LONDON, Nov. 19, 2008
Al Qaeda: Don't Be Fooled By Obama
Bin Laden Deputy Warns Muslims In New Audio Tape That U.S. Is "Still Full Of Hate ... Drowning In Greed"
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Photo
This image taken from a jihadi Web forum shows a graphic which appeared over a new audio message from al Qaeda deputy leader Ayman Zawahri on Nov. 19, 2008. The three-picture collage includes: at left, President-elect Barack Obama at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem; at center, a file image of Zawahri, and at right a black and white photo of Malcom X. (CBS)
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Accepting The Mantle
President-elect Barack Obama addresses the nation and the world after his victory.
Al Qaeda has released its first detailed response to the election of Barack Obama. In an audio tape posted on jihadi Web forums Wednesday, Osama bin Laden's deputy, Ayman Zawahri, admonishes Muslims to keep up the fight against America, a country which he claims "is still full of hate."
The terror group's media wing, as-Sahab, released the 11-minute audio featuring a statement by Zawahri titled, “The Departure of Bush and the Advent of Obama.”
Zawahri began his remarks by congratulating Muslims on the election of Obama, describing it as, "the American people’s admission of defeat in Iraq,” noting that the American people had voted for the candidate who wanted to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq.
He then addresses president-elect directly, warning him that President Bush was leaving a legacy of “failure and crimes” in his wake.
Zawahri tells Obama that his plan to re-concentrate military efforts in Afghanistan is doomed to failure. He warns the new leader that by doing so, not only will his forces be defeated, but he himself will be met by the same fate as Mr. Bush and former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf - both of whom arguably saw their popularity wither thanks to their respective actions in the U.S.-led war on terror.
“It appears that you don’t know anything about the Muslim Ummah (nation) and its history, or the fate of the traitors who cooperated with the invaders against it, and don’t know anything about the history of Afghanistan and its free and defiant Muslim people. And if you still want to be stubborn about America’s failure in Afghanistan, then remember the fate of Bush and Pervez Musharraf, and the fate of the Soviets and British before them,” Zawahri says in the audio.
Bin Laden's deputy labels Obama another president who has chosen a stance of hostility against Islam and Muslims. He said Obama had "abandoned his Muslim faith," and set up a direct comparison between the president-elect and Malcom X, “who prided himself on his fraternity with the Muslims… You represent the direct opposite of honorable black Americans like Malik al-Shabazz, or Malcolm X, may Allah have mercy on him.”
Despite having been schooled briefly at an Islamic school while living in Indonesia as a child, Obama has never been a practicing Muslim.
Zawahri warned Obama that America's fight is not against a small group or organization, but rather an Islamic Jihadi awakening spread all over the world.
The third part of Zawahri's statement was aimed at Muslims worldwide. He advises them that Obama’s election does not change what al Qaeda has for years sold as America’s hostile stance towards Islam, and therefore Muslims still have a duty to continue “causing harm” to the U.S.
“America’s criminal, expansionist crusader project in your lands has only been neutralized by the sacrifices of your sons, the Mujahideen," Zawahri says to Muslims.
Responding to the message Wednesday, White House press secretary Dana Perino dismissed Zawahri's remarks as, "more despicable and pathetic comments by al Qaeda terrorists."
"In America, we're going to have a smooth transition from one administration to the next and that will be a period of change in our country. What won't change is our commitment as a country to fighting terrorism and I think that these comments just remind everybody of the kind of people that we're dealing with."
Zawahri goes on to address the Islamic militants around the world, with special attention paid to those in Iraq. He congratulates them on their work, and urges them to keep up the fight. He speaks to the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, warning him of "conspiracies and betrayals" that may take place during the coming period, as the U.S. begins a serious withdrawal from Iraq.
Prior to Zawahri's audio release Wednesday, a far-less-specific message from al-Baghdadi, which failed to mention Obama, had been the only post-election message from al Qaeda.
Zawahri also addressed “the world’s weak and oppressed.” He told them not to be fooled into thinking that Obama's election may bring the change they’ve been longing for. Despite the new leadership, “America’s heart is still full of hate, its mind drowning in greed, and its spirit still spreading evil, murder, repression and despotism, as always,” he said.
