Revolutionary Moderation

They can't be serious



The US claims the recent bin Laden tape proves a link between Iraq and al Qaida. There is so much wrong with this contention, I can't even begin to imagine where to start.



Okay, let's presume for a moment that the tape was as it's been represented by the Americans --- encouragement to the Iraqis on the eve of war. How does that prove anything about Iraq's intentions toward al Qaida? Imagine the Junior High kid, desperately in love with the girl in the next row. All the declarations he makes that she and he are BFF does not establish to her or to anyone else that he is anything other than unwanted attention. The fact that this thin argument is being used to "prove" the Iraq - al Qaida link is disconcerting... it exposes the thinness of so many of the American arguments.



But it's worse than that. Check this paragraph: In the tape, the speaker said Iraq was governed by socialist "infidels," including Saddam. But he said that it was acceptable for Muslims to fight on behalf of Iraqi "socialists" because "in these circumstances" their interests "intersect in fighting against the Crusaders," or Christians. Does that sound like BFF to you?



(I love how AP has decided the term "Crusaders" here means "Christians", as opposed to say "The Christians who are coming to the Holy Land to kill Muslims." But never mind.)



It gets even odder. Tom Tomorrow has featured a translation of bin Laden's text suggesting that in fact, he is calling on Iraqis to overthrow Saddam Hussien.



I can't remember... is there any particular reason why we're going to war that isn't made up?