Osama Bin Laden Asks Europe For a Truce

[Real American]

Here is some proof that the war on terror has been successful, Osama is knows his days are up and is trying to cut deals.



http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,117148,00.html



LONDON — Key European nations, including Iraq war opponents Germany and France, vigorously rejected a truce offer purportedly from Usama bin Laden (search) on Thursday, saying there could be no negotiating with his Al Qaeda terrorist network.

 
 
Many saw the audiotaped offer as a blatant attempt to drive a wedge between the United States and its European allies, exploiting their differences over Iraq. The offer suggested a subtle shift in strategy by the Al Qaeda chief, who in the past has directed his bloody campaign against the West in general.

One analyst said the shift was unsurprising, however, given bin Laden's "opportunism." Another observer said the three-month truce offer might contain a message to militants to hold back on attacks against Europe.

The tape, which the CIA said is likely an authentic recording of bin Laden, was broadcast on Arab TV stations offering "a truce ... to any country which does not carry out an onslaught against Muslims or interfere in their affairs."

In Italy, a nation shocked by the killing of an Italian civilian captured by militants in Iraq, Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said it was "unthinkable that we may open a negotiation with bin Laden, everybody understands this."

French President Jacques Chirac (search), one of the firmest opponents of the war that ousted Saddam Hussein, was equally clear: "No dealings are possible with terrorists."

Germany, which is now helping train Iraqi police, also strongly rejected the truce offer. "Any attempt to split Europe will fail," said German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.

Secretary of State Colin Powell said he was pleased by the reaction, and that Europeans are saying they "will not be terrorized by these terrorists."

"I think that the international community realizes that they cannot give in to these kinds of threats," he told reporters in Washington. "I hope this will strengthen our determination to deal with terrorism and especially to do everything we can to bring Usama bin Laden to justice."

The tape — broadcast on the pan-Arab television stations Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya — is the first since January attributed to bin Laden, believed to be hiding in mountains along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. The CIA said the seven-minute recording was probably made recently because of its reference to Israel's killing March 22 of Hamas founder Sheik Ahmed Yassin (search).

"I am offering a truce to European countries," the speaker on the tape said. "Its core is our commitment to cease operations against any country which does not carry out an onslaught against Muslims or interfere in their affairs."

The message said "the door to a truce is open for three months," but the period could be extended. "The truce will begin when the last soldier leaves our countries," the speaker said without elaborating.

Charles Heyman, an analyst at Jane's Defense Weekly (search), said the tape was "a not very subtle attempt to break whatever coalition there is and to destabilize the situation in Iraq."

A counterterrorism official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the truce offer marked a different approach by Al Qaeda, because it distinguishes between Western nations.

"For the most part he has tended to lump all of the West in the same category, saying in effect, 'You're all evil,"' the official said. "This is a departure in that it's more of an attempt to cause division."

Analyst Bruce Hoffman of the Rand Corporation, said the new tactic was "not entirely surprising given his record of opportunism." He noted that last year bin Laden threatened a number of European nations cooperating with the United States in the fight against terrorism, to no effect.

"Like any good psychological warfare officer he's changing his message subtly and altering his tactics slightly but trying to achieve the same effect" of widening the gap between the United States and its European allies.

The speaker on the tape appealed to European public opinion, saying the truce offer was "a reconciliation initiative in response to the recent positive developments that have appeared" — an apparent reference to the defeat of Spain's pro-Iraq war government after March 11 bombings that killed 191 people in Madrid.

Yet Spain's incoming Socialist government — which promised to pull all 1,300 Spanish troops out of Iraq — also denounced the message.

"What we want is peace, democracy and freedom," said incoming Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos.

Analysts said the tape was an attempt to encourage Europeans to press their governments to stop supporting U.S. military operations in Muslim nations.

It also could be a message to Al Qaeda sympathizers to stop European operations that might have the result of galvanizing support for President Bush's war on terror, said Montasser el-Zayat, an Egyptian lawyer who defends Islamic radicals.