The al Qaeda deputy concluded with a message to the American people, saying they had two choices; to accept the “defeat and losses caused by America’s policies," or take Osama bin Laden’s offer and “withdraw from the lands of the Muslims and refrain from stealing their treasures and interfering in their affairs.”
The tape was most likely recorded during the week of Nov. 3, 2008, shortly after the result of the U.S. election was announced. Zawahri referred to a U.S. airstrike that killed 37 people in Kandahar, Afghanistan on Nov. 3, saying it took place “last Monday.”
Zawahri's speech was played over a collage of three pictures: at center, Zawahri dressed in traditional Arab white robes and turban (this image is from his third taped interview for as-Sahab); at right, a black and white picture of Malcom X; and at left, a picture of Obama at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, wearing a traditional Jewish skullcap.
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See all 222 CommentsPosted by standlee5 at 04:09 PM : Nov 19, 2008
Good luck finding some moderate Taliban or Al Qaida to talk to.
Posted by TheMasses10 at 04:13 PM : Nov 19, 2008
Good for you
Well then prove to us your right. Prove he is alive.
I mean if you know so much you can provide the proof right .
Posted by libsh8theUSA at 04:03 PM : Nov 19, 2008
Snicker, snicker. Yellowcake indeed. Didn''t Scooter get convicted(and subsequently pardoned) for outing the person''s wife who uncovered this bag of lies?
Posted by TheMasses10 at 04:17 PM : Nov 19, 2008
You''ve been here quite awhile, give yourself more credit
You have your GED
Posted by standlee5 at 04:09 PM : Nov 19, 2008
Oh yes, that''''s a good idea, I want to see that :)
Posted by Rowdydfw at 04:18 PM : Nov 19, 2008
Bush as sixty days left maybe he can smoke him out of his hole like he promsied 7 years ago
GOOD LUCK
Posted by standlee5 at 04:09 PM : Nov 19, 2008
Oh yes, that''''s a good idea, I want to see that :)
Posted by Rowdydfw at 04:18 PM : Nov 19, 2008
I have my popcorn ready.
What''s that green gunk dripping from your mouth
Another ignoramous chimes in.
Posted by TheMasses10
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All you can do is ignore the ignorance of people like that all they are doing is chanting the lefts talking points of Bush is a criminal even thow not one of them have any first hand knowledge of what went on.
It is disgraceful the way some on the left act towards a sitting president and then they cry foul if anyone says anything out of the way about the almighty one elect Obama.
Posted by AJMarine111 at 04:20 PM : Nov 19, 2008
I''m sure you''ll be rooting for Zawahiri can''t end this bogus war as long as he''s still alive
I''''m sure you''''ll be rooting for Zawahiri can''''t end this bogus war as long as he''''s still alive
Posted by netbs9 at 04:22 PM : Nov 19, 2008
Why would I be "rooting for Zawahiri"?
Posted by AJMarine111 at 04:24 PM : Nov 19, 2008
I have no idea what your problem is
Posted by libsh8theUSA at 04:18 PM : Nov 19, 2008
Niether can the CIA confirm he''s alive or dead. Every time he releases a video, they can only scour it for clues and speculate he''s (still) alive.
Posted by Rowdydfw at 04:19 PM : Nov 19, 2008
Did you happen to READ the topic of this webpage, you moron?
Posted by tj217
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See that is the way the left thinks right now the Afgan war is cheap to fight in comparison to Iraq so you support it just as many did the iraq war when it first started.
But give it time once we move our resources there from Iraq and it starts costing billions a month and it starts taking money from the lefts welfare programs we will here the anti afgan war chant just like we do about Iraq.
Posted by Rowdydfw at 04:26 PM : Nov 19, 2008
You also said polls don''t matter
McCain was going to win
among many other things you said that didn''t come true
Posted by AJMarine111 at 04:24 PM : Nov 19, 2008
I have no idea what your problem is
Posted by netbs9 at 04:25 PM : Nov 19, 2008
Thanks for clearing that up.
Posted by Rowdydfw at 04:26 PM : Nov 19, 2008
Post the preceding two paragraphs, so that we may see the quote in context.
Posted by AJMarine111 at 04:27 PM : Nov 19, 2008
You''re welcome
Posted by Rowdydfw at 04:26 PM : Nov 19, 2008
Now put the rest of the quote in their and add the context in which it was made.
