Some interesting possibilities arise if indeed al Qaida bigs wanted him out.
"The brother mujahed (holy warrior) Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is the emir of the Al Qaeda Organisation in the Land of Two Rivers," said the voice attributed to bin Laden, just over a month before the Iraqi elections.
"The brothers in the group there must listen to him and obey him for what is good," said the message, whose authenticity could not be confirmed.
Hailing the "daring" operations carried out by Zarqawi's group against United States forces and the "apostate" interim government of Iyad Allawi, the voice said: "We in the Al Qaeda organisation strongly welcome their joining hands with us". -Link-
al Qaida had some big hopes for him... he didn't quite live up to what they had dreamed of in Iraq. With such strong words in the 'invite' to the larger organization, the only way they might be able to regain some control is through letting him be 'offed.'
I don't see how they (bin Laden, et al) really lose much, either way. The old Tawhid network has basically fallen under the umbrella of al Qaida... Now they can place someone that will conform to their ways (and ideas about PR in the Muslim world) better. Zawahri's tape today was interesting... lots to take in.