Is Zawahiri Desperate?

Al-Qaeda number 2, assuming number 1 is still alive, Ayman al-Zawahiri has released a message responding to events in Palestine almost in real time.

From what's available, this is a statement, issued relatively hastily for Al-Zawahiri, displaying a profound fear of the democratic process in Palestine and more than ever affirming that the only path Al-Qaeda has to offer followers is war and an eventual untimely death. I think this is a real crack in the veneer of al-Qaeda's usually well thought out media releases.

In both cases, Al-Zawahiri is separating Al-Qaeda from significant albeit new forces within the Middle East - the Palestinian and the Iraqi government, such as they are. Certainly he can demonize the West at will. But I believe as he starts to demonize those elected governments, he is taking his battle onto a playing field where he's bound to lose.

Without an established state, Al-Qaeda can not provide food and services to the populations in Iraq and Palestine. His promise of Holy War and nothing else looks more empty than ever.

Al-Zawahiri attacked the proposal of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to hold early elections to resolve the contest between the Fatah and Hamas parties, which has degenerated to daily gunbattles in the streets of Gaza.

In the clips broadcast by Al-Jazeera, al-Zawahiri did not say how the two parties should settle their dispute, but he scoffed at elections, saying: "Any way other than holy war, will lead us only to loss and defeat."

In this bit below, Al-Zawahiri sounds more like a two year old begging for a seat at the adults table, then he does the leader of a terrorist group. I think he is over-estimating Bush's weakness while under-estimating our ability to continue the war in Iraq, even given the political opposition. And I disagree with some "I'm sure there's a fine Study Group or a former president out there somewhere who would agree with him!!"

The Dems can talk about talking to Syria and Iran, suggesting we talk to Al-Qaeda is a different matter. Remember, it's the Dems who keep telling us Al-Qaeda is all the war on terror is about. See STACLU for video.

"I want to tell the Republicans and the Democrats together ... you are trying to negotiate with some parties to secure your withdrawal, but these parities won't find you an exit (from Iraq) and your attempts will yield nothing but failure," al-Zawahiri said on the tape, sections of which were aired in successive news bulletins.

"It seems that you will go through a painful journey of failed negotiations until you will be forced to return to negotiate with the real powers," he said, without identifying these powers.

Comments

[Dofe]

Maybe he's upset he's stuck with the Palestinian thing when the real issue is Iraq and Afghanistan. He may be talking about the leak that the US was talking to Taliban in Afghanistan after it leaked that the ISG was the trigger for Bush 'pulling out' of Iraq and an 'agent' became hostile to Karzai right around 'that leak' and denounced him and the government, left for the US to sell a book, and pointed out that it's NATO in Afghanistan and not Iraq and the insurgency began with the troops and, later, heavy communication between Iraq and Afghanistan insurgents by coordinated events in both countries.

Maybe the 'agent' was the leak for the ISG trigger by a realtionship to it's creator - US Institute for Peace - and that's why Russia and China immediately made deals with Iran following the announcement of the ISG being used by the US government.

It's alot like Plame admitting who she was in 'Vanity Fair' and the Iraq police immediately responding by murdering operations officers in Iraq-the terrorists and insurgents wait for the right 'trigger,' Plame admitting who she was before responding-Russia and China waiting for the ISG use by the government before responding with deals in Iran.

The guy is upset about his journey and doesn't want to deal with Arafat working for Mossad again. He really wants to participate more in Iraq and Afghanistan, without all the politics and has no real fear of democracy. It's just really irritating. He got used to treason.

[Phoenix]

>"It seems that you will go through a painful journey of failed negotiations until you will be forced to return to negotiate with the real powers," he said, without identifying these powers.<

He sounds unhinged. Maybe his close bud, Osama, kicked the bucket, was buried and came back all disheveled to say, 'It's a trick. No virgins.' Now he doesn't know the 'real powers', and man, that democracy stuff is pretty scary. Pitiful.