How many years did it take for you to earn that GED
over under 26
But give it time once we move our resources there from Iraq and it starts costing billions a month and it starts taking money from the lefts welfare programs we will here the anti afgan war chant just like we do about Iraq.
Posted by Mccain08NC at 04:27 PM : Nov 19, 2008
It isn''t about "fighting the cheap war", numbnuts.
It''s about FIGHTING THOSE THAT ACTUALLY ATTACKED US - not an innocent nation that NEVER attacked or threatened us.
Attacking Iraq as part of the war on terror, would have been like us attacking Peru as retaliation for the Pearl Harbor attack. NEITHER make sense.
Figures that your blind loyalty to the most incompetent administration in our nation''s history would prevent you from using common sense.
Posted by DJ_IL
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You don''t think the left loones have been rooting for Bush''s demise for 8 years. Where is the difference? I know alot people on the left beleive Obama is the chosen one and god''s hand played a role in becoming president.
With all that aside where is the difference with calling Obama a muslim loving terriorist with out any proof by the right and the left calling our president a war crimanal and saying he should be excutedwith out any proof just left propaganda.
Both statements are dispicable and anyone who says them should be ashamed of their self!!!!
Posted by DJ_IL at 04:29 PM : Nov 19, 2008
I have actually KILLED a few Commie''s my friend AND I have had Obama as a State Senator for some time now. You are absolutely correct! This poor old tired Hood and Sheet Freak would call the Pope a commie if he didn''t agree with the "Party". LOL They haven''t changed in 40 years and I don''t think they ever will.
With all that aside where is the difference with calling Obama a muslim loving terriorist with out any proof by the right and the left calling our president a war crimanal and saying he should be excutedwith out any proof just left propaganda.
Both statements are dispicable and anyone who says them should be ashamed of their self!!!!
Posted by Mccain08NC at 04:32 PM : Nov 19, 2008
Rooting for Bush''s demise?!?!
You think that WE LIKE to pay super high prices for gasoline?
You think that WE LIKE to see our retirement nest eggs, dry up and blow away?
You think that we like to see 4,200 of our brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters die for NOTHING?
You think that we like seeing all of our money shipped to Iraq, while our own infrastructure crumbles?
It is disgraceful the way some on the left act towards a sitting president and then they cry foul if anyone says anything out of the way about the almighty one elect Obama."- Mccain08NC
This coming from someone who obviously has no problems espousing the right''s talking points, makes it completely laughable. We do know from people involved that Bush/Cheney/Rove, etc., et al., committed acts of criminal/treasonous behavour. I will list but a few of them for you: Violating the Geneva conventions (which protect OUR Troops), Warrantless wire tapping of domestic and overseas calls, tasking the NSA/CIA to engage in domestic surveillance (which it is STRICTLY PROHIBITED FROM DOING BY LAW), Illegally invading a Sovreign country (Iraq) without provocation...
It is also disgraceful the way some on the right treat a sitting president (Clinton), because he did not have the balls to simply say "It''s none of your business, whom I do or do not have *** with." So I call "Hypocrite".
With all that aside where is the difference with calling Obama a muslim loving terriorist with out any proof by the right and the left calling our president a war crimanal and saying he should be excutedwith out any proof just left propaganda.
Both statements are dispicable and anyone who says them should be ashamed of their self!!!!
Posted by Mccain08NC at 04:32 PM : Nov 19, 2008
God were do you low life creatures come from. WAY over 80% of this nation backed Bush to the hilt when we were attacked. They continued to back him UNTIL he LIED to them. It would appear, given the HORRIBLE Job Bush did, you would just once try to be an AMERICAN. You have called at least 90% of the people who post on here a "Leftist" or "Liberal" at one time or another. Their "Sin"? Not supporting your point of view. It''s sick!!
Attacking Iraq as part of the war on terror, would have been like us attacking Peru as retaliation for the Pearl Harbor attack. NEITHER make sense.
Figures that your blind loyalty to the most incompetent administration in our nation''''s history would prevent you from using common sense.
Posted by grouchyjohn
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Your blind hatred for bush keeps you from seeing that it was a bipartion decision that brought us to war in Iraq. Our vice president elect even voted for the war, I would be willing to bet if Obama had actually had a vote he would of either voted present or for the war.
