Do you believe that there is a real threat to us from UBL?

[undeterred]

[MrBenchley]

1. What kind of fool WOULDN'T?

[niyad]

5. maybe the kind who knows that the admin does nothing but lie, lie lie

[MrBenchley]

10. You mean you think Osama is a saint because Chimpy is a sinner?

What a stupid fucking notion. Al Qaeda ain't the Campfire Girls. They're a bunch of joyless armed fuckwits who are trying to kill you just because you are an American. Trying to pretend otherwise is both ignorant and silly..

[undeterred]

16. I don't think they are powerful enough to hurt us

unless our military is ordered to stand down and cooperate with and even facilitate an attack.

I didn't notice a powerful military response to terrorism on 9/11... did you?

[MrBenchley]

30. Then you're being very silly....

"I didn't notice a powerful military response to terrorism on 9/11... did you?"
Geeze, did you notice we went to war with Afghanistan and Iraq shortly afterwards? It was an iditoic thing to do, but the US did it.

Are you trying to tell us that the people killed in Madrid by al Qaeda did so because the Spanish military was standing down? Are you trying to tell us that the people killed by Osama in London last year did so because the British army was standing down?

[LSK]

42. what does the war in Iraq have to do with 9/11?

:shrug:

[MrBenchley]

48. Uh, were you hiding in a shoebox when Chimpy lied about that?

[CJCRANE]

148. Note: "on 9/11", not "after 9/11 nt

[barb162]

156. A few bombs in the right places can harm huge numbers of people

[MrBenchley]

184. Exactly so....

Anybody who thinks Bin Laden is harmless is a fool.....

[wordpix2]

180. oh, come on, they were powerful enough on 9-11

and they still are

[400Years]

18. benchlys favorite tactic is putting words in your mouth

[MrBenchley]

33. Hard to see what the fuck wlse he's claiming....

But if you think there's another interpretation, please trot it out.

[LSK]

37. MIHOP

:tinfoilhat:

[MrBenchley]

41. LS/MFT

What the fuck was that supposed to mean?

[LSK]

43. you been here since 2001 and dont know MIHOP?

[MrBenchley]

54. I been here since 2001

even before Osama Bin Laden killed more than 3,000 that fall. What I don't get is what the fuck the MIHOP theory has to do with this imbecilic claim that Bin Laden's not a threat.

Tell us, when Bin Laden's plot to set off bombs during the Millennium was foiled by Bill Clinton and law enforcement, dod MIHOP have a fucking thing to do with it?

[LSK]

66. what P would Clinton N have to gain A by MIHOP C?

:tinfoilhat:

[MrBenchley]

71. In other words, MIHOP was meaningless gibberish

[400Years]

84. to you everything is "meaningless" unless you agree with it

[MrBenchley]

89. MIHOP was meaningless in this context, bunky....

Don't cry to me....

[400Years]

95. They just trot out OBL everytime the bedwetters get restless

You are the one crying, screaming, cussing, and calling people names.

Have you ever thought about engaging in civil discourse? Your points might be taken more seriously.

[MrBenchley]

105. Jeeze, you really ought to read this stuff before you post it (snicker)

Why the fuck would I want to be taken seriously by the sort of specimen who pretends Bin Laden is no threat? Who would have anything but contempt for such a deluded filbert?

[400Years]

108. Okay cower in your home if you want, the rest of us will continue on

[Name removed]

115. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

116. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MrBenchley]

118. LOL!

Not according to your own post....

[we can do it]

177. Don't Forget the Duct Tape!

[ragin_acadian]

170. this board must be full of "deluded filberts"

because the last time i looked:

yes: 31
no: 136

MrB, you are on the wrong board, because the deluded filberts outweigh you. I've asked you to find another board before, but you prefer to stay and post your brand of ignorance and negativity, and for that reason, every thread in which you post looks like a crater.

We are deluded filberts, go away and let us be homogenous!

[MrBenchley]

193. And you wanted an argument out of me?

"the deluded filberts outweigh you. I've asked you to find another board before, but you prefer to stay"
Yeah, when you got nothing, all you can depend on is the sort of bullying you try (and fail so hilariously at)....

[400Years]

194. Fact is they trot out OBL everytime the bedwetters get restless

funny that.

[MrBenchley]

197. You really ought to read your posts before you click "Post Message"

Now you and the restless bedwetter brigade of deluded filberts go cry to each other about poor, misunderstood Osama....(snicker)

[400Years]

218. How pathetic, as you cower in fear of the bogey man, get off your knees

We are not going to stand by while scared little children run to King George begging for protection from the scary man in the cave.

If you stopped quivering for a minute and got off your knees long enough to see how they use OBL to keep people like you in line you might start acting like an adult.

[MrBenchley]

226. Nothing quite as pathetic as your empty slurs

and fantasy

[400Years]

237. your the one screaming and yelling and throwing temper tantrums

like usual.

[ragin_acadian]

224. not bullying,

just pointing out to you that the other members here are "deluded filberts" and "far left" (in your own words) - and since you have so much contempt for them/us (as you continually demonstrate), i see no reason why you stay, and you have never given one.

[MrBenchley]

227. Far too lame to be bullying....

And I don't need to account for my presence to the likes of you.

[ragin_acadian]

261. when you call me, and others on this board: "deluded filberts"

with no evidence, explanation, or justification for your assertion, you DO need to account for yourself.

do you just like being disruptive? wtf?

[400Years]

236. benchly hates anybody who doesn't follow him

kinda like someone else we all know

[Catrina]

263. Clinton stopped it, Bush didn't, see the difference? QED, they're only

dangerous if we turn a blind eye to them!!

Since 9/11, nearly a quarter of a million Americans have been killed in automobile accidents. Over one hundred thousand, probably more, have been murdered by other Americans. According to statistics, over a quarter of a million Americans die as a result of negligence in US hopsitals each year. So, to put your terror in perspective, what should I be more afraid of, a bad driver I'm more likely to meet on a daily basis or a miserable terrorist with a box cutter who won't use it until he gets on a plane?

How about murder? In the scheme of things, looking at the stats again, to be really logical, and not frozen in fear by the terror tales of Bush and Co, should I be more worried about being murdered by the box cutter carrier, or another gun or knife toting US citizen who I'm far more likely to meet each day?

Get a grip, you're being terrorized and diverted from what you really should be paying attention to. If Osama is so dangerous, why on earth is he saying he can't do anything until he 'puts certain things in place'?? HUH?? Not very imaginitive, is he? Or maybe, not very dangerous?

Go ahead and shiver in fear if you wish. Don't expect the rest of us less easily terrorized individuals to go along for the terror ride.

Oh, and btw, the number of dead from 9/11 was downgraded to less than 2,000. A huge number, but not much different, and perhaps way less, than the number of Americans Bush left to die on television in front of all of our eyes.

Cower in fear if you will, we're all going to die sooner or later, but don't expect us to allow your irrational and illogical fears to cost us our civil rights.

