       
By The Associated Press , 01.19.2006, 05:00 PM
The following is the full text of a new audiotape from al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. Parts of the tape were aired on Al-Jazeera television, which published the entire version on its Web site. The text was translated from the Arabic by The Associated Press.
Bin Laden appears to be addressing the American people:
My message to you is about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and how to end them. I did not intend to speak to you about this because this issue has already been decided. Only metal breaks metal, and our situation, thank God, is only getting better and better, while your situation is the opposite of that.
But I plan to speak about the repeated errors your President Bush has committed in comments on the results of your polls that show an overwhelming majority of you want the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. But he (Bush) has opposed this wish and said that withdrawing troops sends the wrong message to opponents, that it is better to fight them (bin Laden's followers) on their land than their fighting us (Americans) on our land.
I can reply to these errors by saying that war in Iraq is raging with no let-up, and operations in Afghanistan are escalating in our favor, thank God, and Pentagon figures show the number of your dead and wounded is increasing not to mention the massive material losses, the destruction of the soldiers' morale there and the rise in cases of suicide among them. So you can imagine the state of psychological breakdown that afflicts a soldier as he gathers the remains of his colleagues after they stepped on land mines that tore them apart. After this situation the soldier is caught between two hard options. He either refuses to leave his military camp on patrols and is therefore dogged by ruthless punishments enacted by the Vietnam Butcher (U.S. army) or he gets destroyed by the mines. This puts him under psychological pressure, fear and humiliation while his nation is ignorant of that (what is going on). The soldier has no solution except to commit suicide. That is a strong message to you, written by his soul, blood and pain, to save what can be saved from this hell. The solution is in your hands if you care about them (the soldiers).
The news of our brother mujahideen (holy warriors) is different from what the Pentagon publishes. They (the news of mujahideen) and what the media report is the truth of what is happening on the ground. And what deepens the doubt over the White House's infor-ati/n is the fact that it targets the media reporting the truth from the ground. And it has appeared lately, supported by documents, that the butcher of freedom in the world (Bush) had decided to bomb the headquarters of the Al-Jazeera in Qatar after bombing its offices in Kabul and Baghdad.
On another issue, jihad (holy war) is ongoing, thank God, despite all the oppressive measures adopted by the U.S Army and its agents (which is) to a point where there is no difference between this criminality and Saddam's criminality, as it has reached the degree of raping women and taking them as hostages instead of their husbands.
As for torturing men, they have used burning chemical acids and drills on their joints. And when they give up on (interrogating) them, they sometimes use the drills on their heads until they die. Read, if you will, the reports of the horrors in Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo prisons.
And I say that, despite all the barbaric methods, they have not broken the fierceness of the resistance. The mujahideen, thank God, are increasing in number and strength - so much so that reports point to the ultimate failure and defeat of the unlucky quartet of Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz. Declaring this defeat is just a matter of time, depending partly on how much the American people know of the size of this tragedy. The sensible people realize that Bush does not have a plan to make his alleged victory in Iraq come true.
And if you compare the small number of dead on the day that Bush announced the end of major operations in that fake, ridiculous show aboard the aircraft carrier with the tenfold number of dead and wounded who were killed in the smaller operations, you would know the truth of what I say. This is that Bush and his administration do not have the will or the ability to get out of Iraq for their own private, suspect reasons.
And so to return to the issue, I say that results of polls please those who are sensible, and Bush's opposition to them is a mistake. The reality shows that the war against America and its allies has not been limited to Iraq as he (Bush) claims. Iraq has become a point of attraction and restorer of (our) energies. At the same time, the mujahideen (holy warriors), with God's grace, have managed repeatedly to penetrate all security measures adopted by the unjust allied countries. The proof of that is the explosions you have seen in the capitals of the European nations who are in this aggressive coalition. The delay in similar operations happening in America has not been because of failure to break through your security measures. The operations are under preparation and you will see them in your homes the minute they are through (with preparations), with God's permission.
Based on what has been said, this shows the errors of Bush's statement - the one that slipped from him - which is at the heart of polls calling for withdrawing the troops. It is better that we (Americans) don't fight Muslims on their lands and that they don't fight us on ours.
