Posted on 11/01/2004 12:18:11 AM PST by Sir Gawain
MEMRI Translates Osama
The tape of Osama bin Laden that was aired on Al-Jazeera on Friday, October 29th included a specific threat to "each U.S. state," designed to influence the outcome of the upcoming election against George W. Bush. The U.S. media in general mistranslated the words "ay wilaya" (which means "each U.S. state") to mean a "country" or "nation" other than the U.S., while in fact the threat was directed specifically at each individual U.S. state. This suggests some knowledge by bin Laden of the U.S. electoral college system. In a section of his speech in which he harshly criticized George W. Bush, bin Laden stated: "Any U.S. state that does not toy with our security automatically guarantees its own security."
The Islamist website Al-Qal'a explained what this sentence meant: "This message was a warning to every U.S. state separately. When he [Osama Bin Laden] said, 'Every state will be determining its own security, and will be responsible for its choice,' it means that any U.S. state that will choose to vote for the white thug Bush as president has chosen to fight us, and we will consider it our enemy, and any state that will vote against Bush has chosen to make peace with us, and we will not characterize it as an enemy. By this characterization, Sheikh Osama wants to drive a wedge in the American body, to weaken it, and he wants to divide the American people itself between enemies of Islam and the Muslims, and those who fight for us, so that he doesn't treat all American people as if they're the same. This letter will have great implications inside the American society, part of which are connected to the American elections, and part of which are connected to what will come after the elections."
Interesting. If that is correct, the speech was a much more direct attempt to influence the election than has been reported.
MEMRI agrees with the interpretation of the speech as an implicit admission of failure or defeat:
Another conspicuous aspect of the tape is the absence of common Islamist themes that are relevant to the month of Ramadan, which for fundamentalists like bin Laden is the month of Jihad and martyrdom. Noticeably absent from the Al-Jazeera tape was his usual appearance with a weapon, and more importantly the absence of references to Jihad, martyrdom, the Koran, the Hadith (Islamic tradition), Crusaders, Jews, and the legacy of the Prophet Muhammad on the duty to wage Jihad against the infidels. For the followers of the Al-Qa'ida ideology, this speech sends a regressive and defeatist message of surrender, as seen in the move from solely using Jihad warfare to a mixed strategy of threats combined with truce offers and election deals.
It is striking how little intelligent commentary on bin Laden's tape there has been in the mainstream media.
Utter nonsense. He would still go after Democratic NY (again) because of its Jewish population.
Of course he would. But that doesn't mean that Bin Laden wasn't specifically trying to influence "swing states".
Bump.
Everyone should hit Drudge with the MEMRI link.
There is a "news tip" submission form on the page.
Really outrageous. Maybe this guy, crouching in his cave, watched Everybody Loves Raymond or BayWatch on satellite TV. He has no idea of what makes up the American character, much less, how Americans respond to threats.
MEMRI agrees with the interpretation of the speech as an implicit admission of failure or defeat:
So where's the white flag?
I've been concerned about this. a dozen low-tech, not even that large devices, could cause very big problems
This indicates that Osama has come to the Michael Moore camp. Never, ever, ever forget that Moore wrote on his website 9/12/01 that it was a shame that the terrorists hit New York City, since New Yorkers voted against Bush, and that those who carried out the deadly plot should have chosen a "red state."
Are you saying that we can't rely on the word of Bin Laden? Right you are.
The point is that Bin Laden is trying to get states to turn blue for their own protection. Of course, he's lying, but he is trying to manipulate.
Bin Laden is taking a page or even a chapter from Michael Moore. Right after 911, Moore said that it was a shame that blue state people were hit by Al Qaeda, when the attack should more properly have been against the red state people who voted for Bush.
Additionally, the "Bush is corrupt and incompetant" and "Bush kept reading the book on 911" criticisms are taken from Fahrenheit 911.
Finally, the parts of the tape that haven't been played are said to include mention of Halliburton and Iraq was attacked for its oil, both staples of the left attacks on Bush.
The unplayed part also supposedly includes threats against Bush, specific members of his family, and at least two named cabinet officers (I'm guessing Rumsfeld and Ashcroft because those are the two the U.S. liberals hate the most).
Yet another indication, you mean. A number of commentators have said Osama must have seen Fahrenheit 911.
hey, can he be fined for this?
I guess I should worry, I am in Indiana, a Bush state, plus live near major oil refineries. Come on Osama, I have a big husband and he can kick your skinny ass!
Look, I know who I'm voting for and you know who you're voting for -- and, there are guys voting for the other guy for whatever reason. But to threaten American voters is so utterly and totally repugnant---(sorry, don't have the words to describe my rage at this.)
It is all about the election..........
Thinking about this is really pi@@ing me off. I'm outta here before I say something I regret or that will get me banned...sorry.
Already up on Powerlineblog.com and gogov.com
I think that Americans in every state have a long MEMRI and will do the right thing when it comes to dealing with Bin Laden...
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