And try not to go through life being terrified. A plane could fall out of the sky any day on your car or home, but until it does, try to enjoy life, and try to remain free to do so. You really are falling for the old 'you're all going to die if we don't protect you' garbage!! It's a great world, despite all the mayhem, and Bush and co, are just using your propensity to be easily frightened for their own political purposes. Some of us are a little more difficult to terrorize, either by Bush or Binforgotten-until-Bush-is-in-trouble!!

What a load of hogwash that tape was. Bin Laden can't launch an attack because it takes time??? Why? :rofl:

These federal fairy tales are getting more and more ridiculous every day, even if the guy really exists apart from being an old family Bush friend!

Oh, and don't tell me I don't know what I'm talking about. My neighbor was killed on 9/11. But my husband was killed in a motorcycle accident. They're both equally dead, I grieve for them both, but I will not live in the state of fear you have chosen to live in! I feel sorry for you.

[400Years]

40. Just because we don't cower in fear because the bogey man pops up

at the most convenient time possible.

Everybody here is saying that they use this shit as a way to keep the rabble in line.

[MrBenchley]

46. In other words, you'd rather deny reality exists

and spout gibberish than acknowledge a real threat in the world.

You know, this kind of ignorant and silly far left rhetoric does a lot more damage to the Democratic party than anything the "DINOs" some people are pissing and moaning about have ever done.

[400Years]

55. Cower in fear if you want, but we understand how this works

This whole episode is designed to make people accept the destruction of the bill of rights.

Can you make one single post without resorting to name calling and other childish acts?

[Name removed]

57. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

63. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MrBenchley]

74. Hahahahahaha....

[G_j]

56. why interpret?

he said the admin. lies

pretty simple sentence, and in english!
:wow:

[MrBenchley]

And again, if Chimpy is a sinner does that make Osama a saint?

[G_j]

64. NO

why would it? Nobody here has used the word saint except you.
:shrug:

[MrBenchley]

67. Geeze, this is like pulling teeth....

The question was, is there a real threat from Osama Bin Laden...and there is.

[G_j]

72. I agree

it is

[400Years]

65. only in that simplistic view of the world you have

the point is the govt. and media use propaganda to make manipulate people.

[MrBenchley]

76. Hey, you guys are trying to claim Osama is harmless

and I can't think of anything more simplistic or wrong-headed than that.

[400Years]

82. over 40000 people died in car wrecks last year

and were supposed to cower in fear from the bogey man?

get real, we cannot let them use bin laden as an excuse to burn the bill of rights.

[MrBenchley]

83. What a silly comment....

There's a reason I hold the far left in contempt...and this sort of silliness explains it perfectly.

[400Years]

87. They burn the Constitution while playing the terror card and you buy it

We don't.

[MrBenchley]

92. Leftists like you help them do it....

There's nothing that's damaged the Democratic Party in the eyes of the voters as much as the sort of silly prat who claims "Bin Laden is not a threat" in public.

[LSK]

98. how would you know? it hasnt been done yet....

[400Years]

101. You have absolutely no clue as to what you are talking about.

While I do find your behavior humorous I need to point out that you are clueless.

Going around screaming TERROR TERROR TERROR is exactly what bush and his gang want you to do.

[TX-RAT]

163. We don't always agree Mr. B, but i'm with ya 100% on this one

Anybody who thinks that psycho piece of shit wouldn't kill, you , me , or our kids, with no remorse what so ever, is blind to reality. Ya know Mr B, he could arrange the killing of another 3 to 5 thousand and some here would claim he's no more dangerous than the Easter Bunny.

[MrBenchley]

185. It's an idiotic fantasy to pretend Bin Laden is no threat.....

Bin Laden is a psychotic with a large and active organization...and as several terrorism experts have noted recently, one of the problems is that al Qaeda no longer waits for orders from him to do what he would want done--he's become as much symbol as actual leader.

[400Years]

195. What is idiotic is letting Bushco use OBL to destroy the Bill of Rights

I know, I know you don't care about the Bill of Rights bu alot of us do.

[MrBenchley]

198. Good thing he's got people like you to help him....

Somebody claiming publicly on a Democratic message board that Bin Laden is no threat does nothing but damage to the Democratic party...especially when they have to resort to such shabby rhetorical tricks as yours.

[400Years]

219. Your the one that sounds just like Scotty McClellan.

get off your knees

[MrBenchley]

231. And you're the one helping Bushco

and your lame slurs only accentuate it.

[400Years]

239. that would be you since you parrot everything bush says

like a good little republican

[MrBenchley]

243. Your claim's not even close to true...and telling...

[400Years]

248. I'm just laying out the facts while you change your sheets

[mtnsnake]

212. I couldn't agree more, MrB

As much as the extreme left would love to hijack the party, they have no destination in mind with which to deliver it to. They're all over the fucking map.

[MrBenchley]

229. This new "Bin Laden is harmless" might be the dumbest claim yet

and it's had lots of competition for that nadir....

[400Years]

240. your the one making that claim everybody else is saying don't buy the fear

which you are selling

We're not afraid of OBL because we are little bedwetters who quiver in fear everytime bush needs a poll boost.

[MrBenchley]

244. Telling that you have to resort to falsehood now....

[400Years]

247. Just laying out the facts while you cower in fear of the bogey man

go buy some duct tape.

[MrBenchley]

249. No, all you're doing is showing how silly you are....

You're a big help to the Republican party.

[400Years]

251. Just laying out the facts while you spew bushco talking points

[400Years]

91. so why should we let Bushco burn the Constitution?

[MrBenchley]

93. You seem hell-bent to help them do it....

[400Years]

104. You are the one spouting bush talking points

[MrBenchley]

107. Not me...but you are the one claiming Bin Laden is no threat

[LSK]

109. along with nearly 80% of DU according to this poll

[MrBenchley]

117. Wow, there's that relentles leftist honesty on display

83,000 DUers and 95 of them said "Bin Laden is no threat".....

And they sound like idiots, too.

[400Years]

119. Not enough of a threat to let bush burn the Constitution/Bill of Rights

[CJCRANE]

151. He is not a MAJOR threat.

a) 9/11 was allowed to happen
b) 2000+ Americans have been killed in Iraq and 15,000 injured in a war of "choice". Bush's choice, not bin Laden's.

[wordpix2]

182. he IS a threat, as is al-Quaeda in Iraq et al, who * created

[wordpix2]

181. I think UBL is a threat. I know where he could threaten us and I wouldn't

put those places on this site. But I'm sure al-Quaeda knows where to hit. There are a lot of soft spots.

[Name removed]

113. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MrBenchley]

121. I'll let the thread and your "contributions" speak for themselves....

And you and the restless bedwetter brigade can march off in a huff for all I care....

[LSK]

122. ok so the people who are NOT scared of OBL are bedwetters???

:wtf:

[400Years]

125. pretty funny huh, LSK.

the guy is a laugh a minute, he knows he's been had.

