November 29, 2007
Purported Bin Laden Tape Addresses Europeans
UPDATED.
We can't get Al Jazeera English's livestream to work [UPDATE 3:04: It works in Internet Explorer, not Firefox], but according to Sky News, the new audio message purportedly from Osama bin Laden seeks to persuade Washington's NATO allies that the fight for Afghanistan is a losing proposition.
"The American tide is ebbing, so it is best for you to press your leaders to change their policies," the speaker says, addressing Europeans.
As per usual, the CIA and other intelligence agencies are working to verify that the speaker is indeed the fugitive al-Qaida figurehead. According to the SITE Institute, which monitors jihadist Web sites, the recordings were released by al-Qaida's media arm, indicating they probably are authentic. If that's the case, it would mean that bin Laden has been unusually chatty this fall.
Enthusiasm for the anti-Taliban effort in Afghanistan has been on the wane for some years. Washington has struggled to persuade its NATO partners to commit to more troops and funding for the military and reconstruction effort there as Taliban fighters and warlords seize ever-greater parcels of territory.
"Europe went along with [the invasion] because they had no other alternative, only to be a follower," the speaker continues. "It is better for you to stand against your leaders who are dropping in on the White House, and to work seriously to lift the injustice against the believers."
