Newsweek cited '04 bin Laden video, but omitted part of the story of that "October surprise"
SUMMARY: A Newsweek article by Mark Hosenball wondered whether "Osama bin Laden [is] going to weigh in on the midterm elections," citing a bin Laden tape released before the 2004 presidential election. But in citing reports that bin Laden wants to be "relevant" to the U.S. electoral process, Hosenball told only part of the story, ignoring evidence that bin Laden's 2004 videotape was intended to assist in the re-election of President Bush.
In an article for the November 6 issue of Newsweek, titled "Al Qaeda: Plans for an October Surprise?" Newsweek investigative correspondent Mark Hosenball wondered whether "Osama bin Laden [is] going to weigh in on the midterm elections." Hosenball wrote that bin Laden released a "rare" videotape "just before the 2004 presidential vote" as evidence that he might similarly be heard from before the 2006 elections. But in citing reports that bin Laden wants to be "relevant" to the U.S. electoral process, Hosenball told only part of the story, ignoring evidence that bin Laden has a clear idea of how he wants to be "relevant": The CIA reportedly determined that bin Laden's 2004 videotape was intended to assist in the re-election of President Bush, despite prior assertions from Bush administration officials and conservative media personalities during the 2004 presidential campaign that terrorists preferred the election of Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) as president.
Asking if bin Laden would surface before this November's midterm elections, Hosenball referred to bin Laden's videotape, released on October 29, 2004, adding that unnamed counterterrorism officials "believe Al Qaeda wants to be 'relevant' to the U.S. political process":
Is Osama bin Laden going to weigh in on the midterm elections? A senior counterterrorism official, anonymous, like other officials Newsweek spoke to, because the subject is sensitive, says that based on previous patterns -- such as the release of a rare bin Laden tape just before the 2004 presidential vote -- a message before Election Day wouldn't be surprising. Private expert Evan Kohlmann, who consults for the Feds on terror probes, says Al Qaeda has lately released tapes at a rate of two or three per month. This month, he says, they are "short by one or two," so he thinks a pre-election message is a "very good likelihood." Another U.S. official says intel experts believe Al Qaeda wants to be "relevant" to the U.S. political process.
But the article did not mention, as Media Matters for America has noted, that according to investigative reporter Ron Suskind's book, The One Percent Doctrine: Deep Inside America's Pursuit of Its Enemies Since 9/11 (Simon & Schuster, June 2006), CIA analysts agreed that "bin Laden's message was clearly designed to assist the President's reelection" (pp. 335-336). Suskind's reporting undermined claims by Bush administration officials -- including Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, and then-national security adviser Condoleezza Rice -- that terrorists might take actions to ensure Kerry would defeat Bush, and declarations from conservative media figures that the 2004 bin Laden videotape in particular demonstrated that bin Laden preferred Kerry.
*The CIA reportedly determined that bin Laden's 2004 videotape was intended to assist in the re-election of President Bush*
The same C.I.A. whose director George Tenet said it was a "slam-dunk" that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction.
How'd that work out?
Truth of the matter= No one can read the mind of Al Qaeda or be ABSOLUTELY certain of their motives.
Frankly, I don't think bin Laden and the gang give a crap about who prevails in US elections...
Oh, you must be referring to the same CIA director that Bush awarded the Medal of Freedom.
"Oh, you must be referring to the same CIA director that Bush awarded the Medal of Freedom."...by IRONY 101
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I really don't think you & I have a dispute about this, as I've been AGAINST the invasion of Iraq from the start. *All documented by my posts of the past 18 mos or however long I've been here.*
Bush, Tenet, Cheney, Rummy, Condi, etc BLEW IT BIG TIME!!!
However I stand by my post...ONLY bin Laden & his gang KNOW [for certain] what their motivations are for each and every thing they do.
They got exactly what they wanted: a war in the middle east.
The CIA is not infallible, that is correct, however the rest of your quote is as follows:
", despite prior assertions from Bush administration officials and conservative media personalities during the 2004 presidential campaign that terrorists preferred the election of Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) as president."
The phrase 'prior assertions' would imply that it is not the same CIA that Tenet headed up. In other words the CIA report in question was released after Tenet was shown the door June 2, 2004. I know, tomato/tomahto.
It is very judicious of you to not impute Al Qaeda's motives one way or the other. Now send your message to Cheney, Bush, Rove, Limbaugh, Hannity, Coulter, O'Reilly, Beck, Savage and the 33% of the population that believe the White House rhetoric.
I see your point though I would think any determination the C.I.A. made [in 2004] wasn't done overnight, so it's possible Tenet was STILL involved. But Tenet or no Tenet, the C.I.A. can make an *educated guess* about motivations, BUT as I wrote in my first post-- there's no way even they can be ABSOLUTELY certain.
IF we've learned anything at all it's that bin Laden has his own timetable and motives for every move he makes.
It could be argued ad nauseam about whom bin Laden would prefer in the White House or Congress. Once again it becomes a stupid political battle. Just more spinning. Both sides can offer pros & cons. Bush stirs up Arab anger say the Democrats. Democrats will be soft on terrorism say the Republicans.
Only bin Laden knows what he wants and why.
Ok back to football...I'll answer any reasonable posts later :-)
Who Dey.
To look at a video and make a determination, based on the sort of analysis the CIA is in the business of doing, what the intent of the video was.
In regards to ANY bin Laden/Al Qaeda tape and exactly what they are ATTEMPTING to convey, I believe we should begin by asking ourselves: What is it that bin Laden wants, and/or WHY does he dislike/hate the West, specifically the U.S.