We don't mind offering you a long-term truce on fair conditions that we adhere to. We are a nation that God has forbidden to lie and cheat. So both sides can enjoy security and stability under this truce so we can build Iraq and Afghanistan, which have been destroyed in this war. There is no shame in this solution, which prevents the wasting of billions of dollars that have gone to those with influence and merchants of war in America who have supported Bush's election campaign with billions of dollars - which lets us understand the insistence by Bush and his gang to carry on with war.
If you (Americans) are sincere in your desire for peace and security, we have answered you. And if Bush decides to carry on with his lies and oppression, then it would be useful for you to read the book "Rogue State," which states in its introduction: "If I were president, I would stop the attacks on the United States: First I would give an apology to all the widows and orphans and those who were tortured. Then I would announce that American interference in the nations of the world has ended once and for all."
Finally, I say that war will go either in our favor or yours. If it is the former, it means your loss and your shame forever, and it is headed in this course. If it is the latter, read history! We are people who do not stand for injustice and we will seek revenge all our lives. The nights and days will not pass without us taking vengeance like on Sept. 11, God permitting. Your minds will be troubled and your lives embittered. As for us, we have nothing to lose. A swimmer in the ocean does not fear the rain. You have occupied our lands, offended our honor and dignity and let out our blood and stolen our money and destroyed our houses and played with our security and we will give you the same treatment.
You have tried to prevent us from leading a dignified life, but you will not be able to prevent us from a dignified death. Failing to carry out jihad, which is called for in our religion, is a sin. The best death to us is under the shadows of swords. Don't let your strength and modern arms fool you. They win a few battles but lose the war. Patience and steadfastness are much better. We were patient in fighting the Soviet Union with simple weapons for 10 years and we bled their economy and now they are nothing.
In that there is a lesson for you.
Whatever bin Laden.
Sometimes its hard to tell who's telling more lies. Our politicians or theirs.
~Rico
From www.house.gov/apps/list/p...iraq.html
       
(Washington D.C.)- The war in Iraq is not going as advertised. It is a flawed policy wrapped in illusion. The American public is way ahead of us. The United States and coalition troops have done all they can in Iraq, but it is time for a change in direction. Our military is suffering. The future of our country is at risk. We can not continue on the present course. It is evident that continued military action in Iraq is not in the best interest of the United States of America, the Iraqi people or the Persian Gulf Region.
General Casey said in a September 2005 Hearing, the perception of occupation in Iraq is a major driving force behind the insurgency. General Abizaid said on the same date, Reducing the size and visibility of the coalition forces in Iraq is a part of our counterinsurgency strategy.
For 2 years I have been concerned about the U.S. policy and the plan in Iraq. I have addressed my concerns with the Administration and the Pentagon and have spoken out in public about my concerns. The main reason for going to war has been discredited. A few days before the start of the war I was in Kuwait the military drew a red line around Baghdad and said when U.S. forces cross that line they will be attacked by the Iraqis with Weapons of Mass Destruction but the US forces said they were prepared. They had well trained forces with the appropriate protective gear.
We spend more money on Intelligence than all the countries in the world together, and more on Intelligence than most countries GDP. But the intelligence concerning Iraq was wrong. It is not a world intelligence failure. It is a U.S. intelligence failure and the way that intelligence was misused.
I have been visiting our wounded troops at Bethesda and Walter Reed hospitals almost every week since the beginning of the War. And what demoralizes them is going to war with not enough troops and equipment to make the transition to peace; the devastation caused by IEDs; being deployed to Iraq when their homes have been ravaged by hurricanes; being on their second or third deployment and leaving their families behind without a network of support.
The threat posed by terrorism is real, but we have other threats that cannot be ignored. We must be prepared to face all threats. The future of our military is at risk. Our military and their families are stretched thin. Many say that the Army is broken. Some of our troops are on their third deployment. Recruitment is down, even as our military has lowered its standards. Defense budgets are being cut. Personnel costs are skyrocketing, particularly in health care. Choices will have to be made. We can not allow promises we have made to our military families in terms of service benefits, in terms of their health care, to be negotiated away. Procurement programs that ensure our military dominance cannot be negotiated away. We must be prepared. The war in Iraq has caused huge shortfalls at our bases in the U.S.
