Osama Bin Laden threatens France: As You Kill, So Shall You Be Killed

This message, which is supposedly from Osama Bin Laden, threatens retaliation

Bin Laden in Audio Message to France: As You Kill, So Shall You Be Killed

Following are excerpts from an audio-tape by Al-Qaeda Leader Osama Bin Laden, which aired on Al-Jazeera TV on October 27, 2010.

Osama Bin Laden: To start with, let me tell you [the French]: The capture of your experts in Niger, who are under the protection of your proxy there, was a response to your oppression of our Muslim nation. How can you possibly take part in the occupation of our lands, and support the Americans in the killing of our women and children, yet expect to live in peace and security? How can you possibly interfere in the matters of the Muslims, especially in North Africa and in West Africa, support your proxies against us, plunder many of our resources in dubious deals, while our people there suffer all kinds of misery and poverty?

[...]

Since you have acted tyrannically, believing that you have the right to prevent free-born women from wearing the veil, don't we have the right to expel your invading men by striking their necks? Of course we do.

The equation is simple and clear: As you kill, so shall you be killed, as you abduct, so shall you be abducted, as you ruin our security, so shall we ruin your security, and the fault lies with the one who initiates [the hostilities].

The way to protect your security is to end all your offenses and their effects on our nation. One of the most important things is for you to withdraw from Bush's accursed war in Afghanistan. It is high time that the so-called direct and indirect colonialism come to an end. You should consider the state to which the US has deteriorated as a result of this unjust war. It has reached the verge of bankruptcy in all the major areas, and soon, it will go back beyond the Atlantic Ocean, Allah willing.

Happy is he who learns from the lessons of others, and peace be upon those who follow the guidance.

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Political Correctness undermines peaceniks re Iran

The Campaign for Peace and Democracy (CPD)  describes itself as promoting "a new, progressive, and non-militaristic U.S. foreign policy."  Its leadership can be characterized as part of the democratic left with what used to be known as a "third camp" orientation that was both anti-Stalinist and anti-capitalist.  There is an overlap in its leadership with the politics and editorial board of the journal, "New Politics." 

The CPD is currently circulating a petition with a dual purpose: to "End the War Threats and Sanctions Program Against Iran [and] Support the Struggle for Democracy Inside Iran."  So while supporting the democratic opposition inside Iran, it categorically opposes any punitive sanctions or military option to curtail Iran's nuclear program.  

I share at least some of CPD's values and goals, but I cannot accept its doctrinaire anti-Israel and anti-American pronouncements, including those expressed in this petition.

Iran can easily end this confrontation by unconditionally opening itself to international inspections and stopping its outrageous provocations against Israel's existence.  Moreover, Pres. Obama has made a reasonable diplomatic overture to Iran that was rejected last year.

Nearly a year later, Iran agreed to a similar deal in discussions with Brazil and Turkey. By that time, however, experts concluded that its nuclear program had created enough additional enriched uranium that Iran could build one or more atomic bombs anyway.  Apparently, Iran was being deceitful, and Brazil and Turkey allowed themselves to be used in its cynical game.

Far from even addressing the Iranian regime's aggressive actions and threats (e.g., arming Hezbollah and Hamas, its development of missiles with the capacity to A-bomb all of Israel, its Holocaust denial and strident anti-Zionist rhetoric), the moral weight of this statement is against Israel and the United States.  I would hate to see either the US or Israel attack Iran, but I certainly understand why most Israelis feel themselves mortally threatened.  It is grossly wrong for this petition not to strongly condemn Iran's aggressive anti-Israel and anti-Jewish policies.