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Entire 18 Minute Bin Laden Tape Released

Last Friday, six minutes of an 18 minute tape by Osama bin Laden was played on the Al Jazeera network and broadcast around the world. Today, Al Jazeera released the remainder of the tape. You can read the U.S. translator's version or Al Jazeera's version.

Here's an interesting portion:

Finally, it behoves you to reflect on the last wills and testaments of the thousands who left you on the 11th as they gestured in despair. They are important testaments, which should be studied and researched.

Among the most important of what I read in them was some prose in their gestures before the collapse, where they say: "How mistaken we were to have allowed the White House to implement its aggressive foreign policies against the weak without supervision."

It is as if they were telling you, the people of America: "Hold to account those who have caused us to be killed, and happy is he who learns from others' mistakes." And among that which I read in their gestures is a verse of poetry. "Injustice chases its people, and how unhealthy the bed of tyranny."

As has been said: "An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure." And know that: "It is better to return to the truth than persist in error." And that the wise man doesn't squander his security, wealth and children for the sake of the liar in the White House.

In conclusion, I tell you in truth, that your security is not in the hands of Kerry, nor Bush, nor al-Qaida. No. Your security is in your own hands. And every state that doesn't play with our security has automatically guaranteed its own security. And Allah is our Guardian and Helper, while you have no Guardian or Helper. All peace be upon he who follows the Guidance.

What to make of it? Not much. The newly released version (which was on Al Jazeera this morning when we looked but didn't find compelling enough to mention) doesn't add much to the mix. There's no specific threat as much as the Repugs would like you to think there is. He is saying, if we return Bush to power, we're in trouble. If we don't, we still have no protection. Why?

Because Kerry has been as firm an opponent of Al Qaeda and bin laden as anyone. In the past months, he has vowed to track them down and kill them. In Bin Laden's eyes, Kerry and Bush are pretty much equal, with Bush also being crooked and evil. He's looking for someone to accede to his demands and Kerry surely is not going to. When he doesn't, he will become the big, bag Bush.

In sum, this speech cancels itself out. Don't waste any more time on it. Now back to important topics, like getting out the vote and stopping the GOP from attempts to suppress it.

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