Much of our ground equipment is worn out and in need of either serious overhaul or replacement. George Washington said, To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace. We must rebuild our Army. Our deficit is growing out of control. The Director of the Congressional Budget Office recently admitted to being terrified about the budget deficit in the coming decades. This is the first prolonged war we have fought with three years of tax cuts, without full mobilization of American industry and without a draft. The burden of this war has not been shared equally; the military and their families are shouldering this burden.
Our military has been fighting a war in Iraq for over two and a half years. Our military has accomplished its mission and done its duty. Our military captured Saddam Hussein, and captured or killed his closest associates. But the war continues to intensify. Deaths and injuries are growing, with over 2,079 confirmed American deaths. Over 15,500 have been seriously injured and it is estimated that over 50,000 will suffer from battle fatigue. There have been reports of at least 30,000 Iraqi civilian deaths.
I just recently visited Anbar Province Iraq in order to assess the conditions on the ground. Last May 2005, as part of the Emergency Supplemental Spending Bill, the House included the Moran Amendment, which was accepted in Conference, and which required the Secretary of Defense to submit quarterly reports to Congress in order to more accurately measure stability and security in Iraq. We have now received two reports. I am disturbed by the findings in key indicator areas. Oil production and energy production are below pre-war levels. Our reconstruction efforts have been crippled by the security situation. Only $9 billion of the $18 billion appropriated for reconstruction has been spent. Unemployment remains at about 60 percent. Clean water is scarce. Only $500 million of the $2.2 billion appropriated for water projects has been spent. And most importantly, insurgent incidents have increased from about 150 per week to over 700 in the last year. Instead of attacks going down over time and with the addition of more troops, attacks have grown dramatically. Since the revelations at Abu Ghraib, American casualties have doubled. An annual State Department report in 2004 indicated a sharp increase in global terrorism.
I said over a year ago, and now the military and the Administration agrees, Iraq can not be won militarily. I said two years ago, the key to progress in Iraq is to Iraqitize, Internationalize and Energize. I believe the same today. But I have concluded that the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq is impeding this progress.
Our troops have become the primary target of the insurgency. They are united against U.S. forces and we have become a catalyst for violence. U.S. troops are the common enemy of the Sunnis, Saddamists and foreign jihadists. I believe with a U.S. troop redeployment, the Iraqi security forces will be incentivized to take control. A poll recently conducted shows that over 80% of Iraqis are strongly opposed to the presence of coalition troops, and about 45% of the Iraqi population believe attacks against American troops are justified. I believe we need to turn Iraq over to the Iraqis.
I believe before the Iraqi elections, scheduled for mid December, the Iraqi people and the emerging government must be put on notice that the United States will immediately redeploy. All of Iraq must know that Iraq is free. Free from United States occupation. I believe this will send a signal to the Sunnis to join the political process for the good of a free Iraq.
My plan calls:
To immediately redeploy U.S. troops consistent with the safety of U.S. forces.
To create a quick reaction force in the region.
To create an over- the- horizon presence of Marines.
To diplomatically pursue security and stability in Iraq
This war needs to be personalized. As I said before I have visited with the severely wounded of this war. They are suffering.
Because we in Congress are charged with sending our sons and daughters into battle, it is our responsibility, our OBLIGATION to speak out for them. Thats why I am speaking out.
Our military has done everything that has been asked of them, the U.S. can not accomplish anything further in Iraq militarily. IT IS TIME TO BRING THEM HOME.
#######
The similarities to Bin Laden's rhetoric is interesting.
Jimro
We don't mind offering you a long-term truce on fair conditions that we adhere to.
Dear Mr. Bin Laden,
I am most interested in discussing this "conditional truce" with you at your earliest convenience. I also understand that the winters high in the Hindu Kush are quite severe and Washington is cold and cloudy during this season. So I would like to offer an invitation to meet at a marvelous private resort that I operate in the Caribbean. The warm ocean breezes, attentive staff and secluded location of this facility will allow us to have very open and frank discussions. This resort has become a "destination" for Islamists like yourself, so I'm sure you will feel at home. Trust me. Once you set foot on this resort, you will find it most difficult to leave.
