This LA Times piece argues that OBL is trying to remake himself as a statesman. It’s an interesting analysis that seems to tie together many of the issues myself and others have had with the tape. My once criticism is that the author talks about how Hezbollah, PLO, the IRA developed political wings. However, all also provided social services, which is what gave their political ideology cachet amongst the people they were attempting to represent. OBL has yet to do a positive thing for the Muslim community.
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Gaza Crisis [12/31] [updated]
Updates from 12/28-12/29 and 12/30. The Dove quotes an American general on the folly of the current incursion. Money quote of the money quote: Politically, the ultimate result of ’06 was to make Hizbullah, and their Christian allies under General Aoun, the arbiters of events in Lebanon. “We have now seen the Israelis run through their target list in Gaza. Hamas is still firing at Ashkalon and Beersheba. One wonders just who has who by the testicles in this situation. If the Israelis back away with some sort of unilateral ceasefire, then the ’06 judgment of the Muslims on them…
Muslims in the Media Highlights
Highlights from a panel I was on in Sept. 2008 on “Muslims in the Media,” part of a series called “The Cost of War.” The full audio of the panel is available on this page.
OK, clearly we must have know it was possible
So one of the arguments against being able to prevent 9/11 is that no one could have imagined such a scenario. I remember at the time there was much made of the fact that an author (Tom Clancy? Sorry, I just don’t remember enough of the details.) had written a book describing a similar situation, and that the idea had also been mooted for a Hollywood movie script. Granted these are not official sources of government information, so I’m willing to cut them some slack. However, I’ve linked previously to another article that would be considered an official government source.…