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   Memo: The way forward on health care reform in 2010.
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October 30, 2008
AL QAEDA PIPES UP AGAIN.... I guess one of these was bound to come out this week.
This news, of course, comes just a week after al Qaeda supporters stated their support for a McCain victory on a password-protected website, citing McCain's support for the Bush administration's foreign policy. The al-Hesbah site, closely linked to the terrorist group, added that al Qaeda "will have to support McCain," and hoped that a McCain foreign policy would "exhaust" American resources. Now, to reiterate what I said last week, we're talking about the rantings of homicidal lunatics, and it's ultimately foolish to try to vote with terrorists' motivations in mind. Neither the al-Hesbah message nor the Abu Yahya al-Libi video are what a reasonable person might describe as "sensible political analysis." But that, I'm afraid, doesn't matter. The al-Libi video is now the top story on Drudge, and it will likely soon be the main topic of conversation on the far-right blogs and talk radio. The response from Democrats is pretty obvious. Richard Clarke, Ron Suskind, and others have written extensively on the fact al Qaeda prefers Bush's foreign policy -- it helps with terrorist recruiting and fundraising, undermines America's global stature, and costs us a fortune -- so it stands to reason that the terrorist network would support McCain, since his foreign policy is largely indistinguishable. Indeed, as Clarke, the former counterterrorism coordinator for the National Security Council, explained earlier this month, al Qaeda wouldn't want an Obama victory, in large part because the terrorist network wouldn't want a U.S. president who enjoys popularity on the world stage. Jonathan Stevenson, a professor of strategic studies at the U.S. Naval War College, told Spencer Ackerman, "Bin Laden surely would vote for McCain. Bush, whose foreign policy McCain pretty much supported, has been a recruiting sergeant for Al Qaeda and its kin." The smart move for conservatives is drawing attention away from this fact, not towards it. And yet, I suspect we're about to hear a bunch of unhinged voices screaming, "See? Al Qaeda hates Republicans!" —Steve Benen 4:00 PM Permalink | Trackbacks | Comments (33)Comments
I suspect we're about to hear a bunch of unhinged voices screaming, "See? Al Qaeda hates Republicans!" Good thing nobody is listening to the lunatics anymore, except the other lunatics. Posted by: Racer X on October 30, 2008 at 4:11 PM | PERMALINKAnd yet... AlQaeda has not come out and clearly said "Let's get Obama elected! He would be great for us!", thus greatly helping McCain. My guess is even AlQaeda recognizes a losing campaign and doesn't want to be identified with it... Posted by: CarloP on October 30, 2008 at 4:12 PM | PERMALINKGod has indeed humiliated the party of Bush. S/He made John McCain the party's nominee. Posted by: castanea on October 30, 2008 at 4:12 PM | PERMALINKWhat, Osama couldn't be bothered to get involved personally this time? Posted by: Kevin Brennan on October 30, 2008 at 4:13 PM | PERMALINKIf I were Bin Laden, I. too, would root for the guy who says he is going to follow me to the gates of hell, but not cross the Palistan border. Posted by: Danp on October 30, 2008 at 4:14 PM | PERMALINKWhile the website find got no coverage, 'cause it didn't fit in with the lazy media's narrative, this will get tons of play. Posted by: John McCain: Worse than Bush on October 30, 2008 at 4:16 PM | PERMALINK... one of the top al Qaeda commanders ... What, not "the number two al Qaeda commander in all of eastern Mesopotamia," or some other fatuous description? Given all the "number twos" we've taken out, shouldn't pretty much everybody have a number by now? Isn't "number two" becoming like "Vice President" at a bank? He must actually be pretty UN-important to be called just "one of the top." What a crock. Why does anybody even bother to read Drudge anymore?
