September 07, 2007 08:02 AM
Catching bin Laden (or not)
Fred Thompson’s reaction to today’s Osama bin Laden tape:
“Bin Laden is more symbolism than anything else,” he said.
Mitt Romney on bin Laden:
[Romney] said the country would be safer by only “a small percentage” and would see “a very insignificant increase in safety” if al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden was caught because another terrorist would rise to power. “It’s not worth moving heaven and earth spending billions of dollars just trying to catch one person,” Romney said.
Bush on bin Laden:
“I truly am not that concerned about him.”
At what point did the GOP decide that bin Laden no longer matters? And how would the right respond if Dems made similar comments?
Firstly,
These guys believe their own propaganda...
What a crock. I'd like to see these repub 'tough on crime' types apply that standard to every other murderer.
Hell, why send any murderer to jail? After all, the "country would be safer by only “a small percentage"
If I were a dem running against the repubs, and IF (big if) I had a spine I'd bring this up over and over.
Herbert @ 1:
You are absolutely right, and Bin Laden addressing the Democrats in any way only reinforces the Fox news meme that the Democrats are in cahoots with terrorists. Anyway, isn't the punishment of sluts the number one issue facing the U.S.?
They have no choice but to act like Bin Laden is completely irrelevant. If they DON'T take that posture, then they'll have to start answering some uncomfortable questions.
In the overall scheme of things, I'd rather see the Bush cabal "caught" and out of power and leave Bin Laden wherever he may be. They are by far a greater and closer threat to all we hold dear. And BL IS a symbol...of the Bush Administration gone wrong. And that's also why the Republicans talk of leaving him alone and the Democrats of catching him and bringing him to justice.
The funny thing is... he's saying everything the conservatives want him to say. Sometimes it makes me wonder, do they have this guy on the payroll?
Does anyone know if the authors bin Laden quotes have books that have been translated into English? Or if bin Laden speaks English?
At any rate, we've already been notified that war propaganda would commence after Labor Day.
NO Bin Laden.........NO Bush......NO leverage to continue THEIR war of choice.
Let me give a hypothetical. W is "friendly" with the Saudis. Bin Laden is a Saudi and is very "ill". A deal is made. Bush,"I want to start a war for profit and oil in Iraq and want to blame it on you Bin Laden. Hell you hate Saddam as much as me and daddy do. You are in bad health, unknown if you are dead or alive and you become an eternal martyr for Al Quaeda. Oh, and you get some of the 9 BiLLION we cipher of the top on the money sent to Iraq and spend your last days in ultimate comfort. The American People will never know."
Bin Laden,"You are a good "family friend after all Bushie, it's a deal. But one stipulation, if you say some of the men doing this thing are from Saudi Arabia, you CAN NOT bother my country with any of this." Bush," Aw shucks UBL, I love you folks ."
Is it possible that the downplaying of bin Ladin is the first step to the winding down of Iraq? If ObL is not that special anymore, then the whole situation in that part of the world isn't worth it (the costs and lives) either.
These republican puke heads make me sick to the max! If you arent that concerned about Bin Laden, why the fuck are you even running for president? Numb nuts....Romney.....did you just here what you just said?
If I was a Dem, I would slam these comments right up the GOP's ass. If Republicans cant be bothered with the One man responsible for the greatest terroristic act on American soil in U.S. History, then they need to get the fuck out of the way and let the grown ups take charge!
5th Amendment at work!
Carakav @ 6:
You mean, Again on the payroll.
does he mean symbolic like a bobble head doll?
Here we are on the heels of the 6th anniversary of 9/11 and yet, just like
Obermanns 'Nexus of Terror', we have yet another convenient tape.
Someone please tell me again who gains the most by these carefully
staged releases? I don't know about you, but this one, like all the others,
has me really scared. I think I'll go hide with my duct tape and give my
rights and freedoms away so that I'll be...............safe.
A song I heard years ago around the time of the Vietnam War keeps haunting me.
I hope a reader or someone at Crooks And Liars can help me with it if it rings a bell.
It is by a female vocalist. I can't remember all the words, but it goes something like this...
America, I gave you my only son,
And right away you sent him off
to fight in Vietnam.
He was a good soldier..hmmm,
and he really did his part.
And I was so proud when he won that medal,
the one you call the Purple Heart.
CHORUS:(repetition of 'done' intentional in song)
Don't you see what you done done to my only son,
my only son now.
Don't you see what you done done to my only son,
while he was fighting in your war.
A cheap shot for sure, BUT please keep using that leering shot of Thompson that makes him look like a walking Halloween cadaver...never mind having a beer with him...I wouldn't open my door to him if he rang the bell...we're going to be stuck with no neck weasel toothed Rudy for sure...
Carakav @ 6:
I've thought this for quite a while. I guess I don't trust this country any more.
(I wonder why.)
IF OBL is soooo insignificant then why did we go into Afghanistan in the first place?
Oh that's right Afghanistan prepped us, the downtrodden electorate for the big fight for Operation Iraqi Liberation.
If the repos think that OBL is soo insignificant then can we please end the GWOT?
