intelligence services were asleep at the wheel and not on the lookout for such an attack.

Mohammed Atta, the lead hijacker, was instructed to carry out the four hijackings "in 20 minutes before Bush and his administration take notice".

The attack, he said, was easy. "This had given us three times the time needed to carry out the operations. Thanks be to God."

Last night’s video shows that bin Laden's political education is continuing - and that he has grasped exactly when in the electoral cycle to strike. The question Americans face today is whether it will be accompanied by a fresh attack.

While Spain reacted to the Madrid bombings by electing an anti-war government which pulled its troops out of Iraq, the reaction of Americans to seeing bin Laden at large is likely to be one of defiance.

But in echoing so many Democrat themes, the terrorist may have misjudged the American public - who, in television phone-ins last night, said this underlined Mr Bush’s claim that the country was at war.

Unless, that is, the video was a double-bluff - and he wants Mr Bush to continue as a man against whom the Islamic world can be united against. Either way, bin Laden has delivered a boon to the Republicans.

 

[wolvie20m]

I think Bin Laden doing everything but saying vote against Bush could easily sway some votes to do just the oppsite. This may just prove how the terrorists view Bush as tearing them apart piece by peice.

 

[8236]

Doh! Ofcourse it will. I think Nader has it in the bag now.

 

[onedomino]

Doh! Ofcourse it will. I think Nader has it in the bag now.

Put a lot of thought into that response? 8236 is the square root of absurd.

 

[8236]

Put a lot of thought into that response? 8236 is the square root of absurd.

Nope, I was joking. As to the question posed in the thread title: Yes. And I even bothered to read your post (all of it).

 

[Flying Duck]

Peronsally, I don't think he cares. If Bush gets in, the hatred will be higher and he'll get more recruits. With Kerry, we're a softer target. We need to kill him, it's a bit overdue.

 

[NATO AIR]

it doesn't help either candidate.

both have their weaknesses in regards to bin laden but the american people who are undecided likely remember the last time we heard from al-queda

"the streets will overflow with your blood"

yea, i don't see nothing on the streets and all we got was this shitty videotape.

al-queda is weak and unable to strike in america.... that's why they're slaughtering innocents in russia and iraq.

 

[NATO AIR]

maybe we injured him and he lost his legs...

 

[NATO AIR]

That thought crossed my mind! sure seems the they went through some effort to make it that way.

or maybe his handlers wanted to highlight the fact he's sold his soul to the devil and can now levitate.

 

[Flying Duck]

I heard he was caught last week peeing on Bush/Chencey Signs on the front lawn of the White House and Bush let him go.

 

[Avatar4321]

Anyone else notice that Democrats dont seem at all bothered that Osama was using their talking points? I was over at the DU and there seemed to be a thread rather happy that Osama was making their points...i think they are kind dumb if they think osama helps them though.

 

[dilloduck]

Osama's legs could be going or gone due to kidney problems. Doesn't really matter. I don't think this tape will influence anyone any more than the missing muntions story. The talking heads are having fun with it however.

 

[manu1959]

Osama's legs could be going or gone due to kidney problems. Doesn't really matter. I don't think this tape will influence anyone any more than the missing muntions story. The talking heads are having fun with it however.

not true...i have voted three times in four different states ...WWW.death from above.com

 

[Thornton]

If that tape is authenticated to be Osama you can bet the Americans will vote just the opposite of what he wants. Hope it's not a trick. HA

 

[dilloduck]

note trues...i have voted three times in four different states ...WWW.death from above.com

HUH? :scratch: I missed something here!

 

[manu1959]

HUH? :scratch: I missed something here!

dad was a politician, taught me to vote early and often in as many states as possible and i inherited is awful sense of logic and humour....that no one but he or i seem to get

 

[manu1959]

............. you can bet the Americans will vote just the opposite of what he wants. .....

well that should not move the poles then...those for are now again and those again are now for

 

[Bonnie]

or maybe his handlers wanted to highlight the fact he's sold his soul to the devil and can now levitate.

That's great!! :rotflmao: :rotflmao:

 

[White knight]

Other then this board, I don’t think much people paid any attention, If they did they just laughed.

Speaking of magic carpets, anyone got a pic of the Jet Fighter chasing the guy on a magic carpet?