The Bin Laden Tape

[erpowers]

How many DUers believe the tape could be fake. This tape looks different from the other tapes that Bin Laden put out. In the other tapes it seems as if Bin Laden is sitting or standing before a natural background. By natural background I mean previously it seemed as if there were either mountains, rugs, or some kind of tent like fabric behind Bin Laden. On this occasion the background seems to be something else. In addition, has Bin Laden ever made a tape in which he was not holding a gun or surrounded by guns during the tape. Mainly this tape looks different from the other tapes. So what do other DUers think?

[radwriter0555]

1. I totally believe it's a fake. I firmly believe OBL died on 21 Dec, 2001

and was buried on 23 December, 2001.

[wurzel]

2. Who would fake it? It can't help Bush!

Bush is totally responsible for OBL being at large to threaten us in the first place!

[Minstrel Boy]

8. I think it could be faked, but not by the Bush gang.

If this is a hoax tape, I don't expect it's White House-managed psyops. It would more likely be a pre-election "fuck you very much, Mr Bush" from the CIA, or rather the faction therein that means to turn the knife as payback for the White House's imprudent alienation of the agency. ("Say it was our fault, will ya? Well let's see how you like Osama 2.0 raggin' you about the goat story!")

The only thing Rovian I'm seeing is the dizzifyin' spin, which makes the Lewis Carroll-like argument that a healthy and trim bin Laden at large three years after 9/11 makes George Bush the best choice on national security. Rove would have put other words his mouth - maybe call John Kerry "a man I could do business with" - and blunted the zingers. ("If we hate freedom, why didn't we attack Sweden?" would never have made the second draft.)

[readmylips]

3. Fake tape...

Ahhnold campaigning with little bush. Ahhnold made that tape and smuggled it to Al Jazzera.

[phirili]

4. Total fake. Language structure is unlike how Bin Laden speaks.

[snippy]

5. Here is what I think:

Bin Laden appeared relaxed, well fed, rested, healthy and prosperous as he spoke in front of a backdrop which covered high explosives looted from Iraq following the American invasion.

On the other hand, if you compare the transcript of bin Laden's most recent statement to his other statements, and especially to statements known to have been written by him, it is obvious that he did not write this most recent statement. That might support the fake tape theory.

[in_cog_ni_to]

6. Fake. Fake. Fake.

I also think that terrorist tape released by the Pentagon the other day is BOGUS. The media must think the Pentagon terroist tape is BOGUS too because I haven't seen it since the first airing. IF the media believes the Pentagon tape to be bogus, why are they not saying so? :grr: They OBVIOUSLY know it's BOGUS or we would be seeing it on the air non-stop. The Bin Laden video is a fake AND the timing is suspect.

[shayes51]

7. Why are we running from this tape?

This tape only proves what Kerry has been saying all along--Bush lost his focus on the war on terror! Why can't Kerry say something like "Do you want to see this scum-bag's face on your television four years from now?" I have to say that the Republicans are better at turning lemons into lemonade than we are. Seems like sometimes we turn lemonade into lemons. This story works to our advantage if we will just use that advantage!

[mom cat]

9. Welcome to DU and thanks for your comment. While I agree with you,

I think that Rove & co could spin this hard. We are coming up in the polls and it is looking good. I think that Kerry's crew is playing this just right.

[newyawker99]

11. Hi shayes51!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[DebJ]

10. I think it is real. His message is very consistent with his other

speeches. Has anyone in this country READ any of them?

He is saying the same thing, which NOT A SINGLE REPUBLICAN seems aware of, and not many dems either:

we attacked you because you attacked us in Palestine.
Leave us alone and we will leave you alone.
THE MESSAGE: they are fighting DEFENSIVELY, not offensively.

He also reiterated that he does not wish to take down our freedoms, but simply protect his own.

I do not support the terrorist attacks; I just think that if the public actually understood what the hell Bin Laden was REALLY after, this entire campaign would have taken a more effective swing. The truth about Bin Laden's motives would have undercut Bush's entire strategy of protecting us. YOU CAN NOT DEFEAT AN ENEMY YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND, not in a war where they are everywhere and can not simply be blown off the face of the earth.

[ROH]

12. 911 Responsibility

You wrote: "I think it is real. His message is very consistent with his other speeches."

How consistent?

Edit: For example, when has OBL ever claimed responsibility for 911?