Britain rejects 'Bin Laden' peace offer

[AskAlice]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1504&ncid=1504&e=2&u=/afp/20040415/ts_afp/qaeda_binladen_tape_040415104140

LONDON (AFP) - Britain rejected an offer of a truce with European nations attributed to Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, saying the notion of an armistice with terrorists was "an absurdity".

The offer of peace if European countries withdrew troops from Muslim nations, made in an audio tape purportedly from bin Laden, was "a cynical ploy", a Foreign Office spokesman said.

"The idea of an armistice with a group that defines itself by violence is an absurdity," he said.

[gWbush is Mabus]

1. I don't think he was talking to Britain

[rooboy]

2. the notion of an armistice with terrorists was "an absurdity" - LOL...

meanwhile, negotiations with the IRA... oh, never mind.

[54anickel]

3. Another link - WTF is going on? The timing is just too surreal here -

Maybe I'm just too suspicious that OBL name is continually being used by this maladmin. I read this as those who are pulling out of Iraq are "appeasing" OBL. Can't have our coalition of the willing thinking rationally about this illegal US adventure, can we.

http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=493704§ion=news

BERLIN (Reuters) - By offering a "truce" to Europeans if they pull troops out of Muslim nations, Osama bin Laden is manoeuvring, with canny timing, to split the U.S.-led coalition and scare wavering members out of Iraq.

But security analysts said a purported bin Laden audiotape broadcast on Arab television showed al Qaeda further refining tactics seen in last month's Madrid bombings of trying to force political U-turns in countries backing the U.S. "war on terror".

If confirmed as genuine, the tape appeared calculated not only at driving a wedge between the United States and its allies, but playing on fears among Western publics that their governments' pro-U.S. policies are placing them at greater risk.

"He's a strategist. He is following the principle of divide and rule. He's trying to trick the Western leaders and he's trying to pull the Western public against their leaders," said security analyst Rohan Gunaratna.

more...

[Tempest]

4. Earth to Tony

He wasn't talking to you, dumbass.

As a matter of fact, you're probably next.

[Magleetis]

5. A group that defines itself by violence

must be talking about the US

[damnraddem]

6. "The idea of an armistice with a group that defines itself by violence is

and absurdity"? So, no armistice can be negotiated with a military force, since such forces define themselves by violence -- nor with a country with a military force, for the same reason.

Fine, I guess Britain can negotiate armistices only with ... pacifists. Well, at least such armistices are likely to be scrupulously adhered to by the other side.