[LincolnMcGrath]

199. On a brighter note, at least he didn't resort to name calling...

What am I saying? Of course he did ... I'm such a dimwtis ... Tee Hee Hee

[400Years]

221. ohh scary!

[400Years]

123. again you are the bedwetter wanting to give up your freedom

and buying into every bullshit little propaganda coming out of the tube.

[Common Sense Party]

232. Good grief! Al Qaeda existed long before Bush

and they'll be around long after he's gone. And they will keep trying to kill us.

Why is that so hard for some people to see?

[400Years]

241. And we didn't give up our freedom then and we are not going to now

good point CSP.

[BushOut06]

19. What a predicament we're in - stuck between two fascists

One fascist who would love to impose Sharia law on the world, the other who would love to impose good-ole-American fascim on the world.

[400Years]

26. and don't forget OBL got his start with the CIA

He's playing the role of Emmanuel Goldstein in our real live version of 1984.

[H2O Man]

31. No he didn't.

That is a myth. Read the new Peter Bergen book, or if you prefer a tried & true left-wing writer, see Gore Vidal's "Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace." Usama bin Laden had no association with the CIA.

[400Years]

44. Are you saying he wasn't in Afghanistan with the Muhajadeen?

[H2O Man]

53. Of course not.

I am saying that there were many Muslim people in Afghanistan, helping to defeat the Soviet Union, and that many did not have any association with the CIA. Many were there as a result of their religious beliefs. It is worth noting that there is no mention of Usama bin Laden having anything to do with the CIA in Afghanistan, until many years after the war was over. There are records of who the CIA dealt with, and many are among those later associated with al Qaeda. But bin Laden is not one of them. Again, Bergen and Vidal say this very clearly.

[LunaC]

60. Globalresearch seems to think so

http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO109C.html

[H2O Man]

81. I read the article

briefly, and saw nothing that contradicts what I said. I could have missed it. But it looks like it provides information showing the CIA worked with many of the Islamic fighters in Afghanistan in '79, but I do not see bin Laden listed in that information. The author appears to include him in the later information. Again, I did not read it closely, and could have missed something. I believe that Bergen and Vidal are correct.

[LunaC]

155. A quick scan may have missed this --

Yet according to Abdel Monam Saidali, of the Al-aram Center for Strategic Studies in Cairo, bin Laden and the "Afghan Arabs" had been imparted "with very sophisticated types of training that was allowed to them by the CIA" 6

-snip-

Since the Cold War era, Washington has consciously supported Osama bin Laden, while at same time placing him on the FBI's "most wanted list" as the World's foremost terrorist.

While the Mujahideen are busy fighting America's war in the Balkans and the former Soviet Union, the FBI --operating as a US based Police Force- is waging a domestic war against terrorism, operating in some respects independently of the CIA which has --since the Soviet-Afghan war-- supported international terrorism through its covert operations.
In a cruel irony, while the Islamic jihad --featured by the Bush Adminstration as "a threat to America"-- is blamed for the terrorist assaults on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, these same Islamic organisations constitute a key instrument of US military-intelligence operations in the Balkans and the former Soviet Union.

[H2O Man]

160. I saw that.

It isn't from the quotes taken from 1979. It is part of the article from later. I do not doubt that we could find 1000 articles from later dates that say the CIA had trained bin Laden and others. I am saying that I have not seen anything from that period -- not about that period.

It is an area where you and I may disagree, but that's okay. No two people should think just alike. And I always respect your thinking.

[LunaC]

168. ?????

I don’t understand the distinction between info from 1979 vs. info about that time frame and how it proves/disproves bin Laden’s association with the CIA.

[Servotron]

149. Bullshit.

Osama Bin Laden a.k.a. Tim Osman was (and likely IS) a CIA "asset" personally recruited by George HW Bush Sr. Considering the secretive nature of the CIA itself, there's no surprise that a CIA agent would deny any such association. Much like Bush Sr. himself denied any connection to the agency before his stint as director under the Ford administration, despite evidence of Bush's involvement in the Bay of Pigs operation and at least peripheral involvement in the JFK assassination.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

189. Got meds? n/t

[MrBenchley]

34. You got it....

Trying to pretend one of them isn't a threat plays right into the hands of the other.

[arcane1]

139. UBL does not want to impose Sharia law on the world

he wants the US military to stop fucking around in the middle-east, killing people

big difference

[we can do it]

175. They Hate Us For Our Free- Dumb

[MrBenchley]

188. Can't think of anything much dumber

than pretending Osama's just a pussycat.

[BurtWorm]

207. Why do you make that freeper's leap, Mr. Benchly?

How does skepticism of the actual threat bin Laden poses translate into veneration of him? The skepticism isn't necessarily based on bin Laden's intentions, but on his ability to deliver on his threats. Isn't that a reasonable thing to wonder, given how unfree bin Laden is to move around (if he's even still alive)? Isn't it reasonable then to wonder if this administration, which is political in the cheapest sense in everything else it does, isn't also ready to exploit bin Laden to promote itself in any way it can?

[400Years]

222. because he lives in a little black and white world

If you don't agree with him your a terroris lover. Sounds just like someone else we know.

[MrBenchley]

230. That IS rich....

I suggest you get out into the real world and stop wallowing in this silly fantasy.

"Isn't that a reasonable thing to wonder, given how unfree bin Laden is to move around"
In a word, no.

[BurtWorm]

238. Who's wallowing?

I think it makes much more sense to be skeptical, until someone shows us how capable al Qaeda actually is in the wake of all that's happened since 9/11/01.

[MrBenchley]

252. Ahem....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3509426.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4659093.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/2326529.stm

[BurtWorm]

254. Those are all al Qaeda? No one can say for sure.

Al Qaeda is a handy name to throw on any Islamist terrorism, but they're not all after the same thing, or led by the same people.




Madrid: "The five men being held may have links with extremist Moroccan groups, the Spanish interior minister told reporters on Saturday, but it was still too early to confirm this."

...


London: "An Islamist website has posted a statement - purportedly from al-Qaeda - claiming it was behind the attacks." (the suspects were all South Asian)

...


Bali: "Singapore, for example, says it has foiled a number of plots and in August it arrested 21 suspects, said to be connected to the Indonesian Jemaah Islamiah group, suspected in intelligence circles of having links to al-Qaeda. "

[MrBenchley]

256. Wow...denial ain't just a river in Egypt....

[BurtWorm]

257. Are they al Qaeda or not?

You don't know any more than the BBC does.

[MrBenchley]

258. They're al Qaeda....

but if ytou want to pretend they're not, you can do so without me.

[MrBenchley]

259. They're al Qaeda....

but if ytou want to pretend they're not, you can do so without me.

[BurtWorm]

260. They may be. As I say, neither you, nor the BBC knows it.

Nor do you (or anyone) know how al Qaeda really works anymore, if it does.

[lynne]

7. Please refer to blue line above.

[MrBenchley]

12. It's a pantload. So what?

[lynne]

25. You asked. I answered. Simple as that.

Now, is he more of a threat today than he was yesterday or last month or last year, I don't know. That's another question.

