DECODING USAMA: BIN LADEN’S CHANGE OF FOCUS

I was away when Bin Laden delivered his latest video, the first major statement in many years. It took me awhile to find a transcript. There is a debate about its meaning. I thought it was interesting because it didn’t make threats. In fact, it seemed to be part of a new strategy to speak to the American people and our self-interests, and not promise to attack us. Is he softening or getting shrewder. Does he just “hate us” or is there a new political message?

Predictably, there has been a debate about it. Wolf Pangloss who carried a full translation on his blog –one of the few places I could find it—sees it as a sign that Bin Laden has been beaten.

The text seems as if it was written in English and translated to Arabic. It would be useful to find out where Bin Laden and Jewish convert Adam Gadahn got the language for this speech, which hits every single leftist and socialist argument (except Abu Ghraib and Gitmo, which have already been used several times) against the Global Counterjihad, and also appeals to Republicans by promising tax cuts under Islamic governance. The scattershot style actually sounds desperate, as if he would say anything to get the US to stop fighting and leave him alone. I think he realizes that Al Qaeda is beaten in Afghanistan and Iraq, and this is a last ditch effort to stop the systematic dismantling of Al Qaeda in Iraq and the Taliban in Afghanistan.

http://fishtacostand.blogspot.com/2007/09/text-of-bin-laden-speech.html

According to The Week, the right-wing National Review called him a “wretched old fanatic” argued he has turned to “pseudo Marxist thinking, telling Americans we must liberate ourselves from “the shackles of capitalism, warmongering coporations, “insane taxes” and burdensome credit card debt and mortgages. Salon calls it a “rant” that is a” bizarre, almost ridiculous document. Anne Applebaum says he is headed towards creating an “overarching anti-American” narrative.

Now that is interesting since it assumes that Americans will see an attack on warmongering coporations, “insane taxes” and burdensome credit card debt and mortgages as anti-American. Many do not, especially these days. and in fact are looking for American politicians to champion this cause—as a Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinch already have. The speech will not hurt Noam Chomsky’s book sales since he is mentioned by name. Does than mean they are all on the same side. Of course not.

Judge for yourself. Here is some of it—a document few Americans were allowed to see. It cleverly hits themes being raised by American critics.

On the media:

“…your information media, during the first years of the war, lost its credibility and manifested itself as a tool of the colonialist empires, and its condition has often been worse than the condition of the media of the dictatorial regimes which march in the caravan of the single leader.”

On waffling Democrats:

People of America: the world is following your news in regards to your invasion of Iraq, for people have recently come to know that, after several years of the tragedies of this war, the vast majority of you want it stopped. Thus, you elected the Democratic Party for this purpose, but the Democrats haven’t made a move worth mentioning. On the contrary, they continue to agree to the spending of tens of billions to continue the killing and war there, which has led to the vast majority of you being afflicted with disappointment.

And here is the gist of the matter, so one should pause, think and reflect: why have the Democrats failed to stop this war, despite them being the majority?”

On Debt:

“And Iraq and Afghanistan and their tragedies; and the reeling of many of you under the burden of interest-related debts, insane taxes and real estate mortgages; global warming and its woes; and the abject poverty and tragic hunger in Africa: all of this is but one side of this global system.

So it is imperative that you free yourselves from all of that and search for an alternative, upright methodology in which it is not the business of any class of humanity to lay down its own laws to its own advantage at the expense of the other classes as is the case with you, since the essence of man-made positive laws is that they serve the interests of those with the capital and thus make the rich richer and the poor poorer.”

What do the Jihadis think of this new direction? Ashraf Al-Iraqi writes on Jihad Unspun that there is a debate among his followers.

There has been much criticism over the fact that Sheikh is addressing the American people directly, something he rarely used to do. It’s time to wake up and realize that Sheikh is not trapped in the same time warp the rest of us seem to be and he is changing his tactics as the situation changes. Furthermore, while we sit on our armchairs and complain that we have no leaders, here right in front of our eyes is a Caliph who not only talks the talk but walks the walk…..



With respect to the “lack of message” or the lack of “threat” in Sheikh’s latest address, it’s exactly the opposite. It is a requirement of the Mujahideen to offer three things to their opponents prior to fresh engagements; the opportunity to come to Islam and keep their territories, pay Zakat and coming under the protection of the Muslims while remaining non-Muslims or face the consequences of battle. In this case, the offer of Zakat would see America trying to throw more of their valueless paper money in an effort to buy peace and this option does not meet the four corners of the Shariah in this case. 



In calling America to Islam, Sheikh is honouring his covenant with Allah and carrying out every Muslim’s dream of the Caliphate rising and calling the unbelievers to Islam. If America were smart, it should be even more concerned by Sheikh’s latest message for it surely is a battle cry, one that America, its allies and the Muslims should not take lightly. (JUS)

Interestingly a new poll shows that while Republicans still see terrorism as America’s biggest threat, Democrats are putting economic concerns including health care at the top of their list. We are in a very divided country with the trend against the Republicans. Bin Laden understands and that and is playing to it, as in divide your enemies.