Their Own Words

George W. Bush, 13 March, 2003 at a press conference:

Q: Mr. President, in your speeches now, you rarely talk or mention Osama bin Laden. Why is that? [...]

BUSH: ... I don't know where he is. Nor - you know, I just don't spend that much time on him really, to be honest with you [...]

Q: Do you believe the threat that bin Laden posed won't truly be eliminated until he is found either dead of alive?

BUSH: As I say, we hadn't heard much from him. And I wouldn't necessarily say he's at the center of any command structure. And, you know, again, I don't know where he is. I'll repeat what I said: I truly am not that concerned about him. "

And since we are quoting people here, is it "un-American" to want to actually know what bin Laden said on this new tape? I don't think so, nor do I think that publishing the tape necessarily helps either Bush or bin Laden's cause - it is up to people to decide for themselves.

Isn't that what Democracy is supposed to be all about, First Amendment and all?

So here is a transcript from Al Jazeera, who broadcast excerpts only:

"O American people, I am speaking to tell you about the ideal way to avoid another Manhattan, about war and its causes and results.

"Security is an important foundation of human life and free people do not squander their security, contrary to Bush's claims that we hate freedom. Let him tell us why we did not attack Sweden for example.

"It is known that those who hate freedom do not possess proud souls like those of the 19, may God rest their souls. We fought you because we are free and because we want freedom for our nation. When you squander our security we squander yours.

"I am surprised by you. Despite entering the fourth year after Sept. 11, Bush is still deceiving you and hiding the truth from you and therefore the reasons are still there to repeat what happened.

"It never occurred to us that the commander in chief of the American forces... thought listening to a child discussing her goat and its ramming was more important than the planes and their ramming of the skyscrapers"

"God knows it did not cross our minds to attack the towers but after the situation became unbearable and we witnessed the injustice and tyranny of the American-Israeli alliance against our people in Palestine and Lebanon, I thought about it. And the events that affected me directly were that of 1982 and the events that followed -- when America allowed the Israelis to invade Lebanon, helped by the US Sixth Fleet.

"In those difficult moments many emotions came over me which are hard to describe, but which produced an overwhelming feeling to reject injustice and a strong determination to punish the unjust.

"As I watched the destroyed towers in Lebanon, it occurred to me punish the unjust the same way (and) to destroy towers in America so it could taste some of what we are tasting and to stop killing our children and women.

"We had no difficulty in dealing with Bush and his administration because they resemble the regimes in our countries, half of which are ruled by the military and the other half by the sons of kings ... They have a lot of pride, arrogance, greed and thievery.

"He (Bush) adopted despotism and the crushing of freedoms from Arab rulers and called it the Patriot Act under the guise of combating terrorism.....

"We had agreed with the (the Sept. 11) overall commander Mohammed Atta, may God rest his soul, to carry out all operations in 20 minutes before Bush and his administration take notice.

"It never occurred to us that the commander in chief of the American forces (Bush) would leave 50,000 citizens in the two towers to face those horrors alone at a time when they most needed him because he thought listening to a child discussing
her goat and its ramming was more important than the planes and their ramming of the skyscrapers. This had given us three times the time needed to carry out the operations, thanks be to God...

"Your security is not in the hands of (Democratic presidential candidate John) Kerry or Bush or al Qaeda. Your security is in your own hands and each state which does not harm our security will remain safe."

The fact that bin Laden specifically mentions Kerry indicates that the tape was probably made quite recently, so bin Laden is probably still alive.

And while bin Laden taunts Bush, he does not advocate Kerry. Indeed, Kerry's campaign has been widely criticized by peace advocates for failing to set out a less aggressive agenda for the Middle East. To Bin Laden and his supporters, it makes little difference who is in the White House - as he says, it is the policies that matter.

And am I the only one who senses a degree of guilty apology in bin Laden's words? I suspect the 3000 WTC deaths - and others - weigh heavily on his conscience. Even if he is never brought to justice, he chose the path of violence and his life will never be the same. Nor will the lives on millions of others.

The sad irony is that bin Laden's violent actions have only led to more aggressive US policies and more death in the Middle East. And this latest tape may only guarantee that - even if Kerry is elected - it will be even more unlikely that those aggressive US policies will change. The political implications and public perception of "caving in to terrorists" are likely to over-ride more reasonable arguments for peace, tolerance and respect for basic human rights.

Perhaps it's easy for me to say this, sitting in my comfortable Australian home, but surely a sustained campaign of peaceful resistance would have been more effective, wouldn't it, Osama?

I strongly urge anyone who wants to change US policies in the Middle East and elsewhere to consider more peaceful means than those adopted by Al Quaeda and its off-shoots.

A blog, for instance...? Or, if you have it, a vote...