"The smart move for conservatives is drawing attention away from this fact, not towards it. And yet, I suspect we're about to hear a bunch of unhinged voices screaming, 'See? Al Qaeda hates Republicans!'" You know, the conservatives may say this because they actually believe this, because they're, ah, stupid. Posted by: CT on October 30, 2008 at 4:22 PM | PERMALINKAn al Qaeda leader... Was the guy a second-to-Osama type? Was he a taxi-driver for a higher-up? How many top leaders have we actually killed over the years? Why not just say an "Al Qaeda Operative.?" We know the terrons want to DESTROY US. Seems we are doing just fine on our own, taking our economy into dismal depths and wasting billions on pepetuawar. Posted by: Tom Nicholson on October 30, 2008 at 4:23 PM | PERMALINK"See? Al Qaeda hates Republicans!" Well but come on, who doesn't? Posted by: craigie on October 30, 2008 at 4:27 PM | PERMALINKYou can't have reruns in politics. These types of "stories" don't work a second time around - this won't work, because bin Laden worked last time (just like Obama's "plagiarism" didn't stick, cause Biden's stuck in 88). I mean what's an independent to think when he hears an al-Qaeda dude hope that Bush get's humiliated? "I'll show that bastard! I'm voting for the guy that's JUST LIKE Bush!! That'll learn him!" Is this what they really think people will do? Posted by: neilt on October 30, 2008 at 4:31 PM | PERMALINKDrudge please. If Al Qaeda had a dream ticket, it would be Sara Palin one heartbeat away from controlling U.S. foreign policy. Posted by: Jim on October 30, 2008 at 4:34 PM | PERMALINKI expect to see Sarah the Power Abuser bleating to her fans about this at their next rally, just before she introduces Joe the Fraudulent Plumber, while Cindy the Heiress and John th Liar look on with a vavant smile on her face and a creepy grin on his. Posted by: Winkandanod on October 30, 2008 at 4:34 PM | PERMALINKI was going to say the "Al Qaeda" inversional "endorsement" of Obama wouldn't matter with Obama so ahead (?) in the polls (and why does the latest seem to contradict the previous "endorsement" of McCain from big O-theotherone himself?) But then I saw this disquieting piece on the Time website, about the troubles our voting "system" faces: http://www.truthout.org/102508A Posted by: Neil B on October 30, 2008 at 4:37 PM | PERMALINKneilt, lots of voters are just that stupidly psychologized. Posted by: Neil B on October 30, 2008 at 4:38 PM | PERMALINKIf Bush and his Repub handlers would have finished the job in Afghanistan instead of bogging us down in Iraq, we wouldn't be hearing any of this crap. And what an absolute coincidence; so close to election day! I swear, it's like we're on al-Quaeda's automated Christmas card mailing list. Posted by: grape_crush on October 30, 2008 at 4:39 PM | PERMALINKSupport McCain? But hate Republicans? Americans have had enough of Al Qaeda's indecisiveness and flip-flopping on the issues. Posted by: Chris on October 30, 2008 at 4:42 PM | PERMALINKW. Bush and many Republicans do not have the necessary self-awareness to experience humiliation. Posted by: Brojo on October 30, 2008 at 4:43 PM | PERMALINKIf America is dumb enough to fall this a second time then we deserve to loose to Al-Queda. Posted by: thorin-1 on October 30, 2008 at 4:43 PM | PERMALINKYes yes, take an online Jihadi moron from a forum over al-Qaeda's #3 leader's word for it. An actual credible message from as-Sahab media just does not rise to the level of an anonymous forum poster with no actual connection to al-Qaeda. al-Qaeda will herald Obama's election as a victory. But reach for it all you can. The unhinged voices were the ones trumpeting an al-Hesbah troll as a credible al-Qaeda source. Moron. Posted by: Darth Odie on October 30, 2008 at 4:44 PM | PERMALINKI really do think Biden and even Obama need to focus on national security and their stance on Al Queda--I'm listening to Biden speak about the economy now...enough of that, I say... We need to hear MORE ABOUT SECURITY AND JUDGEMENT AND DIPLOMACY AND COMMITTMENT TO THE TROOPS. Posted by: iseerussiafromyhouse on October 30, 2008 at 4:46 PM | PERMALINKIt actually makes a great deal of sense for al Qaida to issue a release appearing to support Obama (or at least appearing to denigrate or oppose McCain). After all, the normal response for an average American would be, "Well, hell, Bubba. If'n the Al Qaida turrists don't want McCain, they must want Obama. If