Usama is more useful to the Neo Dicks as a propaganda tool. Bush can trot out his name whenever hes in a bind ( now for instance ) and the frightwing will poop themselves again and forget yet another Repuke has been caught with his pants down or stuffed with bribes. I also believe Bush cut a deal with either or both the Saudis and Pakistanis to lay off Usama, to limit the backlash and dissent catching him would bring the Fauds and Musharref. They had Usama in their crosshairs at Tora Bora ( even heard him talking on a captured radio ) and called for a blocking force which BushCo refused to send. Im not so sure Bin Laden had anything to do with 911 anyways. The FBi dont even mention 911 on Usamas most wanted profile but then again the FBi hasnt ammended the magic highjackers list to exclude the alledged highjackers found to be still breathing. Just more Bush lies and treating the American public like they were mushrooms ( fed shit and kept in dark). Hard to believe 300 million people would just lay down and allow these ass clowns to destroy a once great and respected country. Sad fucking times indeed.
I wonder where the balls on the Democrats are? They should be pounding those " I dont care about Bin Ladin" right up the GOP's ass!
Jesus, its not rocket science!
Osama has never failed in ensuring his tapes get released at the most politically opportune times - not for 'Al-Qaeda' - but for the Neo-Cons and the Bush administration.
On the eve of the Iraq war, during Colin Powell's infamous presentation to the UN, an audio tape in which bin Laden claimed he was allied with Saddam Hussein surfaced, a gift-wrapped present for the Neo-Cons who had consistently been proven wrong in their assertion that there was a connection between Iraq and 9/11.
The Osama tapes are about as genuine as a used car salesman convention, and have been proven fraudulent on countless occasions. They are nothing more than crude propaganda unleashed in a desperate move to put the genie of what really happened on 9/11 back in the bottle. infowars dot com
BTW, I am DONE with these f**kers. DONE I tell you.
Reps & Dems. People need to get a clue. THEY
DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT YOU!!!
Bin Laden is no big deal? huh?
Isn't he the guy that started all this crap in the first place? 2 wars later, 2 countries invaded, thousands of lives lost, a lot of lies told................and now, he no longer matters??
I can't believe the gall of these arseholes. I'm so angry.
Bin Laden wanted Dead or Alive or Not At All!
Cloudbusting @ 21:
Sorry Cloud...The Bush Crime Family started this whole thing by ignoring all the warning signs that the Sept 11th attacks were coming in the first place and ordering NORAD to stand down once the attacks began...which is why Bin Laden doesn't matter, the people we should be after for the crimes committed against American and the murder of Americans are in the White House.
And, once again, the media is complicit. Where was the coverage of this video? Muted, at best. I went looking for images and clips from the video online and they are not all over the place. How can it be that the guy who orchestrated the 9/11 attacks speaks and we figure that by ignoring him he might go away. I suppose the assumption is that by showing the video we are doing his propaganda bidding. As if treating him like we would a streaker at an NFL game seems appropriate (just don't show him, he just wants attention...). The only purpose sold by such under-coverage is President Bush's agenda gets more legitimacy. I mean, really, where is the "why is he still free" outrage stories???
Bin Laden as enemy is old news.
Iran Fined $2.65 Bln For '83 Attack On US Marines []
9/8/2007 6:55:16 AM A US federal judge declared in a ruling on Friday that Iran must pay $2.65 billion to nearly 1,000 family members and a few survivors of the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Lebanon that killed 241 soldiers.
U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth described his ruling as the largest-ever such judgment by an American court against another country.
The militant group Hezbollah carried out the suicide bombing on October 23, 1983, which was the worst terrorist act against U.S. targets until the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Later, in a 2003- ruling, Lamberth found that Iran was ‘legally responsible' for supporting Hezbollah with financial and logistical support to carry out the attack.
However, Iran has denied responsibility for the attack and did not even respond to the lawsuit.
http://www.rttnews.com/sp/breakingnews.asp?date=09/08/2007&item=12&vid=0
Google "Tim Osman" - that was the name Mr Bin Laden used when touring our military facilities.
And let me quote from the great philosopher Chris Rock, "Al Kida . . . I ain't afraid of no Al Kida . . . I'm afraid of Al Cracker".
Al Cracker has been plundering the world for the past several hundred years.
Al Kida . . . give me a break!
Mattyroc @ 19:
The Democrats are afraid for their lives. People who oppose the neocons die in small plane crashes and receive letters laced with white powder.
Fred Thompson’s reaction to today’s Osama bin Laden tape:
“Bin Laden is more symbolism than anything else,” he said.
Well, so is jesus .... but none the less the followers of him have done a lot of harm to humanity also.
That's what the church does, and they're all the same .. "Control, Destroy, Obliterate every good feeling"
Whatever side a church is on in a war, I will favor the other, the side of reason and scientific thought.
There is absolutely NO doubt in my mind that GWB needs OBL free to use as a scare tactic whenever needed. He's trotted out whenever there's something going on that focuses attention to republican corruption or hypocrisy. It's disgusting. Such a blatant violation of basic humanity.
These people have no sense of right and wrong at all.
Sometimes I'm ashamed of my fellow man.
My thought is; "Fred Thompson is more symbolism than anything else".
I'm just curious as to how Osama's beard got to be solid black? It's been grey for years! Is he using the special youth enhancing stuff Reagan used on his hair?
