Osama directs Iraqis to Kill Americans

[Jimbo]

Read the article in th below link and form your own opinion.

http://treets.nbc5i.com/svc/lnk.cfm?l=17766538&t=1

[nicky g]

My opinion is that if the IRA called on the Basque people to kill English people, it wouldn't be a reason to invade Spain. If the Spanish followed that advice, it would be different; in this case, that hasn't happened.

[Jimbo]

YET! An ounce of prevention you know?

[Michael Davis]

I agree with nicky g. The legitimacy and/or illegitimacy of attacking Iraq are not affected at all by these statements. Osama could implore Canadians or Mexicans to attack Americans, too, and we would not use that as evidence against these countries. Despite Powell's statements, this rhetoric does nothing to prove that Iraq has terrorist connections.

Mike

[andyfox]

We know Osama is in favor of killing Americans and suicide attacks. He's said so before, and he's done it. This should come as no surprise to anyone.

The administration's response, that this shows the connection between Al Qaeda and Iraq, however, strikes me as illogical. Bin Laden called the Iraqi ruling party "infidels." (An AP article I saw said "pagan
regime[s]." ) He also said that it was acceptable for Muslims to fight on behalf of Iraqi "socialists" because "in these circumstances" their interests "intersect in fighting against the Crusaders."

Doesn't this show, rather, that the continued threats the United States has made against Iraq are driving these two criminals towards each other? "In these circumstances" implies that there is not a natural affinity between Saddam's government and Bin Laden, but rather that Bin Laden feels the current situation warrants considering the enemy of his enemy as his friend.

I don't understand how Powell could say this shows the ties between Iraq and Bin Laden.

[TimTimSalabim]

It's the classic guilt by association. When you lack a credible argument and you're desperate to prove your case, that's what you use.

[John Ho]

Bin Laden's comments are nothing surprising.

I am very surprised the Bush administration is trying to use this statement as proof of a link between Iraq and Al Quaeda. Any idiot can see the difference between true friendship and supporting the enemy of an enemy. People are really stupid if this factors into their support of an invasion.

The communists and Nationalists in China did the same thing when the Japanese invaded. They obviously hated each other but banded together to beat back the invading Japanese because being conquered was the worst outcome for both Chinese sides. Same thing here.

If lots of Muslims do rise up to defend Baghdad that will make the invasion that much more difficult.