Al-Qaida No. 2: U.S. options in Iraq all badBy Pakinam Amer and Katarina Kratovac - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Apr 18, 2008 7:42:24 EDT
CAIRO, Egypt — Al-Qaida’s No. 2 said in an audiotape released Friday that the U.S. will lose whether it stays in Iraq or withdraws, and he sneered that President Bush just wants to pass the problem on to his successor.
The message from Ayman al-Zawahri released early Friday on a militant Web site appeared to be one of the most quickly prepared tapes produced by al-Qaida — referring to Congressional testimony only last week by the top U.S. commander in Iraq, Army Gen. David Petraeus, in which he recommended a halt to further U.S. troop withdrawals until after July.
Bush said last week he would give Petraeus all the time needed to reassess U.S. troop strength in Iraq after the current drawdown of U.S. troops ends in July.
“The truth is that if Bush keeps all his forces in Iraq until doomsday and until they enter hell, they will only see crisis and defeat by the will of God,” said al-Zawahri, the deputy of al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden.
“If the American forces leave, they will lose everything. And if they stay, they will bleed to death,” he said.
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http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/04/ap_alzawahri_041808/