June 18, 2009 6:23 PM

McCain: Bin Laden Tape Proves Successes

(CBS/AP)  Republican presidential hopeful John McCain said Monday that a new message from al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in which he scolds his followers in Iraq proves that U.S. efforts there are succeeding.

"Basically he encouraged the extreme elements - al Qaeda in Iraq particularly in the Sunni areas - to join together and be more effective in bringing terrorism and murder and suicide bombings to Iraq and to Anbar province," McCain said. "It's a clear sign that we are succeeding in Iraq because people got very tired of al Qaeda taking their young women, killing their young women, killing their people, and acting in the most brutal fashion that they are."

In the audiotape played Monday on Al-Jazeera television, bin Laden chastises some of his followers for lagging behind and making mistakes in Iraq, and for putting their personal allegiances ahead of their opposition to American forces.

CBS News White House correspondent Peter Maer reports that the White House on Tuesday said U.S. intelligence believes the tape "is authentic." Referring to the taped message calling for Iraqi insurgents to unite, spokeswoman Dana Perino said, "We would not be surprised to hear that message."

"It sounds like words from a leader, an al Qaeda terrorist, trying to capture some lost ground," Perino added. She also told reporters the U.S. strategy has brought some success but she added, "There's a long way to go." Perino described al Qaeda as "an enemy of humanity."

Stopping to meet and greet voters at a country store, McCain commented in response to an undecided voter's question about his strategy for Iraq - whether he would follow President Bush's path and stay in the war, or reduce the number of U.S. troops there.

McCain said he is the only Republican who criticized the conduct of the war under former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, and that he believes the troop escalation over the past year has been effective.

"I believe if we set a date for a withdrawal we will be back," he said.

McCain also spoke to Denise Gionet of Pelham, whose son, Army Sgt. Daniel Gionet, was killed in Iraq in June 2006. Gionet told McCain that some in the military community are appalled that missing soldiers are being designated "duty stations whereabouts unknown."

"The category should be MIA. POW/MIA," replied McCain, himself a former Vietnam POW. "I do not understand and we have written letters and we are in communication. That needs to be fixed."

McCain began a three-day campaign bus trip across New Hampshire on Monday. He was expected to file candidacy papers for the New Hampshire presidential primary on Tuesday in Concord.

© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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by mudrose-2009 October 24, 2007 12:24 PM EDT
Aside from 72 Virgins, how does bin laden rally his disposable army? Seems like his talking points aren''t gaining any momentum. Must be the disposable army needs to wait a few years so the harem can proved more jhadies for the cause. Get busy Osama.
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by candide777 October 24, 2007 2:12 AM EDT
bin Laden tape proves success?

Oh good Lord . . . Yes, we know, White is Black, and Black is White, Bill Clinton was evil and immoral, Bob Jones was a model for racial tolerance, True is False, Saddam flew his plane into the World Trade Center, and so it goes.

Do these people honestly think that no one is paying attention?
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by micma-2009 October 24, 2007 12:21 AM EDT


The fact that we''re spending at least a trillion dollars in Iraq and thousands of lives while Bin Laden is free to build his network and even put out press releases is glaring proof of what a total failure Iraq is. Talk about trying to make lemonade out of a bunch of lemons. McCain is nuts.






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by realpatriot1 October 23, 2007 11:04 PM EDT
Mudrose, I remember that speech too. I also remember Bush promising to take Bin Laden dead or alive before tora Bora.

I also remember him promising to punish anyone who either leaked Plame''s name or failed to cooperate with the investigation(before he pardoned Libby the liar).

One doesn''t excuse the other.
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by ioweign October 23, 2007 10:33 PM EDT
Now, muddy, I come from a hillbilly background. Don''''t go giving these liberals a name of someone who holds to high moral values such as the hillbilly. Hillbillies may be under educated and poor, but they do stick to their moral values. They''''ll also look their enemy in the eye, as well as their friend. ;)

Sounds to me like Laden''''s beginning to get desperate. Keep at''''m Prez.

Posted by Hwy71So at 02:46 PM : Oct 23, 2007



"I don''t know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don''t care. It''s not that important. It''s not our priority." George Bush - Washington, D.C., March 13, 2002
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by sftodd October 23, 2007 8:21 PM EDT
Why Don''''t You Know Ron Paul??????

Uh, last time I checked, Ron Paul was in bed with the republican party, which, in case you haven''t noticed, has been hijacked by a bunch of lying crooks and lunatics. Everything that is uttered out of a republican politician''s mouth is a lie. They stand for exactly NOT what they say. Their campaigns are a fraud committed on the American people and those stupid enough to vote for them. I question Ron Paul''s judgment in voluntarily associating with such a corrupt party.
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by mudrose-2009 October 23, 2007 6:50 PM EDT
nope, that was bubba klintoon,,, attack after attack he did nothing but repeat the same tired old speech,,,

well i guess he hooked up with moanica and shared a cigar,,,

After the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole, which killed 17 and injured 39 U.S. sailors, Clinton promised that those responsible would be hunted down and punished.
http://usinfo.state.gov/is/internation
al_security/terrorism/uss_cole.html

Posted by terrorislam2

Oh, yeah, I remember that speech. "I Never Had S/EX with That Woman!
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by terrorislam2 October 23, 2007 6:45 PM EDT
Posted by talkingham at 03:39 PM : Oct 23, 2007

nope, that was bubba klintoon,,, attack after attack he did nothing but repeat the same tired old speech,,,

well i guess he hooked up with moanica and shared a cigar,,,

After the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole, which killed 17 and injured 39 U.S. sailors, Clinton promised that those responsible would be hunted down and punished.
http://usinfo.state.gov/is/international_security/terrorism/uss_cole.html
Reply to this comment
by mudrose-2009 October 23, 2007 6:41 PM EDT
Posted by talkingham

Yeah we know, Bush and Osama best of friends; 9/11 and Building 7 a conspiracy; every Easter, Jesus Christ''''s remains are found; the icecaps are melting; etc, etc, etc. Blah, blah, blah.


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