[Raksha]

15. "Fool me once, shame on you...

fool me twice...you can't get fooled again."

I think the timing of this latest Osama sighting is very revealing--just like the last Osama sighting. You DO remember when that was, right?

[MrBenchley]

22. Who the fuck do you think you are kidding?

Do you think we've been fooled into thinking Ground Zero is a mass of rubble?

Whether or not information is being distorted by the Bush Crime Family, the fact remains that Osama Bin Laden and his criminals are out there and they're a very real threat. A

[400Years]

35. Over 40,000 people a year die in car accidents

should we give up our freedom to stop car accidents?

Only bedwetters want to give up our freedom so the "terrorists" won't hate us.

[MrBenchley]

38. What a silly comment....

Who the fuck said anything about giving up freedom? The plain fact is Bin Laden IS a threat.

[400Years]

49. This "threat" is being used to justify domestic spying

[MrBenchley]

62. Hell, it was used

to justify tax cuts for the rich and arctic drilling too. None of that makes Osama Bin Laden a harmless little pussycat..

[400Years]

70. why do you insist on putting words in people's mouths

Who here has said "Osama Bin Laden a harmless little pussycat.."

fact is nobody, but you.

[H2O Man]

68. You do well

to doubt every word that comes from the Bush administration. They are an immoral, vile collection of snakes. In this day and age, you owe it to yourself to question everything that anyone claims to be fact .... that includes researching and reading enough differen things to make an informed decision. Because Bush/Cheney is evil, does not mean everything they say is the opposite of the truth. Thet should be a factor in how you interpret the world, but not the only or deciding factor.

[MrBenchley]

Having said that, though

to pretend that Osama Bin Laden and his terrorists are no threat is not only silly, but dangerously out of touch with reality.

[H2O Man]

85. Though I rarely agree with you,

in this case I do.

[MrBenchley]

97. Thank you.

I can't imagine how anyone can be so cloth-eared as to pretend Bin Laden and his gang of murderous criminals is no threat....altrhough as I said below, he must lay awake nights wishing he could do the damage to this coutnry the Republicans have done.

[H2O Man]

110. Some of my best friends,

who are rational, well-educated (PhD) people, respected in the community, believe that bin Laden is a creation of the CIA, and a puppet for the Bush family. While I disagree -- strongly -- I respect that others can look at many of the same facts, and reach a different conclusion. I blame our government for lying to us for so long, and for sending thousands of people to die in some terrible wars that had nothing to do with protecting democracy. I think that even if you and/or I disagree with others on this topic, it's important to remember that need not divide us.

[MrBenchley]

127. At the same time, I know people who lost loved ones on 9/11

and trying to pretend that the person who took public credit for that atrocity is harmless is a disgrace.

I don't think the administation's role on 9/11 has been fully explored, and there are ties between the Bin Ladens and Bushes tohat need to be exposed. But Bin Laden was a threat during the Clinton administration, and he remains one today that pResident Failure is utterly unable, or deliberately unwilling, to deal with.

[Servotron]

165. Osama never "took credit" for the WTC attack

There was an obviously fake tape released, with a stand in who looked nothing like Bin Laden "confessing" to the crime.

Also, the Bush Misadministration claimed that they had "evidence" of OBL's guilt that they would share with the American people, and to this day, they have never done so.

So while nobody would nominate Bin Laden for sainthood, his guilt in the 9-11-01 operation has never been proven.

[CJCRANE]

167. Also, he is not even officially implicated in 9/11.

I don't want to link to their website but AFAIK on the FBI site there is no mention of 9/11 in OBL'S profile (although he is linked the the East African embassy bombings and the USS Cole attack).

[MrBenchley]

183. He sure as shit did....

Better put some more tinfoil in that hat.....

[Servotron]

215. One more time, for those of us on drugs.....

The man on the right is Osama Bin Laden. The man on the left is the one who "confessed" to 9-11-01 on the Khandahar tape which appeared out of nowhere. If you believe this is the same guy, please share your hallucinogenics with the class.

[MrBenchley]

228. Those of you on drugs ought to sober up

and stop relying on silly propagnada....

[400Years]

242. more empty insults and childish ranting from benchly

the guy can't have a rational debate about anything

[G_j]

102. in fairness

the poll might have asked 'how much of a threat'?
perhaps on a scale of 0 to 5 or something.

[MrBenchley]

111. Or it could have asked

if we thought the new tape was being honestly translated (remember, earlier ones had key parts about how much help Saudi Arabia was on 9/11 not translated).

But if you ask baldly "is the man a threat?," one has to conclude, yes, he is.

[H2O Man]

120. I often suggest

that people read "Through Our Enemies' Eyes" and "Imperial Hubris." I think Michael Scheuer has the most insight on bin Laden of anyone I've read. A few people have countered with, "But he's from the CIA," which seems curious .... because he clearly exposes the weakness of the Bush/Cheney policy in the Middle East .... and I thought a number of democrats, including on DU, were concerned with the Cheney office's outing of Valerie Plame, a CIA employee at the time.

[MrBenchley]

129. The book I'm looking forward to reading is the Peter Bergen one

"The Osamam bin Laden I Know"....assuming I ever get time to read a book not related to work again....

[G_j]

131. and there a thousand and one degrees of "threat"

IMO, OBL is pretty far down on the list, if he is actually even alive.

[H2O Man]

134. It's almost funny ....

about a week ago, some republicans were saying that proof of Bush's being powerful, right, and good was that al Qaeda hasn't done anything here since 9-11, and mentioning that we haven't heard from UbL in a year .... some republicans speculated he was dead.

Now, this tape, and they will certainly attempt to spin it to their advantage.

I think that is distinct from who Usama bin Laden is .... it merely is more evidence that this administration is pathological in their attempts to make everything fit their lies.

[MrBenchley]

136. Good points....

[G_j]

at least I think I know

that he has used threatening language and verbally taken credit for various attacks, and that he is a 'hero' figure to some in ME. That makes him a 'threat' to some degree.
Though I am not aware of any evidence that he was behind 9/11.

In a way the admin and OBL seem to serve each others purposes very well. I don't know what they would do without each other.

[MrBenchley]

135. I suspect people in the NYC area would disagree....

[NYCGirl]

138. And you know, Mr. Benchley, that I often disagree strongly. But in this

case, you are absolutely 100% correct.

[MrBenchley]

187. Thank you....

Bin Laden remains a very real threat, just as he was during the Clinton administration--even more so, because Chimpy has bungled the hunt for him (whether or not by incompetence or by design). The failure of this administration to corral him has made him a figurehead for disaffected people everywhere, and emboldened his followers to think they can strike with impunity.

Closing eyes to reality doesn't make it go away.

[Quixote1818]

58. I think he is a threat but we would save more people if

we concentrated on mistakes made by doctors and those killed by the flu. The Bush Administration likes to blow the threat out of proportion. Should we try to stop them? Yes, should we get rid of our civil liberties over a threat that might kill a few thousand people? No!