Let me know when I can have our people pick you up and please don't concern yourself with financial matters. We will cover all of your expenses during your stay.
Looking forward to meeting you,
George W. Bush
P.S. You'll love the food.
I know, I'm a hypocrite for even responding, but other than to "verify" that he's alive to be captured, this isn't really news to pay attention to. ;p
Uhh...I know this is going to sound weird, but I'm extremely concerned. He's already proved to us that he's willing to actually attack, and he could be a major threat, but he could also be lying to us all ('cause let's face it, our own government already is).
But you know what the worst part about this whole situation is? It's that the government shrugs it off as if it's nothing at all and don't take any precautions what-so-ever. I mean it isn't a major threat, but it's still a threat none the less, and we should at least be making sure that we don't have another 9/11.
And that leads me to my next point : Bush is a neglectful president. He doesn't care enough about the country to get off his duff and do anything. I'm not just saying this because everybody else dislikes him, I just really don't like him. He doesn't care, he's a liar, and he isn't really very smart at all from what I've seen.
Anyway, I'm done ranting. Thank you for your time.
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He doesn't care, he's a liar, and he isn't really very smart at all from what I've seen.
First two are debatable.
As for the third...yeah, I can see how someone with a master's degree in business from Harvard would be stupid. 
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He doesn't care....
As far as I'm concerned, and I'm a Democrat. It isn't really Bush's fault. I think he's being controled by someone else.
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As for the third...yeah, I can see how someone with a master's degree in business from Harvard would be stupid.
Anyone can cheat their way through college with the kind of money Bush has and had. Not saying he did it, just saying its a big possible.
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Dear Mr. Bin Laden, I am most interested in discussing this "conditional truce" with you at your earliest convenience. I also understand that the winters high in the Hindu Kush are quite severe and Washington is cold and cloudy during this season. So I would like to offer an invitation to meet at a marvelous private resort that I operate in the Caribbean. The warm ocean breezes, attentive staff and secluded location of this facility will allow us to have very open and frank discussions. This resort has become a "destination" for Islamists like yourself, so I'm sure you will feel at home. Trust me. Once you set foot on this resort, you will find it most difficult to leave.
Let me know when I can have our people pick you up and please don't concern yourself with financial matters. We will cover all of your expenses during your stay.
Looking forward to meeting you,
George W. Bush
P.S. You'll love the food.
Yeah, like Bush and his people won't shoot Bin Laden on sight when he lands. Please.
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Yeah, like Bush and his people won't shoot Bin Laden on sight when he lands. Please.
I'd consider the head of a terrorist organization like Al Qaeda to be prime interrogation material.
hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
hes the leader of an organization who wants to kill everyone who does not act the same as them. His men are worse than hitler's in terms of predjudice and do not fear death.
if we were to take a "conditional truce" it would only be leaving ourselves open to attack. let's face it. a man in his position is a fast talker. Ive seen forums where his words are actually considered (thank god the people here are smarter and more respectable.)
he plays to the emotions of those who want the war to end -- which is a vast majority of people, because, lets face it, war is bad. but if we were to let our guard down for one second, we'd be finishing ourselves off before we even really got to fighting.
and allow me to take a new look at his words -- he mentions iraq, which supposedly has no connection to al-quaida... obviously there is something leading to al-quaida there, else there would be no mention of it. He never comes out and says this, but it is obvious he wants our troops to pull out, and Im sure he knows why. we shouldnt until we know as well.
and if the torture measures are being used (which I dont doubt) Im happy. As in the roman empire, times of war call for exceptions from the amendments -- not to mention these people are NOT americans so the amendments DO NOT APPLY TO THEM.
as it has been said in the past, desperate times call for desperate measures.
It may look like I'm staring at you with a mixture of disbelief and contempt, but I'm really just meditating.
and allow me to take a new look at his words -- he mentions iraq, which supposedly has no connection to al-quaida... obviously there is something leading to al-quaida there, else there would be no mention of it.
Man, what?