Surely the Repubs wouldn't use old footage to release a new message to scare us into submission.
In the same speech Thompson said that, he later said, "It is obvious bin Laden is still giving orders."
So which is it? Is he just a "symbol" or is he "running things"? A flip-flop in the space of 30 seconds. This should be good.
PS: Video of Bush's 2002 bin Laden comment can be seen here.
So the man responsible for the deaths of over 3000 people on American soil isn't really that important to capture. No, the man that killed over 3000 people on American soil is outsmarting and embarrassing US politicians, so they're covering their ass. Ask the victims families how important it is to them! I bet they're a little concerned about him even if Bush isn't.
Did anyone notice that the tape of Bin Laden seemed to be set in the basement of the west wing? I'm not saying he's on the payroll but the tape did come out the Friday before the flag-waving 911-referencing Cheney/Petraeus Report.
kshep @ 29:
Your exactly right, Bush and the PNAC NeoCon group don't want OBL caught, they need that boogie man to stay out there.
They need to keep the dim-witted of America afraid and trembling, hiding under the sheets.
Bush and Cheney played right into the hands of Bin Ladin, and remember, they are all three involved in the Carlilse Group (military industrial complex).
i wish dem congressman would listen to Air America as much as the repubs listen to rush, sean, ad nauseum...
ed schultz and melanie morgan probably have some pretty good one liners about this...
dems need to stop being fair and afraid...
they need to start fighting...
lucid fiction @ 13:
You mean "safer", but not "safe".
Maybe we could send bush/cheney a dozen roses on their "anniversary" of the Famous Excuse for Everything.
Bin Laden is probably ded.
The failure to catch Osama and Zawahiri will be synonymous witht the death of the Republican party.
Pr?s?d?nt-B?sh @ 28:
Couldn't have said it better myself.
Greg @ 33:
Here's a direct link to an .mp3 interview with Daniel Sunjata, star of FX Network's Rescue Me, talking about what he learned from the NYFD while researching his role for the TV series.
(does not link to an external site, media player will launch)
they dont care because they know he's fiction.
Col Kilgore @ 18:
I know it's hard to believe. Since people don't buy it anymore, there will come the time when they'll start looking through the lenses of reason. They know that they were lied to, they know that C-SPAN had a video (the video that made John Stewart forget he was running a comedy show the other month, the video that made tens of millions of Americans look like fools and hypocrites, the video that proved it was all a scam and heist perpetrated on the American people, the video that could have stopped the war machine and the subsequent tragedies (war in Iraq, sub-prime mortgage crisis which was started to distract, push the economy a bit, make poor Americans happy, give them own house for 3 or 4 years, give them the equity ATM machines so they could spend money and don't ask how the war's going, create some desirable activity that would go hand in hand with the war and the massive spending abroad) but they are not ready to see the obvious, they don't see yet that the familiar faces that sold this "quagmire" as Cheney strategically predicted - Soledad O'Brian, Paula Zahn, Katie Curic, Suzanne Malveaux and the rest of the MSM "personalities", all have blood on they hands (or faces) and it looks disgusting. Maybe each of them should have asked simply one critical question that would make news around the country. Maybe 5 questions were needed. Maybe they should have been just brave enough to be objective and "rebellious" yet not so much to get fired which was the needed balance they had failed to find. It was all about keeping the job and make the corporate bosses happy. Hense we are where we are. In deep f******g shit!! The moment people say enough is enough, this nation will become slightly normal again, but bad memories will remain no matter what the future shall bring.
At what point did the GOP decide that bin Laden no longer matters? And how would the right respond if Dems made similar comments?
a. When they realized it would interfere with the greater imperative - control of the Middle East and its oil.
b. Were the Dems to say the same thing, we would be labeled weak kneed defeatists who can't be trusted with the security of the United States.
I'm assuming you knew this. :-)
grover nerdquist @ 42:
Fred is literally a "bad actor"
Instead of throwing bad guys in prison Bush and the Republicans made terrorists suspects of all Americans, spying on them in every way possible.
Sandi @ 5:
Sandi is spot on.
And although I can't believe I'm saying this, I tend to agree with Freddie and even Willard (on this, on this ONLY--and probably not for the same reasons). Don't you think we're already stretched thin enough at this point? Not that OBL should escape justice, but I think we need to stress more productive priorities.
Just as the "global war on terra" is too broad, focusing all the blame on this one individual is too narrow.
Bin Laden is dead. Just another coincidental issuing of a scary tape right before an important "event" - Petreus report/anniv. of 9/11 - for K. Olbermann to put inot his chronology of the miraculous appearances.
"The War on Terror" = "The War on Drugs" = "The War on our Republic"
"We won the war to take down Saddam Hussein, and to remove a sponsor of terror." - Mitt Romney in a Town Hall meeting this past April.
Why would the US give up on the hunt for OBL ? Maybe because he's protected? And since he is protected, maybe he had someone's permission, blessing and assistance to do that little thing he did a few years back.