When we live our lives out of fear or our government will become too powerful and will have too much control over us.

[Finder]

112. Bin Laden has not been a threat since early 2002.

His minions have no reason to attack the US since the objective has been met...our society has been changed, the world views us with contempt and all eyes are upon us. That is the objective of terrorism may it be islamic, irish or latin american. We did to Iraq what Bin Laden was not able to do while Saddam was in power...it is now a theocracy or well on its way.

[H2O Man]

124. Interesting.

A number of the people I respect have said much the same thing .... no coincidence there!

[LunaC]

86. Your hysterics are amusing

Put down the kool-aid and slowly, carefully, read the link below and you may come to realize that OBL is a bogeyman of our government's creation...can't have full-fledged fascism without "a singular enemy as a unifying cause" to create "a powerful and continuing nationalism" that perpetuates "an obsession with national security" requiring "supremacy of the military".

PNAC 101
http://demopedia.democraticunderground.com/index.php?title=PNAC_101

[MrBenchley]

99. Wow...better put some more tinfoil in that hat....

the mindrays are leaking through.

[400Years]

106. no tinfoil, it's a fact. they are using TERROR to institute fascism

practically everybody here agrees.

[H2O Man]

128. I would point out

that a person can agree with "they are using TERROR to institute fascism" without believing that Usama bin Laden is a CIA product. Either way -- if UbL is or isn't a CIA puppet -- the administration is surely using terrorism to destroy our constitutional democracy and institute fascism. I agree 100% with that.

[MrBenchley]

132. And a person can agree with THAT

and still recognize that Osama is as dangeous as a scorpion and needs to be brought to justice and his organization rolled up.

[400Years]

140. thanks H20 and I appreciate your rational tone and civility

I also appreciate the information that you contributed.

[H2O Man]

145. And likewise

I appreciate your intelligence and admire your passion for the truth. I'm an old man who worries about the direction that vile snakes like Cheney are pushing us in .... but it makes me feel good to see that there are people like you who understand what is important -- and worth fighting for.

[LunaC]

150. Point out what isn't factual

Be sure to include supporting links.

[MrBenchley]

191. No, i'm not going to waste time on that....

Better put some more tinfoil in that hat.....

[LunaC]

253. Sad, sad, sad

An individual who is unable to provide an argument in support of their position and resorts to an ad hominem attack as their only defense may be considered intellectually lazy, disingenuous, and cowardly and should never be taken seriously in a discussion with adults.

[MrBenchley]

255. Yes, it is sad...

that some people are so far out of touch with reality that they want to pretend actual threats don't exist.

[LunaC]

169. Your silence says it's not the "tinfoil" theory you claimed it was nt

[MrBenchley]

190. LOL! You mean I was supposed to stick around 24 hours to point out how

loopy that claim is?

That Is pathetic, hilarious.....

[400Years]

196. You want us to cower in fear of some guy in a cave on dialysis? Real Scary

:eyes:

[MrBenchley]

200. There's the tinfoil hat mentality in all its, er, "glory"

Not only do you want to pretend Osama's just a harmless guy with kidney problems, the only responses to a problem you can envision are cowering in fear or shouting mindless and irrelevant propaganda....

It's almost as if adults and liberal thought don't exist in your world.

[400Years]

216. Your willing to give up your freedom for the phoney promise of security

Wake up, bush ain't protecting you from anything. In fact, he doesn't give a rats ass about your welfare. Get off your knees.

[MrBenchley]

225. And all you've got left is empty slurs

and fantasy....

[400Years]

235. Your the one spewing bush talking points

get over yourself

[Common Sense Party]

233. A guy in a cave on dialysis (even if that were true)

can pretty easily make one phone call and have all his lieutenants, agents and sleeper cells put their already-laid and -funded plans into action and kill hundreds, if not thousands, of citizens. One phone call is all it takes.

Not a threat? Tell that to the relatives of the Madrid and Bali bombing victims.

[MrBenchley]

246. For that matter....

Osama can hand some other guy a letter, or pass along verbal instructions with little or no effort.

[Raksha]

103. I guess I didn't understand what you're getting at.

I didn't mean to imply that Osama has NEVER been a threat to anyone or that he will never be a threat to anyone again, because that obviously isn't the case. But if you mean do I think he's an IMMEDIATE threat just because this video surfaced--well, no I don't. I don't think he's any more or any less of a threat today than he was yesterday.

Osama bin Laden is a terrorist who may or may not be a double agent for the CIA. I don't have enough information to make that judgment call one way or the other. But the unanswered questions about him remain: Why were members of his family airlifted out of the country right after 9/11 when ALL other flights were grounded? Why was he allowed to escape at Tora Bora?

These questions are not going to go away.

[MrBenchley]

133. Agreed about the questions....

I don't think he's more of a threat today than he was yesterday, or during the Clinton administration....but he's still a threat....

[CJCRANE]

152. Yes it is a mass of rubble. But who provided the finances

for 9/11? And why isn't Sibel Edmonds allowed to talk about it?

And who repeatedly facilitated the hijackers to roam around the US at will without let or hindrance?

I think that's where you'll find the bigger threat.

[OnionPatch]

23. I have to say "other" because

at this point, I don't really know.

How can anyone know after all the lies, lies, lies we've been hearing from this admin.? It seems awful lucky for Bush that Osama's tapes come out right when things aren't going so well for him and awful coincidental that Osama speaks Republican talking points. I have to say I think this last video is a fake and if I'm wrong, am I to blame? How many times does one have to be lied to before they stop trusting?

I'm willing to assume there may truly be some threat from extremist Muslims but I think it's way, way over-hyped by the ruling elite.

[Ani Yun Wiya]

79. Speaks "republican talking points"

What a crock...

Have you ever read or so much as seen "full text" of any statement from Usama?

I think your perception is heavily influenced by the heavy editing done on these communications.

Tell me how a 45 minute diatribe ends up as a few lines of misinterpretted drivel?

[Beam Me Up]

164. Less evidence that OBL did 9/11 offered than Hassain had WMD.

Less, much less, and yet you believe it.

WHY!?

28 September 2001; Bin-Ladin Denies Involvement in the 9/11 Attacks

[Mr_Spock]

171. Apparently a lot of fools don't buy the BS

Two attacks on US soil in the last 100 years. BFD. More likley to be hit by lightning.

[Greyhound]

201. You can say that again, 2 attacks in a century, 10,000's strikes annually

[we can do it]

173. What Kind of Fool Am I?

:crazy:

[undeterred]

2. The CIA has no credibility whatsoever with me.

If they say they have a tape from UBL they are not to be taken at face value.

[H2O Man]

13. They didn't say they had one.

Yes, there is a threat from Usama bin Laden.

[undeterred]

100. They verified that the speaker was UBL

so I assume that means they have it or have access to a copy of it.

