Convenient Release of Bin Laden's Tape

Just a couple of days before Karl Rove gives a speech to Republican politicians outlining a "war on terror" strategy for the 2006 elections, a tape from Bin Laden is quickly authenticated by the Porter Goss CIA. Does anyone besides me find that interesting?

The reason the tape is as phony as Niger yellowcake documents and Saddam’s weapons of mass destruction is as plain as day. "Bin Laden" allegedly quotes from the introduction of a book written by long-time Washington, DC progressive author and journalist and a friend of mine, Bill Blum. Bill was once an editor and contributor to Covert Action Quarterly, a magazine devoted to exposing CIA operations like the arming, funding, and training of Bin Laden and his mujaheddin guerrillas during the Afghan-Soviet war.

Bin Laden might not be so eager to quote Blum if he was aware of his other work, Killing Hope, an expose of the CIA’s covert wars. In it, Blum defends to Soviet occupation of Afghanistan as self-defense against the CIA-backed Islamist guerrillas, including Bin Laden’s forces, that were backed by the CIA. Now, why would Bin Laden plug an author like Blum who backed Bin Laden’s hated enemies, the Soviet Communists and their Afghan allies?

Combine that with the fact that in his speech, Rove makes no pretense of the fact that the Repugs will be beating the 9/11 drum over and over again.

"The United States faces a ruthless enemy — and we need a commander-in-chief and a Congress who understand the nature of the threat and the gravity that American finds itself in," Rove said. "President Bush and the Republican Party do. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for many Democrats."

"Republicans have a post-9/11 view of the world. And Democrats have a pre-9/11 view of the world," Rove told Republican activists. "That doesn’t make them unpatriotic, not at all. But it does make them wrong — deeply and profoundly and consistently wrong."

(No mention of anything like discussing ethics or reforming the legislative process. Imagine that.)

Sorry, but I find it suspicious that they are suddenly talking about drawing down troop levels in Iraq, as the security situation worsens…but then 2006 elections are fast approaching. Then, out of nowhere, Bin Laden appears with a tape threatening an attack in the heartland. If no attack comes, Bush says its because he listens in on your phone conversations. If it does happen, he’ll be the one to respond. However, if it does, I’ll want to know what we spent all this Homeland Security money for.

Sorry, I’m just NOT buying this whole thing.