Bin Laden offers "truce"

[Motorboat Cruiser]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

MBC, why do you suppose he has called for a truce?

I haven't the foggiest idea.

This tells me something - Iraq IS part of the war on terror.

It is now, thanks to us.

So....Osama is playing to the left. He is simply calling for what they want - at least in part - which is the pullout of troops from Iraq. I hope you are right, but there will be those who will spin it as a way to spare American lives and the lives of citizens in Iraq. While some lives may be saved, many more will be lost in the long run should it happen.

I don't think Osama gives a rats ass about playing to the left or right. And, if by some small chance he thinks he is playing to the left, it won't work. I've been listening to Air America for most of the day and liberal after liberal has said that there is no way whatsoever that they want a truce. They want his head. We always have. That's why there was never any serious objection to us going into Afghansitan. We want the bastard that attacked us, not pictures of Saddam in his underwear. Unfortunately for all of us, Bush just isn't that interested in Bin Laden. He hasn't been since before 9/11 and he sure isn't now otherwise we would have him already. We can pull Saddam out of a rabbit hole in Iraq but can't be bothered to find Bin Laden.

[wendybeth]

He's either called for truce because he's weak and needs to regroup, or he is about to do something really awful and wants to pretend like we forced his hand. Either way, it doesn't matter. He'll do what he will, and so shall we. I have never thought that going after Bin Laden was a bad thing, it's just where we seem to be 'looking' that has me concerned. A truce would imply that a state of war exists between them and us, whereas I was under the impression that they were merely murderous thugs and outlaws. Now that I think about it, was that ever clarified at Gitmo? Are they considered wartime enemies or international outlaws?

But no, there should be no acknowledgement of his 'offer' whatsoever. The pig doesn't deserve a response- to do so would only add legitimacy to his group.

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by Motorboat Cruiser

I don't think Osama gives a rats ass about playing to the left or right.

All your other points have validity, but I find this statement to underestimate Osama. He comlpetely understands the politics here in America, and in fact he cited Somalia as the reason he thought he could be successful, because America can't stomach casualties.

He is most certainly playing. He is playing to the Arab community in trying to make it seem like he wants the destruction and bombings in their backyard to stop, and he is playing to the left in this country by offering a sham peace in order to give himself time.

He completely understands American politics.

[Moonliner]

I for one think we should accept this offer of peace. We should invite Bin Laden to a meeting in a neutral country like ohh I don't know say Pakistan to sign the agreement. We could send our copy via air mail.

[wendybeth]

I think he understands enough to know who the real powers are in this country, that's for sure. I don't think he understands Americans though, which may be his fatal flaw. We can bicker and argue about anything and everything, but if an outsider messes with our 'family' they are history.

[Motorboat Cruiser]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

All your other points have validity, but I find this statement to underestimate Osama. He comlpetely understands the politics here in America, and in fact he cited Somalia as the reason he thought he could be successful, because America can't stomach casualties.

He is most certainly playing. He is playing to the Arab community in trying to make it seem like he wants the destruction and bombings in their backyard to stop, and he is playing to the left in this country by offering a sham peace in order to give himself time.

He completely understands American politics.

No argument from me that he is toying with us by offering a truce. I just think he is playing with us as a whole and not one political side or the other. I don't believe he thinks the left is weak. I believe he thinks that America as a whole is weak. If the offer of a truce was directed at the left in this country, I think he grossly underestimates us.

Edited to remove rant about you thinking that Pelosi and Kennedy would support a truce, as a result of your later post.