[H2O Man]

137. I think it means

that they have access to the amount played by the media source that has it. Their ability to identify it as him would not depend upon their having any more of it than has been played on MSNBC or CNN. I am not suggesting that anyone should believe the CIA on this or anything else, just pointing out that the tape belongs to another source.

[onecent]

3. Nope! I sure don't! n/t

[donco6]

4. I'm wondering if there IS an UBL.

His timing is impeccable. Almost . . . Rovian.

[kenny blankenship]

11. Of course there is:

his name is Emmanuel Goldstein.

[meganmonkey]

6. No, our biggest threat is the Bush administration

Incompetent greedy murderers. :(

[Why Syzygy]

8. Does Donald Duck quack.

Of course not. There is no such cartoon. It's a composite.

Bush, Inc. never intended to go after "UBL". K? That was plastic turkey. Please take notes.

[SmokingJacket]

9. The world is full of threats.

I think next hurricane season is a bigger threat. As are antibiotic-resistant infections.

I was pretty certain Mr. Bin Laden was dead. I'll have to check out the video and see what people say about it before I change my mind, but even if he is still alive I *personally* fear him less than I do a jacknifing semi on the drive to the mall. Or a strong wind that might blow a tree on my house.

Our government wants us to be afraid. Well, I'm not.

ON EDIT: OH, I see it was an AUDIO tape! Forget about it!! I'm not convinced.

[quinnox]

14. Yes

Most definitely until we get him he is a threat.

Sorry, I'm not with the tinfoilers on this one, of which it seems about 80% of Duers have bought that conspiracy theory, whether it be MIHOP or LIHOP.

[LSK]

17. one things for sure, he chooses some great times to show up

When was he last seen? Oh, the friday before the 04 election when the big story was about how we failed to secure weapons caches in Iraq.

Now that everyones talking Impeachment and Abramoff, he shows up again.

HHHHHHMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

[Nutmegger]

27. Yes, isn't that quite odd?

He just surfaces after all this "stuff" is going on. Double HHHHHMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmm.....

[Imagevision]

32. anyone have the link of Bush saying he wasn't concerned about UBL

and then he turned around to say the press was...."exaggerating...!

[LSK]

45. Randi plays it almost daily.

[Ani Yun Wiya]

94. You must have missed..

The two statements from Usama since the 04 election.

[johnfunk]

20. Yes, but not a fraction of the threat Bush and Cheney continue to pose

Let's get our threats properly prioritized.

[MrBenchley]

88. I'll agree with that....

In fact, Bin Laden can thank the Chimp and his gang for most of their recruiting success....

And Bin Laden must lay awake at night wishing he could do the kind of damage to America the Republicans have done.

[stillcool]

21. Only if it's convenient for the Bush cabal...

[SammyWinstonJack]

24. Apparently ** doesn't think so, he doesn't give UBL much thought

at all, by his own admission.

[butterfly77]

28. What difference does it make , bush isn't protecting anyone ..

the borders are open and there is terror in this country everyday.

[CJCRANE]

29. He's only a major threat

in as much as Bushco ALLOW him to be.

They facilitated 9-11, they allowed bin Laden to get away at Tora Bora, and everything they've done since then in the GWOT has led to a massive recruitment drive for al-Qaeda (and anti-American opinion in general).

[obreaslan]

36. I say NO! They can't have it both ways.

How can it be that in the same week we have reduced Al Qaida's threat by killing 3/4 of their leadership, but at the same time they are still a great threat to this country??????

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

39. Only as a convenient bogeyman to fund the defense industry.

[rodeodance]

52. yes, his theat is real, but i also believe we can act reasonably about

protecting ourselves. things like warrentless evesdropping, are NOT reasonable.

I only have to remind myself of the Trade towers, spain, Indonesia, etc. Is it directed by obl i do not know.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

77. So says our ever trustworthy "intelligence" services.

A "reasonable" response would be to make it a police matter. The attack on Iraq, the 100,000+ deaths incurred there, the imprisonment and torture of "detainees", the 100s of Billions spent on "defense", the loss of freedom here and abroad under aegis of "securtiy", etc, etc, etc, and etc, are not "reasonable".

OBL is being used by every profiteer, politician, and general to fatten their pockets and/or land cushy high paying jobs in the defense industry.

[Catchawave]

47. I fear Bush more than OBL :(

Isn't that a sad statement. BUTTTTT... Bush has ordered the killing of more innocents than OBL has since 2001. ??!!?? <---yeah, that must make me un-patriotic and just pissing on troop morale to mention that *snork*

[TygrBright]

50. Sure there's a "real" threat. Qualitatively. QUANTITATIVELY, however...

... the threat from O/Usama bin Ladin and his nutjob friends/colleagues/peons isn't even on the same MAP as the threat from:

Automobiles
Alcohol
Tobacco
Sedentary but high-stress lifestyles

oh, yeah... and Junior and HIS nutjob friends/colleagues/peons and their attempts to pillage the environment, the economy, and the Constitution.

As a helpful analogy, think of the "threat level" of the average person getting bitten by a rattlesnake, versus the "threat level" of the average person keeling over from a myocardial infarction. Both are "real" threats. Both COULD HAPPEN. Which is more likely? And more damaging? Which is easier to recover from (assuming neither is fatal) and less likely to ever happen to that same person again? Which can that person most easily avoid in future?

helpfully,
Bright

[gkhouston]

51. Patriot Act vote coming up soon and heeeeeeere's bin Laden!

Coincidence much?

[Raksha]

114. Good point - I forgot all about the Patriot Act!

I thought this latest Osama sighting was meant as a distraction from BushCo's growing scandal collection...

[gkhouston]

126. Oh, it's good for that too

probably also makes julienne fries...

[Frank Cannon]

59. This is actually a trick question, since UBL IS part of BushCo

And since I consider Bush and Company to be the real threat, I would have to say that the Bush family's long-time business partner UBL is also real.

And yes, I'm very afraid of all of them.

[MamaBear]

61. He's still on the payroll. n/t

[Yollam]

69. There is a limited threat to our people and infrastructure.

There is not a threat to "our way of life" or our economic or military supremacy. That is Bushco hype.

[dapper]

73. I'm not a tin foiler...

...but I play one on DU.

I'm kidding but I'm not a "tin foiler" but I firmly believe Bush is more of a threat than Bin Laden. I don't like either of them and believe one should be caught and the other impeached.

Dap

[dapper]

75. and to add ...

It would not surprise me in the least if this has been setup to push the patriot act or domestic spying.

Dap

[Coexist]

78. I believe Al-Qaeda is a threat, but I don't believe that UBL

is still the head of that organization.

I have no proof or links - just my gut.

[donheld]

80. The real threat is Bush

If Bush had really cared he'd have captured or killed Bin Laden by now.

[Generator]

90. Yes there are real terrorists that are a threat but

everything credible has pointed to Bin Laden being dead for some time. Dying by terrorism is probably never a real threat to any of us. Dying in a war-yes-they will need a draft for future wars-another terrorist attack would be the excuse for that-kill ten people here-scare us all into an attack on Iran or something. Dying by not having health care. Check. Dying by being forced to have a child you don't want. Check. Dying by back alley abortion. Check. Dying by pollution in the air, in our food, in the sea. Check. Dying by horrendous weather aggrivated by global warming. Check.