But spout on about how you now support the afgan war and are against the Iraq war. I would be willing to bet that if you were honest with us you are one of the 90% of americans who supported going to war in Iraq when it started.
Posted by TheMasses10 at 04:39 PM : Nov 19, 2008
Who''s referring
Posted by noloyalisti
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Wasn''t the great cigar bill impeached for lieing and witness intimidation and all of the left cryed foul and said that it was no big deal he lied and couldn''t believe he was impeached for it.
Posted by Mccain08NC at 04:32 PM : Nov 19, 2008
I seem to remember most of the country and Congress supporting Bush after 9-11. His approval ratings were through the roof to boot. Then came the news the march for the Iraqi war was based on a heap of lies. He started being led around by the nose by his neo-con buddies and their PNAC ilk and Iraq started to unravel as quickly as you can say ''Mission Complete.''
Just as silly as having MoveOn.org set this countries policies like PNAC did.
You get what you deserve.
In Al Qaeda''s first response to Obama''s victory, al-Zawahiri also called the president-elect %u2014 along with secretaries of state Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice %u2014 "house Negroes."
He must have taken his talking points from Harry Belafonte.
But spout on about how you now support the afgan war and are against the Iraq war. I would be willing to bet that if you were honest with us you are one of the 90% of americans who supported going to war in Iraq when it started.
Posted by Mccain08NC at 04:40 PM : Nov 19, 2008
Was it also a "bipartisan decision" to withhold the October 2002 NIE from congress and the senate until AFTER they voted on the war authorization, because it PROVED that Iraq did not have WMD''s?
Funny - everyone believes it was the Bush regime that did that, and here you are calling it "bipartisan".
And no - I NEVER supported attacking a country for no apparent reason.
Posted by Mccain08NC at 04:42 PM : Nov 19, 2008
What''s worse.....
A lie that led to a "pre-emptive war" leading to the death of 4,200 American service members, hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians killed, TRILLIONS of wasted dollars, lost world respect, and a devastated foreign view of us as a nation.....
-OR-
a BJ?
Posted by Mccain08NC at 04:42 PM : Nov 19, 2008
Getting your *** shined and lying about it pales in comparison to - how many thousands of lives now?
He must have taken his talking points from Harry Belafonte.
Posted by AJMarine111 at 04:45 PM : Nov 19, 2008
Or any of McCain''s redneck, racist supporters.
Posted by noloyalisti
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You base all your statements on left propaganda, please explain how bush personally altered the WMD inteligance coming in . There was about 20 other countries who''s intelegance showed Iraq had WMD''s So I guess Britain''s prime minister forged his intelegance also thats why brittian joined us in the war.
Or do you think brittain would join a war based on american intelegance?
What''''s worse.....
A lie that led to a "pre-emptive war" leading to the death of 4,200 American service members, hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians killed, TRILLIONS of wasted dollars, lost world respect, and a devastated foreign view of us as a nation.....
-OR-
a BJ?
Posted by grouchyjohn at 04:48 PM : Nov 19, 2008
This is something that I saved.
We are less than a decade removed from impeaching a president and nearly relieving him of office because of a lie in a civil deposition about ********. Yet when congressman Dennis Kucinich recently attempted to impeach Bush over torture, extraordinary rendition and other grotesque constitutional abuses, Kucinich''''s embarrassed fellow Democrats couldn''''t kill the measure quickly enough.
Why? Top Democrats are so complicit in what has happened since 9/11 that my guess is they dare not travel down that road. From voting in favor of the war in Iraq to holding the telecommunications companies guiltless for their role in spying on Americans (Barack Obama infuriated much of his progressive base by voting for immunity), the Democrats have often acted more as enablers than as a true opposition party. From their point of view, no doubt it''''s best to move on.
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Posted by Rowdydfw at 04:44 PM : Nov 19, 2008
what would be cleaer (sic) is if you posted the whole quote and the context it was made in.
Not only that he was the first one that screeched that we had to protect the flow of oil in Iraq...
Posted by Rowdydfw at 04:46 PM : Nov 19, 2008
AGAIN - did Clinton lie us into a perpetual war, with no way out, that cost 4,200 American lives, hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians, TRILLIONS of wasted dollars, and a complete loss of our respect worldwide?
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