Osama bin Laden released another audio tape yesterday. He reports that attacks against America are imminent. They just haven't been carried out yet because of preparation issues. He's starting to talk like the UN--perhaps al Qaeda will form a Commission to study the matter of attack preparation. In any event, he claims US security measures have not thwarted any attacks. He must have forgotten about Jose Padilla.

Osama also offered a truce to the West. Apparently, if we withdraw and leave Afghanistan and Iraq to their own devices, al Qaeda is willing to step up to the plate and help in the reconstruction effort. How multilateral of them! In exchange, they will not attack us (except the US and Israel, which are Satan). We can take their word for this because their religion requires that they not lie. This is interesting because apparently thatvsame religion permits the wholesale slaughter of thousands of innocents. While I'm sure some on the looney left will jump on the chance to make nice with Osama, the White House reiterated that we do not negotiate with terrorist. Indeed, we kill them. Hopefully in as painful a manner as possible.

The timing of this message is curious. The recent CIA bombing raid in Pakistan must have killed some very high-ranking al Qaeda people. Bin Laden has not made a public statement in over a year. Why now, if not to prove to his followers that he is alive?

- posted by Base10 @ 3:05 PM