Those are real threats that get either threaten to happen or are getting worse everyday under the Bush regime.

[LiberalAndProud]

96. Osama is a good friend and great supporter of GWB*.

Bush's approval ratings are plummeting and and "TERRAH" trumps. OBL always shows up when America begins to rumble. He seems to have a vested interest in Bush's popularity.

He wants this war to go on and on.

Maybe
OBL is an idiot and warns his mortal enemies to shore up defenses in advance of an impending threat. Maybe he's stupid. (I don't think so.)


Or
OBL is a prisoner in one of our ghost camps and he was tortured until he agreed to hint at some impending threat against the US.

Or
George called OBL and asked him to intimate a threat against the US as a favor to an old friend.


But I'd like an independent voice analysis of the tape, nonetheless.

[Solly Mack]

130. Terrorism is real. bL is real or was real - I don't know if he's

dead or alive.Seems to be a great deal of speculation on that point - though a confirmed tape of him would indicate he was still alive (at least at the making of the tape) - but I can't even say that with any degree of certainty.

Fanatical leaders are a danger period. Whether or not they do the actual dirty work, they can incite others to do it.

Do I think bin Laden is/was a nut-case fanatic that the disenfranchised and oppressed will/would follow? Yeah, I do - desperate people do desperate things - if someone promises them something better. But even with everything I've read (books, articles, etc) I still don't think I have all the facts - all the truth.

So I think the biggest threat(s) surrounding bin Laden are the lies, half-truths and disinformation. I see no reason to take my governments word on anything.

a government that lies endangers it's citizens. people stop trusting - they stop listening - and real threats are scoffed at because of the lies.

I don't want to be manipulated by the government - and a government that tries to manipulate it's citizens is a government that holds it's citizens in contempt.

Not much of a working relationship can exist between the people and a government that lies and manipulates.

[The Stranger]

141. Required viewing.

The Power of Nightmares

[undeterred]

154. Thank you.

[stray cat]

142. Do you mean are their people who want to kill us?

Yes!

[welshTerrier2]

143. of course there's a threat

i will not dismiss the possibilities of either LIHOP or MIHOP ...
i will not ignore that bush has exploited 9/11 to promote his imperialistic agenda ...
i will not ignore the fact that BIG OIL has made tens of billions of dollars as a direct result of US-imposed instability in the Middle East
i will not even dismiss the possibility that bin Laden is closely associated with the bush family or that he is linked to the CIA
i certainly will not accept any linkage whatsoever between 9/11 and Iraq ...
and i will not tolerate another unnecessary war when bush starts bombing Iran ...
i recognize that the 1991 Gulf War was largely caused by the US
i understand that the attack on the Taliban was really about oil pipelines ...
and on and on ...

the US, for more than one hundred years, has maintained an abusive, imperialistic foreign policy ... our militant, materialistic imposition on foreign cultures could not possibly result in anything but hatred for the US ... whether it's al Qaeda, bin Laden or any other specific group is not the issue ... whether everything we've been told is a pack of lies is not the issue ... anyway you cut it, we must accept the likelihood that we will be attacked using terrorism because weaker nations cannot compete militarily with the US using traditional means of combat ...

i think it's important to differentiate between bush's abuses of the terrorism issue and whether there is actually a threat from terrorism ... bush has done nothing but exploit the issue for corporate gains - that doesn't mean, however, that the threat is not real ...

[Spider Jerusalem]

144. Bin Laden is our Emannuel Goldstein.

There IS no 'Al Qaeda', as such. There are disparate and unconnected terrorist groups with some common goals, but the idea of an overarching coordinated organisation with a single leader is unsupported by anything other than assertions on the part of US and allied governments and intelligence agencies. The Iraq 'insurgency' (a false and misleading term, by the way, since it consists almost entirely of Iraqis and not of true 'insurgents') is, we're told, 'Al Qaeda'. The opposition to US/coalition military and the Karzai government in Afghanistan are supposedly 'Al Qaeda'. Even Islamic separatists in Chechnya are suddenly 'Al Qaeda'. And bin Laden, the invisible bogeyman (who is most likely years dead at this point) is the putative mastermind.

And the whole thing is paranoid fantasy passed off as fact, because doing so justifies the 'global war on terrorism'.

[H2O Man]

147. Interesting.

I think that our government is composed of people who tend to view the rest of the world in terms that are limited and incapable of seeing organizations with structure other than as bureaucratic as our own. It may be that this same inability to appreciate other cultures contributed to the tragic US involvement in Vietnam.

[Spider Jerusalem]

158. Either that...

or by people who are incapable of accepting that similar intent doesn't necessarily imply a connection. And it's not JUST bureaucratically-centred thinking; they ALSO tend to view terrorist organisations as having a quasi-military structure, with individual 'cells' assumed to be the equivalent of, say, regiments, operating under a unified chain of command...which is a view unsupported by the facts.

And US involvement in Vietnam has roots that go back almost a century...Ho Chi Minh went to the Versailles conference, you know. Tried to see Woodrow Wilson and gain support for an independent Indochina free of French rule. He was, of course, ignored. Then after WWII, Ho wanted US support, AGAIN, and was rebuffed after Truman acquiesced to the French desire to maintain their Asian colonies, in the interest of keeping France as a member of the postwar alliance against the Soviets--De Gaulle being rather obstinate and uncooperative (this despite FDR, at Yalta, telling De Gaulle that France would have to give up her colonies). Which seems not so much an inability to understand other cultures as the result of a Machiavellian worldview; the idea that 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' has, as we know, led to the US causing MANY problems for itself.

[H2O Man]

162. The book

"Vietnam: A History in Documents" was eye-opening. It showed the history you mention, as well as enough to make one think FDR would have taken a different position than Truman.

Ho is a wonderful example of a leader trained in western thought, supplied by the OSS, but who due to nationalism would become a bitter enemy of Uncle Sam. Too bad -- we could have had a strong friend.

[cornermouse]

146. An immediate threat? No.

Long range? Probably. So what. The fact is there's probably always been a long range threat from someone and after bin Laden is gone, someone else will become the #1 threat.

[Nothing Without Hope]

153. I voted NO to indicate that I don't see him as an effective independent

agent. Instead, he is an agent of the Bush Administration, whether LIHOP or MIHOP. The 9/11 attacks would NEVER have happened unless they wanted them and, I believe, planned them.

[barb162]

157. Yes, 9-11 said it all and our borders are still porous as hell

Our ports, borders...nothing has been fixed since 9-11 except for better security on planes. Incoming ships or planes? What % of cargo is checked for bombs now? Hardly anything

[darkism]

159. There won't be...

...if we ever stop fucking over the Arab world, killing all their people, stealing all their resources and desecrating all their religious sanctities.

