He's back!
 

Osama bin Laden released a new 18-minute tape dated Sunday. I fucking wish he would just die already. I think this will have one of two effects: 1) the American public will be scared into voting Bush out of office or 2) by seeing that bin Laden wants Bush out of office, the public will see that he is doing something right.

Full story: http://apnews.myway.com/article/20041029/D861CS9O0.html

It's reverse psychology! Foreign Muslims, according to polls, favor Bush for the next term because he helps widen the gap between East and West. Osama is trying to manipulate America into Bush's hands.

I agree. He should just die. Scratch that, he should die painfully. I read the article, and I just wnat to know what the Patriot Act is. As far as the responses in the US, I think Kerry, regardless of the fact that he had another chance to stab at Bush, shouldn't have. This is the man who ordered the deadliest attack on US soil, and instead of attacking him, you attack a mere political opponent? However, still, I am appalled by this. Blessing the souls of people who killed women and children mercilessly, by the thousands, and yet he says he wanted to us to be "deterred from killing our children and women" BAH!

As far as there being another attack, I sincerely hope it's not like last time, with announcements flying everywhere that there would be one, and yet there not being any... Boy do I wish I was prescient.

And could someone tell me WHY this guy hates Israel so? It's this TINY country in the middle of the desert. Sure, not anymore, but who changed that? The Israelis. I want to know because I'm Jewish (any pro-Israeli bias is because of this...)

Anyways, my 2 cents. I'll probably post more tomorrow.

Edit, I didn't see Ganurath's post.

Jerusalem is the site where Muhammed communed with Allah, so (just like with Judaism and Christianity) Jerusalem is a Muslim holy city. Also, the Palestinians (Muslims) were there when the Jews came in. Conflict is inevitable.

Patriot Act? John Ashcroft watches you shower, that's what.

As for further on-topic commentary; Osama needs to [cruel and unusual death involving many broken bombs, dislocated joints, mutilated genatiles, and much in the ways of bleeding, internal and external.]

And this is wrong... how? First off, I don't think the FBI and shit have that much of a information web. Second off, doesn't really affect you unless you're doing something wrong. Third off, it's not invading on any of your rights.

I didn't want this to turn into a Patriot Act debate, we've had enough of those. And Cyclone, I'm predicting that many people will enter this thread and disagree with you.

Ok, here's what I think Osama was thinking. Knowing that the American people place way to much faith in Reverse Psychology, he decided to use that to his advantage. By looking as though he was trying to persuade the American people to vote Bush out, they would think that he wanted Bush in, and, to spite him, they would go for Kerry, which was what he wanted to begin with.

Osama isn’t a real issue. There’s a very good reason he isn’t being chased after.

We see Osama as an evil vindictive man who is trying to destroy America, and from our perspective that is correct. Many people in the Arab world see him as a kind generous man (he is known for building hospitals and schools) who is defending there faith and there nation corruption by decedent infidels.

Who is correct? Both.

He is seen as a freedom fighter and America is seen as a bully, these are not accurate depictions. There merely what is seen by either side. I’m not here to defend his terrorist actions, but he is not the “head” of Al Qaeda because no such person exists. Al Qaeda is build exactly like every other successful terrorist organization. People are recruited and placed in cells together. They never meet there recruiter or speak with him beyond that. The may be given simple order and capital but it is pretty much up to the cell to plan there own attack. Thus if one member of the cell is captured he can only identify a few other people in the organization, making it almost impossible to dismantle piece by piece.

Osama is there ideological leader, he gives encouragement from hiding. To think that he is a mastermind running a global network of terror from his cave demonstrates a lack of understanding about terrorism.

But since Osama is of such regard to the people capturing him will only serve to encourage them. It will swell there ranks and increase the rate of attacks. The worst possible action would be to capture Osama.

And gorefiend Israel is taking the wrong attitude towards the Palestinian crisis. When a suicide bomber attacks Israel it is followed by massive retaliation. Which inspires more anti Israel sentiment leading to another attack. Repeat until all are dead. Israel and Palestine have come to the conclusion that the only thing the other side understands is violence. And because of this there both right. Evan the wall was used as a weapon ageist the Palestinians. It cuts off villages from work and water in order to destroy them. A similar action in which Israelis and Palestinians where kept separate long enough for the hate to die would be the best choice, but it probably will never happen.

I think we're analysing this too deeply. My opinion is that his aim was specifically to get Bush out of office so he (Osama) would stop getting his ass whooped. We've had no terrorist attacks on our soil since 9/11 so it shows that we've been doing something right. Threatening a massive terrorist attack sounds like a ploy to get troops off of the terrorists' front door.

Cyclone: Actually the right to privacy, while not specifically stated in the constitution, has been legally recognized since the '40s or '50s. We just talked about it in my History course actually. Check out Amendment 9. It's one of the few times this amendment has been invoked to recognize a right not otherwise specified.

But either way, point is, we DO have a right to privacy.