Al Qaeda No. 2 Calls Obama a 'Fraud'

(AP)  Al Qaeda's deputy leader on Monday seized upon President Obama's failure to bring about a freeze in Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank and called him a "fraud" in a new audio message.

Ayman al-Zawahiri's 28-minute audio message was mainly a eulogy for slain Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud, but he also took the opportunity to slam NATO member states operating in Afghanistan, including Germany, which he criticized for keeping troops there.

The recording comes after a series of al Qaeda videos this past month, including several attacking Germany and threatening strikes against Berlin's military mission in Afghanistan. Those releases raised concerns among German authorities ahead of parliamentary elections which ended Sunday.

Al-Zawahiri reserved special scorn for Mr. Obama, whom he has insulted in nearly every one of his messages since the latter's historic election as U.S. president.

Many experts believe that Al Qaeda is struggling in the face of Mr. Obama's popularity in the Muslim world, especially compared to former President George W. Bush.

Mr. Obama publicly called for an Israeli freeze in settlement construction in order to restart the peace talks, but was rebuffed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week.

"Here is Obama, the fraud, who pretended to be affected by the suffering of the Palestinians and then allows the settlements to flourish in the West Bank and in Jerusalem ... while pressing the weak (Arab) leaders to offer more concessions," al-Zawahri said.

U.S. officials have asked Arab countries to normalize relations with Israel to encourage the Jewish state to restart talks with the Palestinians.

"Is the reality of the criminal Obama now clear to us? Or do we need more crimes in Kabul, Baghdad, Mogadishu and Gaza to be sure of his criminal nature," he said.

Al-Zawahiri's reference to events taking place just a week earlier indicate the urgency with which the message was recorded and posted as al Qaeda hastens to point out any of Mr. Obama's shortcomings in the region.

Germany has become a frequent target of Al Qaeda criticisms in the wake of the German contingent in Afghanistan calling in an airstrike that killed dozens earlier in the month.

Al-Zawahiri attacked Chancellor Angela Merkel personally in his message, accusing her of lying when she told parliament that German mission in Afghanistan was to support international peace and security.

"International peace and security will not be realized until you get out from the lands of Muslims and stop interfering in their affairs," he said, apparently addressing the entire NATO alliance.

Al-Zawahiri also singled out Turkey, which assumes the rotating command of the NATO peacekeeping operation in Kabul next month, accusing the predominantly Muslim country of "participating in shedding Muslim blood."

In November, Turkey will increase the number of its troops to 1,600 from the current 795, none with combat responsibilities.

About half of the recording was dedicated to the Pakistani Taliban chief Mehsud who was killed following a U.S. strike near the Afghan border on Aug. 5.

Al-Zawahiri's eulogy was the terror group's first acknowledgment of the death of one of al Qaeda's main partners in Pakistan's tribal area where top leaders of the terror movement are believed hiding.

Al-Zawahiri praised Mehsud for his role in mobilizing fighters in the region, and challenging "the new crusaders and their agents," in reference to the NATO forces and the Pakistani and Afghan security forces.

"To the Americans, their allies and their slaves in Afghanistan and Pakistan, I say you may have killed (Mehsud) ...but you did not kill Islam or holy war," al-Zawahiri said, listing 10 of Mehsud's contributions to the jihad cause.

The August U.S. missile strike against Mehsud sparked speculation about his fate and put the group in disarray over a successor. The Pakistani Taliban later declared a former aide to Mehsud as the group's new leader.

Al-Zawahiri didn't name the successor but appealed to Muslims around the world to follow in Mehsud's footsteps, and urged Afghans to come out in support of the Taliban.

[hamiltoningrate]

HELP ! THE PLIGHT OF THE TALIBANIANS



The world cringes as more violence erupts against the insurgent Taliban. A rag tagged group of locals, with home made weapons and fire power no match for the US supported Pakistani army.

"This disproportionate use of FORCE against a group of indigenous Muslims must stop." Demanded American talkers- Peace leaders, in a historic signed statement, from the world capstone of ideas, universities and KPFK radio station, marching in solidarity with grassroots peace activists, from NYC West Side and LA's Malibu community .

By UN count, the peace lovingTaliban insurgents have lost over 2500 people including 699 children and 1888 women, all pregnant. The Pakistan Army reports no deaths, and only minor injury to one male soldier during staffing of a Taliban school for girls, during prayer, at mid day, and also during a funeral, at mid day.

"The land in dispute must be given to the historical rightful peoples." Taliban leaders pleaded for help and support in their peaceful quest for justice. " What kind of people would allow these army thugs to take away their heritage lands. My grand father once had relations with a goat on this very hill." Cried Alfonla Bur Yupmysssa. Others just wailed and climbed over a wreck of a car, looking for white chicklets.

The international community will be hosting a special DERBIN session next week , to focus on the PLIGHT OF THE TALIBINiaNS..

WHEN WILL THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE END ?

This is parody for you touchy guys. The Taliban hates women, gays, freedoms, and you.

[Kufr_Akbar]

Zawahiri is often just another flamer -- he reads the news and spews his reaction on the internet. On the internet Zawahiri goes on about the USA and Israel and the UK and so on, but in real life he must be much more concerned by the ongoing eradication of the Taliban right inside Pakistan where he himself slinks around, probably in a burqa.

Zawahiri's verboseness is due in some measure to loneliness, I think. He has a good Western education but his milieu in Wazaristan is comprised of some of the most backward and ignorant and thuggish people on earth. Yet he must brown-nose a barbarian like Beitullah Mehsud because his own life depends on protection by such barbarians.

Anyhow, we got Beitullah, the Pakistanis will get Fazlullah, and one or the other will get Zawahiri.

[curiously1]

Say what you want. Obama seems to have united the world against the fanatics. Of course they view him as a fraud.

[spillover]

stuart-johns, you simply can't handle the truth. Your constant republican bashing is pathetic.

[Mortarman29]

"Sounds like you want Obama to fail. You and al qaeda want the same thing. Shame."

How in the world would any intelligent person get that out of what I wrote?

[hungry1968-16]

by Mortarman29 September 28, 2009 2:20 PM EDT
Well, it appears that a CBS reporter has also found out that Obama, in all of his time in office, has talked to his commander (General McCrystal) just once. Once! We are at war, and the commander on the ground has talked to the commander-in-chief on just one occasion.

That is Obama's #1 job. No wonder we are failing there. Obama doesnt really care to deal with it.






Bush micromanaged the Iraq War from the White House, and look what a disaster that turned out to be.

I would MUCH, MUCH rather have a professional soldier dealing with the war, than I would a politician.

[Mortarman29]

Well, it appears that a CBS reporter has also found out that Obama, in all of his time in office, has talked to his commander (General McCrystal) just once. Once! We are at war, and the commander on the ground has talked to the commander-in-chief on just one occasion.

That is Obama's #1 job. No wonder we are failing there. Obama doesnt really care to deal with it.

[stevex47]

Sounds like you want Obama to fail. You and al qaeda want the same thing. Shame.

[Mortarman29]

How in the world would any intelligent person get that out of what I wrote?

[pickaguitar1]

Al Qaeda is struggling in the face of Mr. Obama's popularity in the Muslim world

[kronos9116]

Thats strange with as hard as Obama kiss there rearends and tries to hand the U.S over to them

[hungry1968-16]

Huh?

This makes very little sense.

Care to explain?

[Turbidite]

Holy Moley, Al Zawahiri is a republican after all. Or are the republicans Al Qaedites?