They’re Heeere.
Bin Laden tape ‘probably’ genuine: US
If it is bin Laden’s voice, it would show that the world’s most-hunted man was alive just a few weeks ago, because the tape makes references to recent events such as last month’s Bali bombings and the Chechen hostage siege in Moscow.
A Japanese voice expert says voice definitely is bin Laden’s.
Our government, despite the posturing and macho bluster, has been less than successful in tracking down al Qaeda. We act like we are fighting a government, something with a definable chain of power and known resources. Y’know, an entity with stuff we can bomb. But that’s not what al Qaeda is. They are a loose knit clandestine network and attempting to fight them like they are a hierarchical pyramid will continue to fail.
So, by all accounts, more terrorist attacks are coming. Bin Laden, like Bush, doesn’t bluff. Well that’s just great. I live in a heavily Jewish part of LA, lots of Israelis and Jewish Iranians, with numerous synagogues nearby. Several months back, when an apartment building on the next block exploded, many, including me first thought “was it a bomb?”. (In this case, no, it was natural gas).
Slamming down civil rights with increased surveillance of all is, I think, a sledgehammer approach when we need something way more intelligent and focused. Trouble is, a real solution will take years and won’t be flashy. No PR points for whoever happens to be in power. We are up against an adversary fighting by their rules, not ours.