Osama: Can't We All Just Get Along?

A new [unconfirmed] bin Laden tape has been aired (in part) on Al-Jazeera.

The voice on the tape said heightened security measures in the United States are not the reason there have been no attacks there since the Sept. 11, 2001, suicide hijackings.

Instead, the reason is "because there are operations that need preparations, and you will see them," he said.

"Based on what I have said, it is better not to fight the Muslims on their land," he said. "We do not mind offering you a truce that is fair and long-term. ... So we can build Iraq and Afghanistan ... there is no shame in this solution because it prevents wasting of billions of dollars ... to merchants of war."

Osama also appears to be a poll-watcher (though not a very astute one):

"In response to the substance of the polls in the US, which indicate that Americans do not want to fight Muslims on Muslim land, nor do they want Muslims to fight them on their land, we do not mind offering a long-term truce based on just conditions that we will stick to."

Uh-huh.  Tranlsation: "Hey, check it out.  I'm still alive."

What frustrates me about this (other than his continuing to draw breath) is Al-Jazeera's coy refusal to share what it knows.

Al-Jazeera's editor-in-chief Ahmed al-Sheik would not comment on when or where the tape was received. He said the full tape was 10 minutes long. The station aired four excerpts with what it "considered newsworthy," he said, but would not say what was on the remainder.

Al-Sheik said the tape seemed to have been made "recently" but would not saw what led him to that conclusion.

Quite a scoop, Al-Sheik.  Kudos.  Now what's on the rest of the tape?  Where'd you get it and when?  And what do you know about when it was made?

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