Reply With QuoteAl-Qaeda thru their news source denies the the letter's authenticity. Says the media got the concocted story from the "Black House". All per Rush last hour.
Interesting statements from Al Qaeda leaders in Iraq....
Al-Qaeda positioning for defeat - letter
By Jim Mannion
Washington - A captured letter shows al-Qaeda positioning itself for a United States defeat in Iraq, but struggling to curb a top leader whose campaign of beheadings and attacks on Shi'a is costing the extremist movement popular support.
The letter from Ayman al-Zawahiri, al-Qaeda's number two, to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, its chief in Iraq, lays down a grand strategy for using post-occupation Iraq as a platform for an Islamic caliphate throughout the Middle East, and ultimately Palestine.
"You might ask an important question," Zawahiri wrote. "What drives me to broach these matters while we are in the din of war and the challenges of killing and combat?"
'We can kill the captives by bullet'
"My answer is, firstly: Things may develop faster than we imagine," he said. "The aftermath of the collapse of American power in Vietnam - and how they ran and left their agents - is noteworthy."
"Because of that we must be ready starting now, before events overtake us, and before we are surprised by the conspiracies of the Americans and the United Nations and their plans to fill the void behind them," he wrote.
The letter, which was released in its entirety Tuesday by the office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), runs more than 12 pages and offers an unusual window on al-Qaeda's view of the insurgency in Iraq.
Zawahiri by turns sounds confident in his strategy for establishing an Islamic caliphate and flattering of Zarqawi, the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, as blessed by God "with the splendour of the spearhead of Jihad".
But his frustration shows through as he explains to Zarqawi that the movement will need popular support to gain power after US forces withdraw from Iraq.
The televised slaughter of hostages, attacks on Shi'a and their holy places, and quarrels over religious doctrine are raising doubts among Muslims who might ordinarily be sympathetic to them, he said.
"Among the things which the feelings of the Muslim populace who love and support you will never find palatable - also - are the scenes of slaughtering the hostages," he wrote.
While it might be justified, he said, "the general opinion of our supporters does not comprehend that."
He told Zarqawi that "we are in a media battle, in a race for the hearts and minds of our Umma." The Umma is the community of Muslims.
"And we can kill the captives by bullet," he added. "That would achieve that which is sought after without exposing ourselves to the questions and answering to doubts. We don't need this."
He cautions Zawahiri not to repeat the mistake of the Taliban, which failed to broaden its base in Afghanistan beyond Kandahar and found itself with no public support when US forces struck.
"And it doesn't appear that the Mujahideen, much less the al-Qaeda in the Land of Two Rivers, will lay claim to governance without the Iraqi people," he wrote, adding, "That is not practical in my opinion."
The letter was dated July 9, 2005. Pentagon officials have said it was "obtained" after Zarqawi received it, but they will not say how.
The DNI said the US government has the highest
confidence in its authenticity.
Zawahiri's admonitions appear to have had little effect on Zarqawi's campaign of suicide bombings, which have surged in advance of Saturday's constitutional referendum.
And despite the lecturing tone, Zawahiri's letter also indicates the vulnerability of his position.
At one point, he reminds Zarqawi that a hundred al-Qaeda militants, many of them leaders in their own country, are in custody in Iran, which is ruled by Shi'a clerics.
"And even if we attack the Shi'a out of necessity, then why do you announce this matter and make it public, which compels the Iranians to take counter measures?" he asked.
"And do the brothers forget that both we and the Iranians need to refrain from harming each other at this time in which the Americans are targeting us?" he said.
The al-Qaeda leader acknowledges that his organisation suffered a blow earlier this year with the capture in Pakistan of Abu al-Faraj, one of al-Qaeda's top operational leaders.
"However, the real danger comes from the agent Pakistani army that is carrying out operations in the tribal areas looking for mujahideen," he wrote.
He asks Zawahiri for money. He says his lines of communication have been cut off, and his movements are limited. He makes only a passing reference to Osama bin Laden, the al-Qaeda leader. - Sapa-AFP
Al-Qaeda thru their news source denies the the letter's authenticity. Says the media got the concocted story from the "Black House". All per Rush last hour.
Two things wrong with the "Letter"
1. algore is not President!
2.Kerry con is not President.
Well the thing that is odd is this was a foundation for the speech that Bush gave a couple weeks ago to sway public opinion.
False or not it is a plan that I could see validity in, based on our past. :idea:
They apperantly are listening to the DemocRats from top to bottom; Anti American Traitors, Liars, Terrorist supporters, 5 Th column, Organised Crime and such sewer Filth. Now these people like our leftists are prone to living in fantasyland.
They apperantly are listening to the DemocRats from top to bottom; Anti American Traitors, Liars, Terrorist supporters, 5 Th column, Organised Crime and such sewer Filth. Now these people like our leftists are prone to living in fantasyland.
Kinda like the white power web sites you go to and quote everyday??
That's funny. I respect people who actually have a self-developed opinion and can express it in an articulate manner. You, Blown, have proven yourself as someone only able to cut and paste others' thoughts. In the rare instance you DO actually post your own thoughts, you have nothing valuable to say other than the Jews did it.
Even worse, you attempt to present ideologically slanted commentary as objective reporting. Even Ray Charles can see right through your crap. So go back to AntiWar.com and bow down to your whiny, shrill Bush hating heroes jumping up and down screaming "BUSH IS A POOPIE HEAD!!" like a bunch of spoiled 5 yr olds who had their toys taken away :messedup:
Kinda like the white power web sites you go to and quote everyday??
Once again blown, of absolutely NO CONNECTION to the current discussion.
Just unplug the computer, you'll be happier that way.
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