Al-Qaeda: We running this Afghanistan shiieet, we defeated America

[Jome]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/09/09/zawahiri.tape/index.html





Al-Zawahiri: U.S. faltering in Afghanistan
CIA analyzing al Qaeda videotape that appeared on Al-Jazeera

Thursday, September 9, 2004 Posted: 8:57 PM EDT (0057 GMT)
   
Ayman al-Zawahiri
# Nationality: Egyptian

# Position: Osama bin Laden's closest adviser


(CNN) -- Osama bin Laden's top lieutenant, Ayman al-Zawahiri, appeared in a videotaped message Thursday on the Arabic-language TV news network Al-Jazeera saying southern and eastern Afghanistan are controlled by the mujahedeen, or holy warriors.

He also said mujahedeen fighters in Iraq "turned America's plan upside down."

"The defeat of America in Iraq and Afghanistan has become just a matter of time, with God's help," he said.

"Americans in both countries are between two fires. If they carry on, they will bleed to death -- and if they pull out, they lose everything."

Wearing a white turban and glasses, al-Zawahiri said American forces are hunkered down and afraid to respond to advances of the mujahedeen.

There currently are about 16,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan conducting daily patrols in remote mountain villages, mostly in the eastern part of the country. There are nearly 140,000 American troops in Iraq.

"East and south Afghanistan is an open battlefield for the mujahedeen, while the liars are hiding in the big capitals," he said, a Kalashnikov assault rifle resting on the wall behind him.

"The Americans are hiding now in trenches and they refuse to come out and meet the mujahedeen, despite the mujahedeen antagonizing them with bombing and shooting and roadblocks around them. Their defense focuses on airstrikes, which wastes America's money in just stirring up sand."

The Pentagon had no official reaction to the comments. But privately, U.S. military officials scoffed at them, saying U.S. forces enjoy freedom of movement throughout Afghanistan and continue offensive operations against al Qaeda and Taliban fighters.

Al-Zawahiri, a 53-year-old Egyptian-born physician, spoke in a studio-like setting.

He did not refer to any dates, but he did mention the Iraqi transitional government. Al-Jazeera's anchor also said he mentioned the Darfur crisis in Sudan. The network said it would release more of the tape later.

Al-Jazeera's anchor said the mujahedeen fighters claimed they had been getting a lot of support in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The anchor said they claimed that had it not been for the Pakistani army offensive along the border, U.S. forces would have been "driven out a long time ago."

A CIA spokesman said the agency was analyzing the tape to determine "whether it really is new" and what other information it might offer.

U.S. intelligence officials said al-Zawahiri was believed to be in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border area.

The video came almost a year to the day since al Qaeda last released a videotaped message -- and followed the terror group's history of releasing video messages ahead of the anniversary commemorating the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Last year, on September 10, the group released video of bin Laden walking in a mountainous area with other al Qaeda members, with an audio message from al-Zawahiri calling on the mujahedeen to "attack and devour the Americans and bury them in the graveyard of Iraq."

On September 9, 2002, Al-Jazeera broadcast a videotape from bin Laden, who named the 9/11 hijackers and said, "When you talk about the invasion of New York and Washington, you talk about the men who changed the face of history and went against the traitors."

Al Qaeda has released audiotaped messages over the past year, but it has rarely used video since the 9/11 attacks.

According to senior U.S. intelligence sources, groups of about 600 to 800 Taliban or al Qaeda fighters are able to roam in parts of Afghanistan, primarily in the south and east.

The southeastern portion of Afghanistan is controlled mostly by Pashtun tribes and poses one of the greatest security threats to U.S. forces in the country.

CNN's Nic Robertson, Octavia Nasr and David Ensor contributed to this report.

[Don Jacob]

does anyone remember that iraqi dude who kept telling the media that there was no shock and awe, it was all america's special effects people, and that america isn't in iraq and bombing the shit out of baghdad,lol.

kinda reminds me of that guy


and even what this dumb ass says is true....what a dumb ass fucking thing to do, piss the US off even more especially when some of the other countries are starting to come around to the war on terror

[Sikotic™]

MMM HMM...

[Trauma-san]

He oughta have that tumour on his forehead looked @, I think it's affecting his vision.


Anyways, I wonder why no tape from Bin Ladin himself?  I seriously think he's dead, either from a direct result of a bomb attack early on, or from health issues that may have been complicated by an injury possibly sustained during the bombings.  They're PRETTY SURE they were right on his ass for a while over there, they probably either killed him, or hurt him, and he already had medical issues, so injured, in the mountains, he wouldn't have lasted long.  Of course they keep saying he's alive to keep the propoganda going and the terror cells confident. 

[Suffice]

Wearing a white turban and glasses, al-Zawahiri said American forces are hunkered down and afraid to respond to advances of the mujahedeen.

Seriously,  what does the first part of the sentence have to do with the second. That's like 7th grade writing. I can't believe this is an official fuckin news report

[Entreri117]

This guy is so full of himself and the mujahedeen...talk about propaganda.  He's trying to convince everyone that they are winning against America...pure propaganda.

I HIGHLY doubt that US forces are afraid of the mujahedeen.

[Don Rizzle]

he does have a point iraq is up shits creek there are many places which america has lost control of. afganistan is in a mess too. terrorism has rised proving how inneffective americas policies have been, i don't al-queada can be defeated and attacks can't all be prevented.

[Trauma-san]

ANYONE can be defeated. 

[dexter]

Fuck Bush
he needs a better war plan.

[Woodrow]

So the presidental election is kicking up into high swing this week there, 10 million people have registered to vote, and we're the ones running?

Sure thing.


On a more somber note, I'd expect a terrorist attack sometime in the next 2-3 weeks. Looking back, when this dude's released a message, an attack has happend soon after 

[Montana00]

I also believe that bin laden might be dead.

[Entreri117]

I also believe that bin laden might be dead.

Theres been alot of controversey over that.  Is he dead?  Is he alive?  Noone knows but those most closely affiliated with him.  If he is dead, I hope the last thing he heard was the whistling noise of a bomb dropping right on top of his turban-wearing head.

[Montana00]

I believe he's dead, but i doubt its because of us.

[white Boy]

id pimp slap that dork...

[King Tech Quadafi]

So the presidental election is kicking up into high swing this week there, 10 million people have registered to vote, and we're the ones running?

Lol. You know nothing regarding Afghanistan.