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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Semantics
Look on the bright side, at least its not a civil war. Shock and Awe more like Fucked and Flawed.
Happy Gregorian 2006
Happy Gregorian Year 2006! I’m working part-time at a bookstore – a nationally recognized company that shall remain nameless. It’s a good way to keep off the streets and out of trouble, and I figure the surest way to tapped by the NSA is to be an unemployed, overeducated Muslim male who is also an American citizen. In any event, I saw something today that really made me start off the new year right. A young hijabi, perhaps in her 20s, was reading a book on sex acts. I’m happy for her.
Increasing Iraqi death toll
The number of US servicemen killed in 2004 exceeds the number killed in 2003. We are fast closing in on a 1000 servicemen killed since the beginning of operations in Iraq. Almost all will have died after President Bush declared “Mission Accomplished.”