By the way, if we assume for a moment that the new video is authentic, I think that any critical mind should read the entire thing, rather than just the clippings that the MSM make available. ABCnews has the transcript:
http://abcnews.go.com/images/Politics/transcript2.pdf
“The Speaker would be a Congresswoman who said catching Osama bin Laden would not make America any safer.” - President Bush at a pre-election rally in PA, Oct. 19, 2006
I think we've already determined that the fascist repug party runs on the "Do as I say not as I do" format.
Had a Dem stated any of the previous dismissive comments regarding bin laden there would be a press blitz to let the country know how completely incompetent they are and how unsafe the country would be with them in charge.
Because we're all SO much better off with the corrupt dictatorship they're using now.
OK the US isn't trying to catch Bin Laden and he has a close enough relationship with our government that he releases his tapes to them first, as if the US government is his editorial staff.
Please keep telling me there is nothing suspicious going on here.
E Ryno @ 26:
Damn straight. Bin Laden seems to be a useful boogie man used by both parties.
Don't know if anyone pointed out this little tid bit but Bin Laden is not on the FBI's most wanted list.
When asked they said "not enough evidence".
Yikes! Terrorism! Quick, I need a republican to hold and protect me!
"I truly am not concerned about him" GB
Oh really commander numb nuts! So basically, the man responcible for the greatest terroristic attack on American soil isnt that important anymore to you and your buddy's in the GOP? The mastermind that is responsible for the deaths of 3000 plus American brothers and sisters is no longer on your mind? Hym.......
Finally, the one person to ever get a pardon from George Bush is non other than Bin Ladin himself!
Makes me wanna fucking puke!
Curtilingus @ 51:
Makes me wonder again wether or not the Saudis are in control of the White House.
Mattyroc you're right even Scooter Libby had to pay a fine. I bet he's jealous of Bin Laden.
Charles @ 59:
We know that they have the best Airline miles deals of anyone, they can even use them on days when flying is blacked out for everyone!
Rememebr we eveacuated members of Bin Laden's family and Saudi's after 911 while all flights were grounded.
these rightie guys don't even care about catching bin Laden. All they care about is scaring people about Mexican immigrants in 1920's eugenics movement fashion
News Flash;
George Bush pardons Bin Ladin! Its pretty obvious since he's not concerned about him any more! Its George Bushes first pardon ever.
So, someone comes into your house and murders some of your family members. The guy who ordered the "hit" is on the lam. The police inform you that catching the "mastermind" is not their priority because the crime has already been committed and there are other dastardly people out there to concentrate on. Huh?
Sorry.... huh?
Ok. Here's why were not going after him.
Bush's family has done a great deal of business with the Bin Laden family. They are wealthy Saudi's, this isn't a conspiracy theory and it isn't that astonishing.
Loyalty runs thick in families.
When you have exchanged THAT much money between families, that loyalty becomes extended with the money between families.
Bush is protecting family.
Do they want to catch him?
http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/150.html
Great link thanks Ron. Completes the explanation of the post.
Carakav @ 6:
Bin Laden is dead. Has been for 5 years. Whoever is doing these recordings and tapes now is using his spectre as a sock puppet.
There are only a handful of people who know for sure whether OBL is alive or dead. The rest is speculation and conjecture. Personally, I don’t think he ever made it out of Tora-Bora, but that too is speculation. It’s also irrelevant.
OBL IS symbolic. He is that face of evil that can be trotted out PRN when this administration needs to sell something. He’s the “Have a Coke and a Smile” slogan – and “We’re soaking in it!”
It also doesn’t matter if not everyone believes these “tapes of terror”. They don’t need everyone to. They need 30-40% to buy the product in order to make the sale profitable. The product is the Iraq occupation and Iranian military action. The slogan is Terror. The consumer is that 30-40% that buy the justification. The rest of us are inconsequential – not a factor.
At least I don’t buy it.
slippytoad @ 68:
He had a kidney disease around the time we were chasing after him in Afghan. There's no way he would've survived more than a few months in the wastelands of Afghan. He's either dead or was rescued by our "ally" Musharraf, and is laughing his ass off at us somewhere in Islamabad.
So if someone turned him in, would we let him go since he's so irrelevant?
Why would Musharraf want Bin Ladin alive? The guy can only destabilize Pakistan even further.
Reich-wingers are weak on national defense
Curtilingus @ 65:
The OBL hysteric is also very Rovian when the Saudi connection is taken into consideration. “Use your greatest weakness to attack the opposition. Assault the competition with your own limitations.” In effect, “how can we question the Bush/Saudi alliances when we are so intent on killing OBL?”
Rove was cautious enough to change the message frequently however. Use it too long, and it starts to be questioned (that’s why they don’t Swift-Boat constantly). I don’t think this was the best time for them to trot out another “message of terror” from OBL. The message is old and stale. Bad salesmanship.
So is Jesus
Bin Laden is more symbolism than anything else
So was Jesus..lol
“It’s not worth moving heaven and earth spending billions of dollars just trying to catch one person (bin Laden),” Romney said. "Having said that, I fully support the Iraq invasion" (removing Saddam)!
They never intended to catch Bin Laden. As long as he was on the loose they had the boogieman they needed to stoke the fear & hatred.
A MUST read: "The New Pearl Harbor"
by David Ray Griffin.
Mattyroc (#10) has it right.
