White House: Bin Laden's Influence Waning

New Audio Tape From Al Qaeda Leader "Demonstrates His Isolation And Continued Attmpts To Remain Relevant"

(CBS/AP)  The White House said Wednesday that the new audiotape believed to carry a message from Osama bin Laden reflects the "isolation" of the al Qaeda leader whose influence over the terrorist network has waned.

"Wherever he is, he's in a deep hole," Vice President Dick Cheney said in an interview Wednesday with PBS' "The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer." "He does not have much impact on the organization as best we can tell."

The audio, about 22 minutes long, is titled: "A Call for Jihad to Stop the Aggression on Gaza. The message of Sheikh Osama Bin Laden to the Muslim Ummah."

"Israelis are in a rush to get rid of their enemies in Gaza, and replace them with (Palestinian President Mahmoud) Abbas and his administration, in order for him to protect their backs. They thus carried out this horrific butchery before the end of Bush's term in office before the American weakness shows even more."

Its release came on the 19th day of Israel's military campaign in the Gaza Strip targeting Hamas militants, which Palestinian doctors say has left 940 people dead, less than half of whom were combatants.

Bin Laden says Mr. Bush has left President-elect Barack Obama with "two bitter choices," and wonders aloud whether the next American leader will be able to keep up the fight against al Qaeda and other terrorist groups.
The audiotape, posted on Islamic militant Web sites, was bin Laden's first since May and came nearly three weeks after Israel started its campaign against Gaza's militant Hamas rulers.

"It appears this tape demonstrates his isolation and continued attempts to remain relevant at a time when al Qaeda's ideology, mission and agenda are being questioned and challenged throughout the world," said Gordon Johndroe, a spokesman for the National Security Council at the White House.

"This also looks to be an effort to raise money as part of their ongoing propaganda campaign. The United States promotes an alternative, hopeful ideology while continuing to partner with over 90 countries to pursue terrorists wherever they are," Johndroe said.

In his message, the al Qaeda leader also vowed that the terror network would open "new fronts" against the United States and its allies beyond Iraq and Afghanistan. He said President-elect Barack Obama has received a "heavy inheritance" from President George W. Bush - two wars and "the collapse of the economy," which bin Laden said will render the United States unable to sustain a long fight against the mujahedeen, or holy warriors.

Cheney said that it's important to go after the organization, not just bin Laden. "Even if you got Osama bin Laden tomorrow, you'd still have a problem in terms of whatever residue of al Qaeda is out there," he said.

He said the U.S. has been successful in toppling top al Qaeda operatives.

"We have had a big impact on al Qaeda, " Cheney said. "This was a significantly diminished organization, I think, compared to what it was four or five years ago. When we killed Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the head of al Qaeda in Iraq, in June of '06, major accomplishment, and over the last - I don't want to get into the classified area obviously - but within the last year or so we've had a very significant impact on senior al Qaeda leadership."

CBS Evening News Anchor Katie Couric interviewed Obama Wednesday and asked how important it was for the U.S. to capture bin Laden.

"I think that we have to so weaken his infrastructure that, whether he is technically alive or not, he is so pinned down that he cannot function," Obama said. "My preference obviously would be to capture or kill him. But if we have so tightened the noose that he's in a cave somewhere and can't even communicate with his operatives, then we will meet our goal of protecting America."

CBS News' Khaled Wassef and CBSNews.com's Tucker Reals contributed to this report.

[pirmin3]

LOL Bush''s influence disappeared completely after the illegal invasion of Iraq. Bushit is a non-entity world wide.

[exusmcsgt]

"He does not have much impact on the organization as best we can tell."
---
Once again, the Bush administration demonstrates that, after 7 1/2 years, it still has no clue as to bin Laden''s whereabouts mush less his actions.

What an utter disgrace...

[daviolo]

pals of binladen ,in cahhoots,big talk 4 too long,cant even bust...shame spat

[stinginrich]

What a crock!


Posted by roscoe2400 at 11:38 PM : Jan 14, 2009


Check it out, Drooler...

JACOB EZRA MERKIN - MADOFF''S "GOLDEN BOY"

Jacob Ezra Merkin is one of the key players of the multi-billion dollar criminal fraud carried out by Bernerd Madoff. He is known as the chairman of GMAC, the financial service branch of General Motors and as the general partner of Gabriel Capital LP, a $5 billion family of hedge funds. He has also been the head of the Ariel Fund, based in the Cayman Islands, and a managing partner of Gotham Capital. Merkin secretly diverted vast amounts of money to Madoff''s "Ponzi" scheme or pyramid operation.

Merkin and Madoff served together on the board of Yeshiva University, where Merkin was chair of the investment committee and Madoff was treasurer and chair of the Sy Syms School of Business. Merkin invested Yeshiva University money into Madoff''s operation. Both quit when the scandal broke.
YU has tried to erase their names from its website.

