Osama bin Killed?

It feels like 2002 again as Jonah Goldberg speculates that the latest AQ tape features Zawahiri because Osama bin Ladin has a scheduling conflict, due to his current assignment in Hell.

There have been long gaps between Osama videos, and they always give rise to suggestions that he may already be dead. It's plausible -- why not offer proof of life if it's possible? -- but there has always been an alterative reason for his camera shyness.

Politicians don't want to be photographed when an announcement of bad news is made. They prefer simply offering a Friday night press release. For good news, they of course rush to be in front of the cameras. But when there's bad news, they keep their face as far away as possible.

Despite the claims that Al Qaeda is "reconstituted" or even "winning" this War on Terror, the fact is that there isn't much for Osama bin Ladin to crow about or celebrate. If there is another specutacular attack, trust that a tape will appear on Al Jazeera within a week and a half. But the terrorists simply do not have much good news, and have not had a successful attack in America for a full five years.

Al Qaeda is winning the War on Terror? Iraq is the greatest Al Qaeda recruitment tool in history?

The media-savvy bin Ladin's reluctance to appear on camera would seem to belie that.

posted by Ace at 02:27 PM

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