Hopefully even the other Conservatives that post here are not still buying the ludicrous explanation from Bush that they hate our freedom...or as Bush puts it "our freedoms". I do try very hard not to name call here but quite frankly anyone who STILL buys that malarkey is retarded. [my apologies if someone feels that term isn't PC]
So what is it that bin Laden has said he wants? Well for starters he would like a change in American foreign policy in the Middle East. This includes the removal of the US military from the region [even before Iraq-but now including Iraq] and the creation of a sovereign Palestinian homeland. He'd also like us to STOP interfering in Middle Eastern nations government OR invading their sovereignty. And if we are intent on brokering peace between Israel & Palestine, that we be FAIR, as opposed to our current policy which is strictly PRO-Israel.
I don't recall [someone refresh my memory if I'm incorrect] that bin Laden has ever suggested that he wanted to wipe out Christianity or Judaism and convert the entire world to Islam. Now of course there are Islamic jihadists who would like nothing better....BUT I don't remember bin Laden being of that mind. Certainly a Bush/GOP victory could be used as a great recruitment tool IF that were his goal..
So when bin Laden releases tapes BEFORE elections here in the US why does he do it? IF he wants us out of the Middle East, then a Bush/GOP victory would not be his goal. IF he's hoping for a MORE rational/reasonable US government policy then perhaps the Democratic Party leaders would provide that. I think it was James Baker who recently said that even during the Cold War the US kept an open line to Moscow. Another words TALK to your enemies. Now bin Laden & Al Qaeda do not represent a nation. HOWEVER, keeping an open dialog with Middle Eastern nations--even those we consider to be enemies [Iran/Syria] makes good sense.
Now I've no idea what bin Laden's motivations are, neither do you, and quite frankly I'm not sure the C.I.A. does either.
But perhaps instead of ASSUMING that if bin Laden has a preference about the results of our elections, it must mean something negative towards that particular party. That MIGHT be the wrong way to think about it.
Just a thought...
How are the tapes released... and who releases them? Does the Bush camp have any say when the tapes are released? How are they picked up? Over Al Jazeera TV? I'm not sure...
I'm fairly certain that the tapes are obtained by Al Jazeera probably by an Al Qaeda courier. Then Al Jazeera broadcasts them. The C.I.A. then analyzes them. First for authenticity, then to ascertain whether any coded message from bin Laden is included that MIGHT signal an upcoming attack. I think it's a safe bet to say that the US audience is aware of each tape shortly after Al Jazeera broadcasts them. This would be because of an announcement of their existence by the World & US media. Now as far as their release [what message each contains] I'm not sure when that's decided. Or IF Bush has any sway over a timetable for THAT information to be shared with the general public.
IF bin Laden is attempting to INFLUENCE our elections by releasing tapes just prior to election day I'm still NOT sure which party he'd like to see win.
If he wants us OUT of the Middle East then keeping Bush & the GOP in power seems counter-productive to his cause. Bush has dug his heels in. He's not going anywhere. Now IF bin Laden is interested in World Domination by Muslims, then by all means Bush & Co. are his best recruitment tool. But I can't recall bin Laden's goal ever being the take over of the world by Islamists.
Perhaps bin Laden would prefer the Democratic party be in charge. NOT because they are appeasers [as they have been accused of being by certain people in the GOP] but because he may see them as being more rational & reasonable in how they would conduct US Middle East policy.
I've no idea what bin Laden is thinking OR his motivations, but was just kicking around a few [different] possibilities.
I don't think bin Laden has any preference for our elections. Remember that Democrats have been killing arabs for Israel too.
The arabs would enjoy a Green administration best over here....we wouldn't be kissing Israel's ass and bombing arab children for oil. We would actually try to live in peace with them, not murder and torture them for insane fantasies of Second Comings and making the rich at home even richer over their corpses.
Peace sells....are you buying?
I interpreted the "slam-dunk" comment as “Yes, Mr. President I have done what you said and manipulated the intelligence enough to support a case for war.” But that's not something you can say in front of a reporter hence the simplification: "slam-dunk" when asked by Bush about how confident he thought the case for war was. This is why Tenet received the Medal of Freedom instead of being castigated.
He knows perfectly well that Democrats would hunt him down and kill him ... even if they had to drag him out of George and Barbara's guest house to do it.
Yeah, right! This the same Democrats who's House leader just said she wouldn't let them impeach Bush if they win the House.
that the Bin Laden tape was meant to help John Kerry than you are thicker than a brick wall. That S.O.B. Bin Laden knew exactly what he was doing when he released that tape 96 hours before the election. Even Bin Laden knew how to get the troglodytes riled up and the lazy morons who are now regretting their enabling of George Bush and acting innocent. George Bush is the one thing that stirs up hatred in the Arab World probably more than anything else. Iraq was a gift to Bin Laden, and Bin Laden is very thankful. It was probably the best recruiting poster he could have had, perhaps outside of Israel's actions in Lebanon.
THANK YOU. njguy93@yahoo.com
Exactly... Bush is the perfect foil for Bin Laden. In a Karl Rove-type of way, Bin Laden uses Bush to arouse his "base". It's like saying Hillary Clinton's name to a Republican.
Bush needed Osama. Osama needed Bush. Neither would have been as powerful without the other. Both need boogeymen to attract recruits. they both played their parts to the hilt. Too bad for our soldiers and the people of Iraq.
Bin Laden has already reared his ugly head. The RNC has been running an Al Qaeda recruitment video featuring him and al-Zawahiri for weeks now.