So who is Bernard L. Madoff? Apart from running his "investment company" and being a former chairman and director of the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASDAQ), Madoff is a very committed Jewish Zionist who has served as the treasurer of two leading Zionist organizations. Madoff is just like Richard Fuld of Lehman Brothers, Sanford Weill of Citibank, and Maurice Greenberg of A.I.G., the major culprits behind the $2 trillion bail-out.....

[entropod]

Reality calling.

Bush lost.

And Bin Laden won, and is laughing from wherever he is. Living in luxury as Bush stews in the pot he created for him.

Of course, no American would have ever jumped in.

But Bush, being the murderous brethren to Bin Laden that he is (just look of the state of Texas murder records while Bush was "Governor" and could kill anyone he wished), felt most comfortable in the plunge.

Leaving all Americans to live with the discomfort, shame, and crimes, of his dip.
ST


"We became evil to fight evil, assuring its victory."
SearingTruth

A Future of the Brave

[imnho]

The fact that OBL is on the run and less dangerious in no way diminishs the requirement to capture or kill him. It would be a great blow to the morale of AQL is there leader was captured or killed. Its regrettable that Bush wasted a lot of resources in Iraq when he should have been persuing OBL

[gce65]

Bin Laden: Bush''s Influence Waned.

[roscoe2400-2009]

Posted by anon00 at 08:53 PM : Jan 14, 2009
+ report abuse

Because it''''s coming out that Madoff has links to Olmert and a Money-Laundering Scheme through a Crooked Bank that Olmert controls, and ties to Cerberus, doing massive amounts of Contract Work for the US Government in Iraq and Afghanistan, and involved in the production, processing, and export of Opium and Heroin from Afghanistan. Bernie''''s a big time Israeli Covert Operative......


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Posted by stinginrich at 11:09 PM : Jan 14, 2009


what a hoot--- so Chrysler is tiedf up in thid friggin'' mess also!!!

What a crock!

[downtowner97]

Bin Laden: White House''s Influence Waning.

[stinginrich]

Why did CBS delete the newest Madoff story (and replace it with this Bin Laden nonsense?)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by anon00 at 08:53 PM : Jan 14, 2009
+ report abuse

Because it''s coming out that Madoff has links to Olmert and a Money-Laundering Scheme through a Crooked Bank that Olmert controls, and ties to Cerberus, doing massive amounts of Contract Work for the US Government in Iraq and Afghanistan, and involved in the production, processing, and export of Opium and Heroin from Afghanistan. Bernie''s a big time Israeli Covert Operative......

[stinginrich]

Meanwhile, Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting:

-- in an item entitled "Terrorism on the New York Times Op-Ed Page" -- examines Friedman''s history of making similar statements, and raises this question: is it even possible to imagine an Op-Ed or column being published by a major newspaper that enthusiastically trumpeted all of the great strategic benefits that would accrue to Muslims from the violent deaths of large numbers of Israeli civilians, the way Friedman today did with regard to the deaths of Palestinian and Lebanese civilians???

Not Likely....

[allzwell]

Bin Laden has been dead for years... have you seen him? He''s a symbol only... the only thing that has kept Bush from being impeached. Suckers.

[jerr11]

White House: Bin Laden''s Influence Waning



Unfortunately not as fast as his family friend George W Bush, whose influence will be TOTALLY gone on Jan 20.

Here''s the question of the day:

Who killed more Americans?

Bin Laden or George W Bush.

Bin laden - 3000 Dead Americans.

George W Bush - 4226 Dead Americans and counting.

BUSH WINS HANDS DOWN!!

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

[hsinco-2009]

New Audio Tape From Al Qaeda Leader "Demonstrates His Isolation And Continued Attmpts To Remain Relevant"


Kinda reminds me of the Bu$h/Vader Legacy Tour!

[larryhammick]

Usama is well on his way to being just one more fugitive from jihadist failure. Like Zawahiri, he is reduced to reading the news and reacting on the internet, like millions of other impotent flamers.

[hermitdave]

HEY all you stupids out there. Osama Bin Laden has been real dead for a long time. The Bush gang and now it looks like Obama is going to continue the charade. If we had a honest news media, this sham would have never worked.

[nativewoman]

"He does not have much impact on the organization as best we can tell." ~ Cheney

As best as they can tell....hmmmm.

Do you think they can tell anything better now than before the run up to 9/11?

[downtowner97]

Post-presidential advice for Bush: Go hunting with Cheney. It''ll be a blast!

[missingamerica]

"Wherever he is, he''s in a deep hole," Vice President *** Cheney said...

I thought that was known as "an undisclosed location"?