[TheFarseer]

161. maybe not specifically Osama anymore

but Al Queda does want to strike at the US. See the attack on the Cole, the attacks on our embassies and well, you know. . . . . . . That said, the threat of the neocons and bushco is much worse than anything Al Queda could realistically do to us.

[Ignacio Upton]

166. Yes

However, it's being used by BUSH to scare us.

[ikojo]

172. Mid term elections coming up...time to ratchet up the

fear level a bit......

Keeping them scared will keep the pugs in control

[gulliver]

174. Of course. There's no telling how many more damaging things ...

... bin Laden can gull Bush into doing to our country.

[mousie]

176. other

The tape/timing seems suspicious to me... but do I think we could be attacked again? DEFINITELY. Could bush even be behind it? Yup... I'm afraid so. Osama does indeed seem to be the "weapon of mass convenience". It's pretty damn scary to even have to think a "leader" of our country could be this evil... but the suspicions are definitely there!

[undeterred]

178. I did not come to that conclusion easily

because it is such a horrible thought that a leader, our president, could do this to his own country. But after all of the other lies he has told and horrible things that he has done, I do believe he was involved.

[DireStrike]

179. Yes, the radical right is a threat.

Bin Laden is employed by the movement right here in the US. As an agent of those people, he automatically qualifies as a threat.

[porphyrian]

186. It's a trick question.

Of course he's a real threat. But so is this administration. So is poverty. So is putting a low priority on public education. So is media deregulation. So is global warming. Etc.

What we should be asking is a) what are the greatest immediate threats to the US and b) why are we being distracted from them by someone who's less of a threat than inclimate weather and domestic violence?

[blindpig]

202. Exactly. Thank you. n/t

[Sparkman]

211. right

[FearofFutility]

192. Of course there is a real threat

If the opportunity arises, UBL and his ilk will take advantage of it. I have read numerous threads where people have pointed out that this administration has done nothing to make us any safer from terrorism, and it has in fact (because of it's policies)created more terrorists. Now, do I believe that this administration wants to instill fear of terror so that they can advance their evil agenda? Absolutely. Do they try use UBL tapes to their advantage? Of course.

[DeepModem Mom]

204. I agree. This poll makes us look like fools here, IMO.

Bush has done little to address terrorist threats, and, in fact, has made them worse with his Iraq war. And the strutting cowboy has failed to "hunt down" Osama, who remains free years after 9/11.

[Beelzebud]

206. Agreed.

Talk about shooting ourselves in the feet...

Wake the fuck up people!

Bin Laden is a threat, and the fact that Bush ignores him, is why he's a failure.

[FearofFutility]

214. Exactly

and we need to repeat that over and over.

[FearofFutility]

213. I get the sense that those who voted no

are conflating two separate issues and are simply responding in a knee jerk fashion. It does make us look like fools.

[PATRICK]

203. Can only judge by the last threat

which ominously warned about Americans voting Bush in(they didn't, but Bush won anyway so why in hell blame disenfranchised voters, but hey he's bombing Iraqis for no good reason either).

Nothing happened except Bush got elected so I have to think that was what he wanted. By that token he is propping up Bush now although the whole truce thing seems more keyed to the backfiring terror bombings in Iraq where all sides are turning against Al Qaeda. UBL should be more concerned that his great movement is being taken over by the Shia, a predicament that would turn any messiah sour on the personal destiny thing if the aforesaid messiah were still alive. Another Cheney sock puppet.

[Beelzebud]

205. Yes he is a threat. That is why the Iraq war is a waste.

And it is also why Bush is a miserable failure.

And to those of you saying he isn't a threat: Wake the fuck up, and drop the cool aid...

Bin Laden attacked us on 9/11 and Bush failed to get him.

[Zambero]

208. He's a threat alright, although....

BushCo does not want to see him apprehended any time soon. By remaining at large, Osama's a much more useful propaganda tool for the ongoing campaign of fear, which in turn "justifies" the illegal surveillance of citizens.

[Beelzebud]

209. Exactly. Those who live for the sake of combatting an enemy

Have an interest in the enemy's staying alive.

Still doesn't change the fact that Bin Laden is a real threat though.

[Sparkman]

210. Not to national stability UNLESS we panic & give up our rights. People hav

been killed by terrorists, Timothy McSomethin & Nichols & the Saudi Arabia nationals on Sept. 11, and the blind Muslim Cleric. BUT the 55+ wars, attacks & invasions the U.S. has waged against foreign governments since 1945 have also killed a thousand times more people.
Anyone think Ghandi had a good idea, after all, India defeated the England in a bloodless revolt.
Is there still a case to be made for peaceful rebellion? Is U.S. politics the venue for such a rebellion?

[Nikki Stone 1]

217. delete

...

[Ganja Ninja]

220. Of course he's a threat but he'd be less of a threat if ...

we had a President instead of a total fool in the White House.

[nini]

234. exactly.. he is a threat.. but we should be able to control him

we're failing to protect ourselves against them.

[bush_is_wacko]

223. The threat is from this administration and their cronies. UBL is just a

tool they drag out from time to time. I think he's dead. Al Qeaida IS still a threat because this administration has pissed them off for all eternity and they don't give up, just like the latest tape says.

[trudyco]

245. other - I'm predicting...

... that Bush manages to "save" us from an OBL plot but only by using the patriot act or other illegal activity - so we need to support these illegal activities and keep the tough GOP in office.

I just find it fascinating that the OBL tape comes out now. It worries me what they will do closer to the 2006 elections.

Very scary

[fujiyama]

250. Threat, yes...

How much? Difficult to say. I would guess that he, himself is less of a threat now than he was years ago, but the fact remains that he has become a symbol for many in the Islamic world and beyond for anti Americanism. Of course, at this point he may be dead for all we know. While I'm not usually a tin foil hatter, in this case, I am somewhat skeptical towards the autheticity of this tape. The intelligence aparatus is fully capable of putting together tapes like this. This timing is all too suspicous. Another possibility is that the tape was in the custody of the CIA long ago and only now released it. That's what I believe happened with the tape that was released the weekend before the election.

I always figured that Osama's role in the organization was exagerrated a bit. I don't think Al Qadea is run in the hierarchical sense the government believes. And in the last few years, since we decided to attack Iraq, it likely has grown more disperse. The governments that supported it then still support it now.

Osama himself has become a boogey man as some have stated. But the threat from Islamist terrorism is all too real. Those that believe that this is a threat manufactured by the American government are fools or worse. The Wahhabiist strain of Islam which has been spread by the Saudis into Afghanistan and Pakistan is extremely destructive and must be stopped. It's extremely illiberal and is not defensive as some claim.

But I see little indication this administration has the inclination or the interest to stop it. Instead it decided to simply use the threat as an excuse to further a police state at home and start a war to benefit the corporate buddies on a nation that didn't have a part in that threat.

[Nutmegger]

262. OBL IS 80% HYPE!!!

YIPPIE! IT'S HATE-WEEK!!