"Bin Laden is seeing how those bombings (in Madrid) were used by the Americans to pressure Europe into more action," he said. "This tape is a message to those groups to cease these actions."

The tape moderated bin Laden's usual rhetoric, avoiding references to Europeans as "the Crusader-Jewish alliance" and referring instead to "our neighbors north of the Mediterranean."

The speaker described the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States and the Madrid bombings as revenge strikes, although he did not directly claim Al Qaeda was responsible.

The voice on the tape said that "what happened on Sept. 11 and March 11 was your goods delivered back to you."

A truce, the message said, would deny "the warmongers" further opportunities. Polls have shown that "most of the European peoples want reconciliation" with the Islamic world, it said.

Britain, which supported the war and has 8,700 troops in Iraq, rejected the notion it would remove its soldiers in return for immunity from attack.

"One has to treat such claims, such proposals, by Al Qaeda with the contempt they deserve," said Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, adding: "I'm afraid that it is yet another barefaced attempt to divide the international community."

[JTSimon]

Here is some proof that the war on terror has been successful, Osama is knows his days are up and is trying to cut deals.

Before he starts serving fools  

[Z the laidback Virus]

Actually he wants to get Europe and the US into disagreement.

BUT...we won't bite the bait

[Don Rizzle]

yup  europe has stood firm that we won't negotiate with alqueada. however american has angered the the whole of europe and pretty much the whole of the international comunity with bushes decision to endorse israel plans and legitimise israeli settlements which no1 had ever done previously. all this to please a small jewish population ot help him win the election it is outrageous.

[King Tech Quadafi]

Bin Laden had some decent terms

[Woodrow]

Bin Laden had some decent terms

LOL!

I'm a complete loss on how to respond to that. It made me laugh out loud, but at the same time, want to cry because there are people out there stupid enough to write something like that.

[smerlus]

Bin Laden had some decent terms

satan probably does too, why don't you make some deals with him?

[King Tech Quadafi]

"Osama bin Laden offered a truce to any of them if they stopped 'attacking Muslims or interfering in their affairs".

Hey, seems like a humble request

"Be aware that if you describe us and our actions as terrorism then you should describe yourselves and your actions as well ... Under what grace are your victims innocent and ours dust, and under which doctrine is your blood blood and ours water?" it asked.

Hmmm....Muslim Rage 101

"Stop shedding our blood to save your own and the solution to this simple but complex equation is in your hands."

Basically, hes sayin fuck off, leave us alone.

In conclusion, this new report proves that Bin Ladens beef aint with white christains but with people who commit crimes against Muslims. If I were an European I would say Fuck Sharon and agree to the terms. Why get involved in something that dont concern u , u know? Sharon got Americans killing/dying for him, why Europeans too? I dunno, call me crazy, some of this makes sense

[King Tech Quadafi]

oopps forgot the link


http://www.guardian.co.uk/alqaida/story/0,12469,1192341,00.html

g' day boys

[7even]

Bin Laden had some decent terms

satan probably does too, why don't you make some deals with him?

the greatest trick of satan was making the people think he didnt exist..

[infinite59]

Here is some proof that the war on terror has been successful, Osama is knows his days are up and is trying to cut deals.

This is nothing new.  He had a reasonable list of demands from the begining:

-For Isreal to move back to it's pre-1967 borders or for America to remove it's support for Isreal
-A pullout of US troops in Saudi Arabia
-An end to sanctions against Iraq

[Woodrow]

This is nothing new.  He had a reasonable list of demands from the begining:

-For Isreal to move back to it's pre-1967 borders or for America to remove it's support for Isreal
-A pullout of US troops in Saudi Arabia
-An end to sanctions against Iraq

LOL!

I'm a complete loss on how to respond to that. It made me laugh out loud, but at the same time, want to cry because there are people out there stupid enough to write something like that.