Bin Ladin: Time For US To Liberate Themselves Of Neo-Cons

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An audio message purportedly by al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden has been released on an Islamist website and it's a mixed message to say that least.

On one hand the voice (suposedly Bin Ladin) tells the US president that he is "powerless" to stop the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. However, the most intriguing comment in the ten minute message was actually more of a suggestion.


The voice that is allegedly supposed to be that of al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Ladin says:

"The time has come for you to liberate yourselves from fear and the ideological terrorism of neo-conservatives and the Israeli lobby."

"If you stop the war, then fine. Otherwise we will have no choice but to continue our war of attrition on every front [...] If you choose safety and stopping wars, as opinion polls show you do, then we are ready to respond to this." it says.

In the message, the al-Qaeda leader accuses the new president of failing to fundamentally change foreign policy because of his decision to retain key figures from the previous administration, including Defence Secretary Robert Gates.

This message almost smacks of a peace offering which is why many believe that it is not authentic. It may be Bin Ladin's voice, but weather all of the words where spoken at at the same time, or pieced together to create the audio message is something else.

If in fact it was Bin Ladin, I wish he would have offered a few suggestions to America on liberating itself from the fear and ideological terrorisn of neo-conservatives. Nothing elaborate, just a quick "If I where you, I would" and then fill in the blank.

In his last known message, in June, Bin Laden had said that US President Barack Obama had planted the seeds of "revenge and hatred" towards the US in the Muslim world.

Cheney Points 911 Blame Away From Bush

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Dick Cheney goes on the defensive and blames 911 on Richard Clark, the former counter-terroism chief under President Bill Clinton. Cheney's remarks where spewed while speaking at the National Press Club today, Cheney struck back at Clarke. When asked about Clarke’s argument, Cheney — once again — invoked the "burning ashes" of 9/11 and the victims who leaped to their deaths from the World Trade Center. Then, quite succinctly, Cheney pinned the entire blame for 9/11 on Clarke: WATCH VIDEO


In fact, it was Cheney who "missed" the warning signs, not Clarke. New York Times reporter Philip Shenon’s book, "The Commission: The Uncensored History of the 9/11 Investigation," reprinted some of Clarke’s emphatic e-mails warning the Bush administration of the al Qaeda threat throughout 2001:

"Bin Ladin Public Profile May Presage Attack" (May 3)

"Terrorist Groups Said Co-operating on US Hostage Plot" (May 23)

"Bin Ladin’s Networks’ Plans Advancing" (May 26)

"Bin Ladin Attacks May Be Imminent" (June 23)

"Bin Ladin and Associates Making Near-Term Threats" (June 25)

"Bin Ladin Planning High-Profile Attacks" (June 30)

"Planning for Bin Ladin Attacks Continues, Despite Delays" (July 2)

Similarly, Time Magazine reported in 2002 that Clarke had an extensive plan to "roll back" al Qaeda —

a plan that languished for months, ignored by senior Bush officials:

Clarke, using a Powerpoint presentation, outlined his thinking to Rice. … In fact, the heading on Slide 14 of the Powerpoint presentation reads, "Response to al Qaeda: Roll back." … The proposals Clarke developed in the winter of 2000-01 were not given another hearing by top decision makers until late April, and then spent another four months making their laborious way through the bureaucracy before they were readied for approval by President Bush.

Cheney needs to check his "recollections" before blaming former employees for the single most devestating attack in American history.