From Will:
Ponder this. You probably don’t realize this — we didn’t until today — but the Pentagon has had in its possession, since the summer of 2004, exactly such a blueprint. It is a 42 page document — entitled “Jihadi Iraq, Hopes and Dangers” — that was published on a Web site popular with Islamic militants back in September 2003.
It didn’t get any attention at first, and that’s not surprising since there was no way at first to guage either its authenticity or its importance. That changed, however, in the spring of 2004 — thanks to this chilling passage:
Therefore we say that in order to force the Spanish government to withdraw from Iraq the resistance should deal painful blows to its forces. This should be accompanied by an information campaign clarifying the truth of the matter inside Iraq. It is necessary to make utmost use of the upcoming general election in Spain in March next year.
We think that the Spanish government could not tolerate more than two, maximum three blows, after which it will have to withdraw as a result of popular pressure. If its troops still remain in Iraq after these blows, then the victory of the Socialist Party is almost secured, and the withdrawal of the Spanish forces will be on its electoral programme.
Lastly, we are emphasise that a withdrawal of the Spanish or Italian forces from Iraq would put huge pressure on the British presence (in Iraq), a pressure that Toni Blair might not be able to withstand, and hence the domino tiles would fall quickly. Yet, the basic problem of making the first tile fall still remains.
Of course, that was written some six months before the March 11, 2004 Madrid rail bombings that killed 191 civilians, and is blamed for the electoral defeat of the Spanish government that had supported George W. Bush and sent troops to Iraq.
Paying attention now? Wonder what else it says? Well, for one thing, it urges something else that has come to pass, that al-Qaeda shun attacks on the United States for now. (Could that have been a reason the document wasn’t publicized last summer and fall, when Bush’s approval rating on fighting terrorism seemed to be the only argument for his re-election that was working?)
Instead, the strategy is to isolate (and bankrupt) the U.S., by driving away any Western allies who might support our policy in Iraq.
Is this the ‘Bin Laden detiremined to attack outside the United States’ document? Seems that way to me.
my lord! How did you ever find this obscure item?
This should be in every newspaper across the country.
Suze,
I’m with mamamia, this is quite a catch. However did you find it.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Al Queda is laying off US attacks. Bush is doing exactly what they want, without any further.. input.. from them.
Yet another piece of evidence that Bin Laden has been using the strategy made famous by Mohammed Ali: Rope a Dope.
Ali would lean back into the ropes and let his opponent wear himself out. Then, when the opponent was sufficeintly worn out, Ali would come in for the KO.
So, Bin Laden authorizes less than two dozen murderers armed with box cutters to commandeer aircraft and fly them into high value targets in NY and Washington, knowing that the Bush Administration will react with primal instincts (and its ever present interest in winning elections in order to rule America) by invading and committing itself to slugging it out against an inexhaustable and inverterbrate enemy in Afghanistan and Iraq - and, as a consequence, exhausting the military, political, diplomatic and fiscal resources of the United States, both abroad and at home. Meanwhile, Bin Laden leans back into the ropes and continues to select when, why and where he counterpunches while simultaneously, as per the strategy, letting the Bush Administration, the radical right wing and the no-longer-trustworthy-or-honorable Republican Party do most of Bin Laden’s work for him.
Rope a Dope — pure and simple.