In Video, Qaeda Deputy Condemns Bush and Pope
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/30/world/30tape.html
September 30, 2006
In Video, Qaeda Deputy Condemns Bush and Pope
By HASSAN M. FATTAH [zawahiri] [another tape] [contemporaneous, or nearly so, events] [clearly he’s alive] [I suspect so too is OBL] [puzzling: why the spate of tapes this year?] [due to Hezbollah’s success (Shiite vs Sunni) from 34-day war with Israel?] [something big is coming—as in the past al Qaeda and leadership warned, perhaps signaled—gave go signal—and took credit for attacks?] [natural result of alqaeda’s virtual franchisement on the internet—effectively a new business model?] [some other reason?] [or combination of the above reasons?] [if second reason is part of the answer, then something big should be coming soon—say by mid November or so—either in Europe, US, Africa, elsewhere] [use psci 469] [*******]
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Sept. 29 — Ayman al-Zawahri, Al Qaeda’s deputy leader, branded President Bush a “lying failure” and Pope Benedict XVI a “charlatan” in a video released Friday. [********]
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/30/world/30tape.html
September 30, 2006
In Video, Qaeda Deputy Condemns Bush and Pope
By HASSAN M. FATTAH [zawahiri] [another tape] [contemporaneous, or nearly so, events] [clearly he’s alive] [I suspect so too is OBL] [puzzling: why the spate of tapes this year?] [due to Hezbollah’s success (Shiite vs Sunni) from 34-day war with Israel?] [something big is coming—as in the past al Qaeda and leadership warned, perhaps signaled—gave go signal—and took credit for attacks?] [natural result of alqaeda’s virtual franchisement on the internet—effectively a new business model?] [some other reason?] [or combination of the above reasons?] [if second reason is part of the answer, then something big should be coming soon—say by mid November or so—either in Europe, US, Africa, elsewhere] [use psci 469] [*******]
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Sept. 29 — Ayman al-Zawahri, Al Qaeda’s deputy leader, branded President Bush a “lying failure” and Pope Benedict XVI a “charlatan” in a video released Friday. [********]
The 18-minute video, [*****] Mr. Zawahri’s second in a month, [*****]also responded to recent reports that senior members of Al Qaeda had been transferred to the United States detention center at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba; to the planned deployment of peacekeeping troops in Darfur; and to Pope Benedict’s controversial comments in a lecture this month in which he cited a 14th-century description of aspects of Islam as “evil and inhuman.” [he obviously can make tapes essentially any time he wishes; therefore his movements are not all that restricted] [why does he continue making video tapes while OBL only audio?] [has OBL changed his appearance? Unlikely, no matter what plastic surgery he might have, he’s still a 6’5” arab—he sticks out irrespective of plastic surgery] [is he ill or injured and he does not wish the brothers or the enemy to know?] [is he just more security conscious than Zawahir?] [is Zawahiri preparing the flock for his own leadership?]
“Bush, you failure and liar, why can’t you be courageous for once and confront your people and admit the truth about your losses in Iraq and Afghanistan?” he demanded.
Later, he added, “Why don’t you let them know how many million citizens of America and its allies you intend to kill in search of the imaginary victory and in the breathless pursuit of the imaginary place towards which you are driving your nation’s sons in order to increase your profits?” [huh?] [rambling]
Mr. Zawahri connected the pope’s comments about Islam to other supposed offenses against the religion: Salman Rushdie’s novel “The Satanic Verses,” the reported desecration of a Koran at Guantánamo Bay (later determined to be unfounded) and the uproar over cartoon depictions of the Prophet Muhammad, describing all as part of a campaign by crusaders. [rallying the faithful] [******]
Copyright 2006 The New York Times Company