More from Bin Ladens tape.

"The new operations of al-Qaida has not happened not because we could not penetrate the security measures. It is being prepared and you'll see it in your homeland very soon," the voice attributed to bin Laden said, apparently addressing Americans.

"This message is about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and how to end those wars," it began.

"It was not my intention to talk to you about this, because those wars are definitely going our way.

"But what triggered my desire to talk to you is the continuous deliberate misinformation given by your President [George] Bush, when it comes to polls made in your home country which reveal that the majority of your people are willing to withdraw US forces from Iraq.

"We know that the majority of your people want this war to end and opinion polls show the Americans don't want to fight the Muslims on Muslim land, nor do they want Muslims to fight them on their (US) land.

"But Bush does not want this and claims that it's better to fight his enemies on their land rather than on American land.

"Bush tried to ignore the polls that demanded that he end the war in Iraq.

"We are getting increasingly stronger while your situation is getting from bad to worse," he told the US, referring to poor US troop morale and the huge economic losses inflicted by the war.

"The war in Iraq is raging and the operations in Afghanistan are increasing."


"In response to the substance of the polls in the US, which indicate that Americans do not want to fight Muslims on Muslim land, nor do they want Muslims to fight them on their land, we do not mind offering a long-term truce based on just conditions that we will stick to.
"We are a nation that Allah banned from lying and stabbing others in the back, hence both parties of the truce will enjoy stability and security to rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan, which were destroyed by war.


"There is no problem in this solution, but it will prevent hundreds of billions from going to influential people and warlords in America - those who supported Bush's electoral campaign - and from this, we can understand Bush and his gang's insistence on continuing the war."
Addressing Americans again, he said: "If your desire for peace, stability and reconciliation was true, here we have given you the answer to your call."

It does not take a genius to know exactly how the Righties are going to spin this thing. They are going to say that all of the critics of the Iraq war are playing right into Bin Ladens hands and that their lack of patriotism is what gives him the confidence to talk directly to us in the hope of finding a sympathertic ear.

I do not speak for all of the progressives, that much is for sure, but I will offer my response. I cannot help but agree with much of what he said in the tape. Especially this part here.

".... but it will prevent hundreds of billions from going to influential people and warlords in America - those who supported Bush's electoral campaign - and from this, we can understand Bush and his gang's insistence on continuing the war."

Having said that I would also go on record as saying that we cannot make a deal with these people directly. We cannot demonstrate weakness by allowing out policies to be dictated to us by killers who attacked innocent Americans. If we locate Bin Laden we are honor bound to capture or kill him!

I don't think for an instant that agreeing with some of Bin Laden's words makes me, or any of us, anti-American. My anger at this murderer has not diminished. I do believe that nothing we have done at home has really made us any safer. Nor do I think that the war in Iraq has kept the terrorists at bay. And I know for a fact that somebody in the Bush administration has lied to us, and continues to lie to us still. My hope is that this tape will help us to locate Osama and bring him to justice.

But there are two eminent dangers to America. Osama Bin Laden is one. The other is George W. Bush. When both of these men are brought to justice we will all sleep more soundly.