The MSM, our own modern-day version of Pravda, relentlessly ridicules and destroys one presidential candidate for screaming / hooting into a microphone, then fails to criticize others who proclaim the archetect of 9/11 to be irrelevent and presumably no longer worth the effort it takes for the USA to capture him and bring him to justice.
WTF? Welcome to the "Bizarro-World"!
bin Laden stopped mattering when the repubs realized that the public won't buy the Saddam and Al-qaeda link anymore.
Curtilingus @ 56:
Still no charges against Osama bin Laden
KSLA Channel 12 News
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnUQczDktgI
Da Spyda @ 78:
Books by David Ray Griffin
Curtilingus @ 56:
I don't believe this is correct; he is on the most current list.
The fake Bin Laden video didn't work as the public saw the actor wasn't the real Osama. Now if the video had put fear in Americans the GOP would have acted different. Even the media did it's best to sell the video as real, but the speech was all White House. Now with Karl Rove gone the tricks to the public don't work. Karl is a born liar and criminal and that is what George needed. How does a man living in a cave who was old and sick 5 years ago now look younger, fatter, no gray hair, same cholthes and breast added. What surprised me was Richard Clark's comments on how he thought this was Osama. I guess he needs the money the White House is giving him because he really knew this was a fake Osama but lied. Osama said after 9/11 that no one would have to attack the US again and that Americans would see what all that was about. Well the Bush Administration has put our national debt at 9 Trillion dollars as Iraq is worse off now then with Saddam. No country believes a word the US says and our Government is full of criminals. The GOP are worshiping Satan while using God's name. Dems are just as bad. It is legal in the US for elected officials to be perverts, child molesters, criminal, hire prostitutes and even kill if necessary. Look for a convicted felon to be the next Attorney General as Bush will appoint Libby to that post.
Presidents from Iran, Russia, North Korea, Saudi, Jordan, Turkey, Syria and others are all laughing at the mess the White House is in and just waiting for our debt to get larger.
Yes the US is losing jobs as the Saudi's have 2 million job openings and more to come. Now the Saudi's got their economy built by Bush/Cheney giving them US tax dollars. The Saudi's knew an idiot when they saw George and used him for the fool he is and they played Dick Cheney.
“It’s not worth moving heaven and earth spending billions of dollars just trying to catch one person,” Romney said.
But it is worth spending billions of dollars and scorching a significant chunk of heaven and earth not trying to catch him?
Sweet Jesus, how do these people say such nonsense with a straight face?
A.
Amazing the conservatives lining up to proclaim the architect of 9/11 isn't important, yet also line up to proclaim invading Middle Eastern countries that had absolutely nothing to do with 9/11 is the solution to terrorism.
It's apparant the neocons still have a stranglehold on the conservatives and the Republican party. And modern conservatives/Repubs are all to happy to lay down for them without putting an ounce of objective analysis or rational thought into the situation.
The greatest threat the U.S. faces today is the neoconservative movement. Far more dangerous than even any religious fundamentalists. No other idealogical group poses such a danger, or has such a capacity to wreak destruction in the pursuit of it's delusional goals.
If we managed to stop all neocon influence today, it would take a good generation to counteract the damage they have already done. And if we cannot stop them from attacking Iran, we are looking at a true cataclysm that likely will engulf the entire region and perhaps other major world powers.
Kafka Lives @ 83:
Link please?
“It’s not worth moving heaven and earth spending billions of dollars just trying to catch one person,” Romney said.
But it is worth spending billions of dollars and scorching a significant chunk of heaven and earth not trying to catch him?
Sweet Jesus, is it years of practice in front of a mirror or a straightforward lobotomy that allows someone to utter such nonsense with a straight face.
A.
U.S. says Iraqi militant nonexistent
The man known as Abu Omar Baghdadi is an actor and the group a front for Al Qaeda in Iraq, the military says.
By Tina Susman, Times Staff Writer
July 19, 2007
BAGHDAD — In March, he was declared captured. In May, he was declared killed, and his purported corpse was displayed on state-run TV. But on Wednesday, Abu Omar Baghdadi, the supposed leader of an Al Qaeda-affiliated group in Iraq, was declared nonexistent by U.S. military officials, who said he was a fictional character created to give an Iraqi face to a foreign-run terrorist organization.
LA Times
E Ryno @ 87:
"created to give an Iraqi face to a foreign-run terrorist organization"
Any guesses which country or countries run Al Kida . . . . CIA, ISI, Mossad, MI6?????
If you a Republican, what's not to like about a guy who's against taxation and for a theocracy?
Listen, if they could convert him to Christianity, Karl Rove would run him in the Republican primary.
Bin Laden/Brownback '08
"In your soul, you know they're right."
http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/150.html
My apologies (here's a link Ron posted earlier) he is on the list for the bombings in nairobi and kenya but not for 911. It states "and other terrorist attacks" I don't know why 911 would fall into the category of "other".
“It’s not worth moving heaven and earth spending billions of dollars just trying to catch one person,” Romney said.
But it is worth spending billions of dollars and scorching a significant chunk of heaven and earth not trying to catch him?
Sweet Jesus, is it years of practice in front of a mirror or a straightforward lobotomy that allows someone to utter such nonsense with a straight face?
A.
