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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Weep not
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I tend not to post on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict because I do not perceive it as an issue of religious conflict from the Muslim perspective, and with the sizable number of Christians there, it is easy to make this obvious. However, the recent Gaza bombing, immediately following a blockade of food and certain medical supplies, is horrific. Haroon is covering, as is the excellent Global Voices. Mark Lynch, Abu Aardvark, posts some possibilities for how this may destabilize the entire region. Not a good scenario. Brian adds more. Apparently the strike has been in the works since before the ceasefire. (h/t…