Al-Qaeda's 'Simon Says'

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By Robert Parry
September 6, 2006

A common refrain from Republican leaders is that Americans must take the public statements of al-Qaeda seriously and then do the opposite. It’s a kind of reverse “Simon Says.” If al-Qaeda says leave Iraq, American soldiers must stay; if al-Qaeda says defeat George W. Bush and his party, Americans must return them to office.

President George W. Bush has made similar points while urging Americans to “stay the course.” For instance, earlier this year, Bush told a crowd in Nashville, Tennessee, that America’s only option in Iraq was “victory.”

“I say that because the enemy has said they want to drive us out of Iraq and use it as safe haven,” Bush said. “We’ve got to take the word seriously of those who want to do us harm.”

Bush returned to this theme of how Americans must take al-Qaeda’s words seriously in a Sept. 5 speech that essentially accepts the view of neoconservative hardliners who insist that the United States has no choice but to fight World War III with radical Islamists.

But does that make sense? Should Americans take al-Qaeda’s public pronouncements so seriously that this relatively small terrorist band is given a kind of jujitsu veto power over U.S. politics and foreign policy? Or should Americans assess a situation on their own and make judgments as to what’s best for the United States?


article: http://www.consortiumnews.com/2006/090506.html


Because Bin-Laden Says So (9-6-2006)

[Ravenseye]

1. Interesting

It begs the question "how long until Al-Qaeda recognizes this and uses reverse pyschology?"

I think they already did. All indications are that things are going great for them with Bush in office and they wanted him re-elected to keep spurring more hatred of the U.S.