Kafka Lives @ 83:
Link?
if the left made these comments the right would use the media to destroy them for all eternity. the left, however, has not yet learned the play the game as effectively. the left will say absolutely nothing on this matter and it will all be forgotten, in about 6 days. these pronouncements are a collective effort by all the republican candidates to take the presidency in '08 and condition the public for the eventual abondonment of the search for the US-created bin-laden threat.
Thanks C&L for allowing all these "conspiracy theories" online that you despise (understandably sometimes). It is quite obvious to everyone that:
OBL is on the US government payroll OR
OBL is a fictional character created by the US government. OR
OBL is a gigantic HOAX OR
All of the above. The fact that there are any Americans that believe this spiel anymore is got to be the most embarrassing part of being an American. It also leads one to believe (conspiracy theory:DANGER) that even 911 was a government hoax that ended up either intentionally or unintentionally killing innocent Americans and this entire administration should be brought to trial, and upon conviction, jailed permanently for treason.
FBI's Ten Most Wanted list:
http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten/fugitives/fugitives.htm
Yes, he's on it.
CensoredFan @ 93:
Bin Laden is the key player in the "Official Conspiracy Theory". It involved more than one person, thus a conspiracy and according to the FBI there is insufficient evidence to charge him so that would be the theory part.
I don't think anyone I know thinks "the government" was behind this. I really don't know what happened . . but I do know the Bin Laden story is silly and meant for the feeble minded.
No our government didn't intend to do anything wrong on 911, it was just very well coordinated incompetence that day.
They should give out medals for that kind of coordination. Oh yea that's right, George Tenant got one.
Bin Laden never did matter. He was simply the chosen generic face of the Muslim world - unkempt beard, skeletal look, semitic nose, head=dress, etc., meant to be used as the excuse for the neocons to wreak havoc with The Constitution, and to install a new Reich, based on the principles of the dictatorial rule of Hitler. In this case, the Jews are Muslims...
In addition, bush truly didn't matter either. He is simply a figurehead, put forth by those who actually run the country. The fact that he is a bumbling buffoon helps immensely to deflect attention to those traitors who really have done the work of destroying the US.
Can anyone think of anything that went right for us on 911?
The detection?
The interception?
The rescue?
The clean up?
The investigation?
The reaction?
How could we have consistently messed up every aspect of our reaction to this attack?
Some other famous "symbols":
Hitler
Stalin
Pol Pot
Mussolini
Satan (for the believers)
Dubya a/k/a Little Boots
I'm sure there are historians who can add more infamous names to that list. OBL is not a symbol. He is an icon, and therein lies a world of difference.
Curtilingus @ 98:
Wasn't a good day for me but for the neocons it was the grand sweepstakes
Wouldn't it be nice if government investigations campaigning were limited to 'yes' or 'no' answers. We could cut our all the political spin. Imagine if Condo had to answer 'Did you receive the memo titled "Bin Laden Determined to Strike the United States"? Next, if received is positive, "did you read the memo"? Next question, if read, "Did you tell ...Bush?, Cheney, etc. (the same question asked with all the players identified).
Sounds silly to think we need to function so monotoned but we waste so much time with the silly spin and no accountability. I'm not in the mood for the Republican spin on why Bin Laden is now not important. Let's ask the right questions.
9-11,9-11,9-11
fear,anguish,fear,anguish
better to fight them there ,than here
patsies of 9-11....
bush
cheney
powell
bin laden
rummy
pearle
krystal
etc.
etc.
be afraid , yes, be afraid but it's the men behind the curtain not these criminals, these are only the enablers
yeah, but boy oh boy, in about three days, they'll be bashing us over the head with 9-11! 9-11!! 9-11!!!
Even though the guy who did it is just a symbol.
Sorry, above that "government investigations and campaigning".
Andy K @ 94:
But not wanted for the attacks of September 11, 2001.
The point we were making is that Bin Laden is not wanted for the attacks of September 11, 2001 . . . yes he is wanted for other crimes . . . why not 9/11?
http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten/fugitives/laden.htm
Why did Saddam Hussein get lawyers and a trial, but not the detainees at Guantanamo?
If we did catch Bin Laden, would he be held in a secret prison indefinitely or would he get a really speedy, televised trial, with a lawyer.
Using 911 to steal Iraq's oil is more important for the Republicans than finding the killer of 3,000 innocent Americans. Osama did his part for the Republican agenda.
Curtilingus @ 111:
Bin Laden works for "they" - "they" work for the Saudis - "they" have been making their fortunes by starting wars and then supplying all side - "they" gather for secret meetings in Australia where "we" are not allowed to protest.
It may be a minority view, but I think that what Rommey said is common sense.
What part of that statement is false? I know it's inconsistent with all their past policy positions and rhetoric. The thing is it has suited their purposes to mythologize bin Laden as an evil genius with super powers as long as they still thought they would catch him. Now they are backing off that. But only a Republican could say it without unleashing the banshee chorus of treason. It's fine to point out the hypocricy, but I don't think we should buy into their frames.
what gives any country the right to invade another on the grounds that they might attack them?
where is the moral authority?
is it in the Bible, i do'nt know i'm not religious, but where does that moral authority come from.
i will fight to the death for my country if we are invaded,
but to simply run a false flag attack so you can tear the world appart .. where is the moral authority?