the turrists want Obama, let's vote for McCain." Posted by: (((Billy))) The Atheist on October 30, 2008 at 4:47 PM | PERMALINKIf America is dumb enough to fall this a second time then we deserve to lose to Al-Qaeda. Exactly. It was a ploy to keep Bush in office last time, and it's a ploy to try and get McCain elected this time. Al-Qaeda must be ecstatic that we're making border raids in Syria and Pakistan right now, so they're going to do everything they can to get the guy who would unquestioningly continue Bush's policies into office. Posted by: Mnemosyne on October 30, 2008 at 4:55 PM | PERMALINKYes yes, take an online Jihadi moron from a forum over al-Qaeda's #3 leader's word for it. After all, everyone knows that a terrorist organization is more likely to tell the truth in a press release than they are on a forum where they don't know they're being spied on. You have a lot more confidence in al-Qaeda's honesty and forthrightness than I do. Posted by: Mnemosyne on October 30, 2008 at 4:57 PM | PERMALINKover al-Qaeda's #3 leader's word for it. My God, I thought he was dead!! Posted by: ckelly on October 30, 2008 at 5:10 PM | PERMALINKYeah actually they are... forum not spied on? LOL. Do you even know who Abu Yahya al-Libi is? "O God, humiliate Bush and his party, ...." Y'know, there's nothing like the kid who writes his Santa Claus letter the day after Christmas, so he can brag to all his friends that he got everything he asked for. HELLO! THE "PARTY" NOMINATED MCCAIN AND PALIN!! HOW MUCH MORE HUMILIATION CAN THERE BE BEYOND THAT!?! Posted by: Steve W. on October 30, 2008 at 6:37 PM | PERMALINKYeah actually they are... Maybe your good pals at al-Qaeda will give us some warning before their next attack. I mean, with them being so honest and upfront about all of their public statements. forum not spied on? LOL. Do you even know who Abu Yahya al-Libi is? He's al-Qaeda's theological enforcer. Are you arguing that he cannot tell a lie because he's just so gosh-darned religious, so we can believe everything he says? Again, you have much more faith in the honesty of terrorists than I do. I tend to think that terrorists are happy to say and do anything to further their ends, even if it's not, you know, the truth. I really do hate to burst your naive little bubble, though. Posted by: Mnemosyne on October 30, 2008 at 8:05 PM | PERMALINKPosted by: Mnemosyne on October 30, 2008 at 8:05 PM Not sure what your point is, Mnemosyne. That blank space I inserted into your sentence? "I tend to think that ---------- are happy to say and do anything to further their ends, even if it's not, you know, the truth." It could apply to anyone, couldn't it? Using the Wag the Dog principle, I find it rather interesting that such a targeted tape would come out at this particular time and so soon after the previous tape. Posted by: Zli on October 30, 2008 at 8:27 PM | PERMALINKIt could apply to anyone, couldn't it? Really? Everyone you know -- your spouse, your boss, your best friend -- is happy to say and do anything to get what they want from you even if it means they lie to you? Posted by: Mnemosyne on October 30, 2008 at 9:51 PM | PERMALINKAside from the complete insanity of trying to determine what Al Qaeda really wants and basing any of our actions on that, the fact remains that Al Qaeda is going to publicly attack Bush and anyone associated with him regardless. If they hate Bush for trying to kick the Taliban out of Afghanistan (likely) and for the overthrow of Sadam Hussein in Iraq (unlikely) then they will say so. If they are secretly delighted because of the way they can use these attacks to polarize Muslim opinion and attract new recruits and resources, they still have to publicly attack him in order to get the desired result. There is also the problem that they seem to be giving conflicting and ambiguous statements at different times or in different forums. These seem to be designed to let them claim victory no matter what happens. Posted by: tanstaafl on October 31, 2008 at 2:17 AM | PERMALINKVoters who are still undecided are clearly turned off by attempts to demonize either candidate. See the YouTube video below: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpsdKUQ1nKA for one persons perspective on how you can make a reasoned, thoughtful decision to support Obama AND vote for John McCain. Regards, Dan Posted by: Dan Rust on October 31, 2008 at 11:30 PM | PERMALINK
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