Regards, Ivan
Posted on 02/12/2003 12:12:36 PM PST by MadIvan
BERLIN, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- Germany said Wednesday a tape the United States claims ties Osama bin Laden to Saddam Hussein does not prove "links" between al Qaida and Iraq.
"From what is known so far, we don't think we can conclude that there is evidence of an axis or close link between the regime in Baghdad and al Qaida," government spokesman Thomas Steg told reporters.
On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell made public the existence of the tape, which he said would be played on the pan-Arab al Jazeera television network. Al Jazeera, which has aired audio and videotapes from the suspected terrorist mastermind in the past, later broadcast the message that Washington says bears bin Laden's voice.
The voice on the tape can be heard labeling Iraq's leadership "socialist" and its members "infidels."
"Socialists are infidels wherever they are," the voice says. "It does not hurt that in current circumstances, the interests of Muslims coincide with the interests of the socialists in the war against crusaders."
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said Wednesday the tape proved a link between the two.
"He (bin Laden) is exhorting the people of Iraq to engage, to roll up their sleeves, to prepare for jihad, a cause that he shares," he said.
"If that is not an unholy partnership, I've not heard of one," he added.
Germany also said Wednesday that its security agencies were analyzing the tape to ascertain whether the voice was in fact bin Laden's.
Wednesday's statement in Berlin is the latest in a flap over U.S. attempts to disarm Iraq using force.
The United States maintains Saddam has a history of lying to the international community and must be disarmed with force if needed. It has said if the United Nations does not act against Baghdad, it will do so alone.
Germany is against the use of military force and earlier this week vetoed -- along with France and Belgium -- a NATO bid to aid Turkey if the alliance's only predominantly Muslim member is attacked by Iraq in the event of a war. Both Washington and the German media criticized the move.
The Handelsblatt financial daily dubbed the Foreign Ministry, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's office and the press office a "Bermuda triangle."
"NATO is fighting for its very survival and in Berlin, the last vestige of international predictability, statesmanlike vision and diplomatic skills is disappearing into the Bermuda triangle that is the foreign ministry and government press office," it said.
It said Germany's foreign policy was in complete disarray while Europe was facing its most difficult challenges since the end of the Cold War.
The Sueddeutsche Zeitung argued the government had its priorities wrong. It suggested that instead of blocking the NATO move, Germany could have sent troops to Turkey while opposing Washington's Iraq policy.
"Instead, Berlin decided that its opposition to the United States' Iraq policy was more important to it than its obligation to the Alliance," it said. "NATO is thus being sacrificed on the altar of new German foreign policy."
The daily Die Welt said the government's position could prove critical.
"The Berlin-Paris axis does not really augur well in Brussels, in Europe, with NATO," it said. "The cost of this decision will be enormous."
Regards, Ivan
Regardless of the removal or the survival of the socialist party or Saddam, Muslims in general and the Iraqis in particular must brace themselves for jihad against this unjust campaign and acquire ammunition and weapons. This is a prescribed duty. God says: "[And let them pray with thee] taking all precautions and bearing arms: the unbelievers wish if ye were negligent of your arms and your baggage, to assault you in a single rush." Fighting in support of the non-Islamic banners is forbidden. Muslims' doctrine and banner should be clear in fighting for the sake of God. He who fights to raise the word of God will fight for God's sake. Under these circumstances, there will be no harm if the interests of Muslims converge with the interests of the socialists in the fight against the crusaders, despite our belief in the infidelity of socialists. The jurisdiction of the socialists and those rulers has fallen a long time ago. Socialists are infidels wherever they are, whether they are in Baghdad or Aden. The fighting, which is waging and which will be waged these days, is very much like the fighting of Muslims against the Byzantine in the past. And the convergence of interests is not detrimental. The Muslims' fighting against the Byzantine converged with the interests of the Persians. And this was not detrimental to the companions of the prophet.
"Convergence of interests" establishes the link, I think. Basically, Al Qaeda is stating that they can ally with other evils when their interests coincide, which they seem to think is the case in Iraq. Islamists such as Bin Laden see any government, socialist, communist, democracy, etc., as made up of infidels. That he refers to the socialists in Iraq as infidels does not mean he does not see an opportunity to ally when interests converge.
Hey Krauts, are you just going to sit back and let this guy insult you?
The Voice on the Bin Laden Tape said that? I thought it was one of the 'anti-war' protestors... oops... ;0)
"Eet eez important to be haughty and insufferable when surrendering," said Colonel Philippe Marie-Jeane Yves-Montand Gauloise du Pepee, Commanding Officer of the Surrender Battalion, who has personally surrendered in countless battles dating back to Dien Bien Phu in 1954. "We French are world masters at surrendering, n'est ce pas? Not like you arrogant Americans, who never surrender. Ha! I spit on your feelthy American victories!"
President Chirac also announced that his government will be sending 3000 advisors from the elite Force du Collaborateurs Francaise to assist the Iraqis in avidly collaborating with the Americans, while pretending to be part of a non-existent resistance movement.
Thanks for the post Ivan
Germany: The Moon is just the Sun at night.
HMMMMM.....I wonder which country/countries they were purchased from?
I'm really at a loss with the Germans(in a perturbed way) as to why they are being so ridiculously reluctant to see the obvious. It has to be more than just politics as usual or even an extreme hatred of the US. Why are they so reluctant to a government change in Iraq? Something is going on behind the scenes prompting the Germans to look so ridiculous in their firm stance against ousting Saaddam.
The Germans have said that they are against the war because an Iraq war would cause an illegal rise in member EU nations exceeding debt levels of 3% of GDP. All EU nations are signatures to the pact. Any nation who does anything to cause such increased spending(defcit)or who takes any action to cause the nation's GDP to dip more than 3% is in violation of EU governing laws.
Hey, the Germans and French are just following the rule of law you know?
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