Capturing Bin Laden has been a major failure for by the Bush administration. Of course they want to minimize his importance. They would prefer that we believe that al-Qaeda in Iraq is the bigger threat so they can sell the Iraq war.
They completely disregard the fact that all of the terrorist threats since 9/11 have had connections to al-Qaeda in Afghanistan or Pakistan, not Iraq. For them, Bin Laden's existence is a distraction from the war in Iraq. While they keep trying to scare us with, "If we leave Iraq, they'll follow us home" the real al-Qaeda Pakistan and Afghanistan is actively working to get it's agents into America. If they haven't been successful why should we believe that somehow the al-Qaeda insurgents in Iraq could make it to America?
E Ryno @ 110:
“FBI says, ‘No hard evidence connecting Bin Laden to 9/11’” Ed Haas, Muckraker Report, 6/6/06
http://www.teamliberty.net/id267.html
E Ryno @ 110:
“The reason 9/11 is not mentioned on Osama bin Laden's Most Wanted page is because the FBI has no hard evidence connecting bin Laden to 9/11…”
“FBI says, ‘No hard evidence connecting Bin Laden to 9/11’” Ed Haas, Muckraker Report, 6/6/06
[...] [h/t Crooks and Liars] [...]
Uh, it has been 2,182 days since WMD said he'd catch the Nine Eleven "Conspirator" UBL uh dead or alive. After no UBL and no WMD we were told we were fighting for Democracy. What is Democracy. Iraq is in a theocratic civil war. Our former ally Saddam was enemies with our former allies Iran and Al Qaeda, he was secular. Meanwhile my local TV station is running non stop propaganda linking Iraq to the Nine Eleven? I keep getting in arguments with old friends and family, who say we have to kill them before they kill us? There is something terribly wrong with this country. We aren't even allowed to discuss that thing which may not be discussed on Crooks and Liars. What bizzaro world is this? I look forward to seeing the entire US Military Government Media brought to justice for war crimes against humanity. They are not protecting and defending the Constitution from the Tyrant's tyranny. There is a civil war simmering in the US Homeland. Go check out the comments on ABC's phlog linked by drudge about Unkle Usama. Unbelievable. No ****!!!!!!
Could it be that catching bin Laden has been clearly neglected by the Bush admin because if Bushco's family ties to the bin Laden family and the Saudis in general? I used to think that was farfetched. Before long, Bushco will turn me into a full-fledged Alex Jones conspiracy theorist.
Here's what pisses me off:
I read where Bin Laden mentions the Iraq war as unjust and based on capitalism, so the fvcktard-in-chief somehow magically extrapolates that into a fantasy where this somehow indicates Bin Laden is planning to base new attacks on the U.S. from Iraq. How does he get from point A to point Q here?
And because of the timing of the tape, a few days before the 6th aniversary of 9/11, US officials are saying that somehow shows a determination to perpetrate new attacks? What, are they fvcking mind readers at Homeland Security now? How the fvck do they extrapolate that?
And the tape is characterized as "ranting and raving", but why do all the quotes sound pretty reasonable? Unjust capitalistic war in Iraq, global warming caused by large corporations, etc...
So why are things that the majority of Americans saying anyway characterized as "ranting and raving"? Because this administration wants us to live in fear.
Oh, I'll be the first one to say that Bin Laden's head would look soooo much better disconnected from its body and served on a silver platter, and for the American people to take turns using it for our soccer games, but I fvcking HATE it when this administration tries to characterize common sense as the fvcking enemy.
Please, FSM, let the next president not be retarded. I promise I'll be good. And fvck CNN.
You forgot Guiliani:
Guiliani on bin Laden:
So why did we shift our focus away from the REAL enemy of 9/11 (OBL) to wage a disastrous, ill-conceived, and illegal war based on cooked-up "facts"?
Haliburton, The Carlyle Group, and no-bid contracts come to mind.
Okay if: the country would be safer by only “a small percentage” and would see “a very insignificant increase in safety” if al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden was caught because another terrorist would rise to power., then WTF are we doing in Afganistan, in Iraq and fighting the GWOT? If terrorist are just going to keep coming back like zombies, what's the point? Right, Mitt?
Fred, you are so right: “Bin Laden is more symbolism than anything else”. Symbolic of Ole' Dead-Eye georgie NOT catching Public Enemy #1 dead or alive; symbolic that we are NOT safer; symbolic that this whole misadministration can NOT get our troops out of Iraq; symbolic that his (Osama's) Mission is Accomplished.
And, george “I truly am not that concerned about him” bush is only concerned with playing for Oct/Nov while our troops die.
That my friends are the Republicans in a nutshell.
StirFry, You nailed it. Ghouliani probably goes to bed every night with a secret prayer on his lips, thanking God for sending him his "Get Credibility Free" card 6 years ago.
When I first saw these clips and heard the responses coming from the talking heads, the first thing that jumped into my head was 1984. First he's the devil, then he's a nobody, but he's always there; he's like the Enemy being pulled out every now and then to spook us all. Obviously, there isn't some big "they" who are responsible for the guy, and I'm not positing any grand conspiracy, that thought just sort of struck me.
Carakav @ 6:
And...Col Kilgore Says:
Usama is more useful to the Neo Dicks as a propaganda tool.
That's about right. Why knock him of when he's such a great advertising prop? Plastering "Bin Laden" everywhere along with "support the troops" is like Ronald McDonald and Mickey Mouse rolled into one: we're talking marketing here, folks, about the sale of a product called "the Iran War" to be consumed by you, the American public.
Just do it, right?
Got Fear?
Carakav @ 6:
I agree, and I don't believe the new "statement" from Bin Laden. Is it just me or does it seem that this new video is just what Bush needed at this point. It all seems to fit TOO nicely. The Iraq report and the need to keep troops there. 9-11. And now Bin Laden MAKING Bushes points. I don't like it and sadly this coming week Dems will cave and things will stay the same.
I think Osama bin Laden is a genius. He set out with a clear purpose and a very specific goal (to crumble the US through internal chaos, not external invasion). He has accomplished both brilliantly, and is a success in his endeavour. How does that stack up against a Republican lead USA? Two botched wars, huge debt, public acrimony, a "cold civl war" in progress (red/blue states). Who won? Now they don't even care about him? Add hubris to the list of GOP faults too. What a bunch of goons.
Things have become so twisted, we can't believe anything anymore. I say, grab your gun (??), head for the hills, and shoot anything that comes near you. Or something like that.
Could it be that they ceased to take bin Laden seriously as soon as they found out that he was dead?
What this really means, in plain English, is that the Republicans, especially Bush, are SOFT ON TERROR. They're completely okay with letting the killer get away.
I'm tired of hearing how "tough" these wimps are. They sit in their cushy chairs on their overstuffed asses and send young people who've barely begun to live to lose their lives and limbs.
Bush and his accomplices, including the "moderate" Dems, are disgusting.
SevenString @ 124:
Who knows. It's like the circus has come to town. Acts are going on in all three rings, and clowns are everywhere. There is no focus, except for the propaganda minister's.
ABL is on the payroll, going back 30 years now.
Apparently he only matters in that the GOP needs him to trot himself out every few years for more scare tacics and to get more $$$ to continue the military industrial complex.
Fred Thompson is so irrelevant that I won't comment on his idiocy. Romney's comment on the other hand is more of his bullshit pandering to Bush. So Romney is saying that the 3000+ lives lost on 911 are so insignificant, so useless and worthless to spend the time and money to find their killer. Not to mention the soldiers that have died in pursuit of Bin Laden. What a fucking asshole!! So lets say someone murdered one of his sons, is he saying that he wouldn't move heaven and earth to find the perpetrator? Is he saying that if the police had the same lackadaisical attitude as he does in finding Bin Laden that he wouldn't spend his billion dollar fortune to catch and bring to justice the murderer of his son? I can not truly express the contempt I have for him! Of all the horrible scourge of GOP candidates he is by far the most disgusting!
Carakav @ 6:
I don't wonder that sometimes. I think it's true every day.
Everything Bin Laden has ever said or done is a compliment and service for Bush.
"Osama" was wearing a false beard?
Video shows Bin Laden 'in false beard'
From the Independent
What this really means, in plain English, is that the Republicans, especially Bush, are SOFT ON TERROR. They’re completely okay with letting the killer get away.
Worse than that. They actually condone what OBL has done. They don't do anything about him not because they're afraid, it's because they WANT him to get away. Its why they won't even put the slightest pressure on Pakistan to capture him. If these people were actually HAPPY that 9/11 happened, I wouldn't be the least bit supriesed.
Zython @ 140:
The "they" in this instance are the western intelligence agencies who use the ISI to destabalize the middle east. Chaos is what they want. Chaos in Iraq keeps most of the oil in the ground for the time being and keeps prices high. War creates lots of opportunity for making lots of money and allows governments to silence their own populations lest they be labeled "soft on terrorism".
What's also frightening is how quickly neocons all jump on the same game plan, like a flock of birds changing direction.
Did my comment get censored?
Osama is valuable to the Republicans only while he's running free. He can be used to continuously scare the hell out our populace and keep us (or at least the Congressional Dems) from doing anything substantial to end the war.
I, for one, don't believe the tape even shows Osama. In one of those side by side comparisons, the new Osama is plumper and his nose is completely different. The newer Osama has an uglier nose than the original. The transcription from the tape shows it's merely Republican talking points put in Osama's mouth - all meant to continue to cow this country through fear and prevent any manner of popular uprising against this regime.
It's wag the dog and instead of investigating the differences in the look of Osama, they just present it as fact that this is the guy with the "Hair Club for Men" beard treatment. How fucking dumb are we????
I want to move to Canada so bad it hurts ...
[...] Steve Benen @ Crooks & Liars has some Republican [...]
[...] So. We invaded Afghanistan. Guess what? It’s not on the news nearly as much as Iraq, but we’re still there. And then less than 18 months later a variety of reasons, from weapons of mass destruction to 9/11, were used to invade a second country: Iraq. We got Saddam Hussein, and as much as I am loathe to indulge in conspiracy theories, it does seem rather like personal interests fueled that fire. And where is Osama? Don’t know, don’t care, apparently. [...]
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