If they had really wanted it circulated ASAP, the terrorists would have circulated it on the internet, not give it to ABC....

So did they give it to ABC knowing that ABC might use it to manipulate the election?

good point

There's something to that...

OTOH, for the terrorists to be able to have any influence, short of another attack, they;d have to assume we would react to that tape much as spain reacted to march attacks....

Quoted: OTOH, for the terrorists to be able to have any influence, short of another attack, they;d have to assume we would react to that tape much as spain reacted to march attacks....

Which would not happen

I think it went like this:

'American AlQaeda' threatens attacks to satisfy his delusions of grandeur. Have AlQaeda ever preceeded an attack on the US with a warning? A videotaped message to those who they want to kill? I can't remember any other instances of it. Seems out of pattern.

AQ operative gives the tape to ABC rather than a web-release because he's afraid he'll get tracked online and caught. He's probably still in the US, as his face has been plastered all over the web. Heck, I've seen his photo over at pre-ban on an FBI banner ad.

He is a known AQ suspect, so ABC treats the tape seriously. However, they see it, know that it will affirm the contention "the terrorists would prefer Kerry to win" and hold the tape. They never had any intention of releasing it. And only after Drudge found out, did they have to do something with it.

My guess is that the AQ operative believed ABC would release it immediately. He didn't count on the perception that it would actually help GWB in the election. ABC has reportedly had this tape for quite a while (months?). The operative sees it has not been released, now knows why. We probably won't hear anything like this from him again.

tag for later

How long before DU or Dems in general call this tape a ploy by Republicans to scare Americans on the eve of elections?

Quoted: How long before DU or Dems in general call this tape a ploy by Republicans to scare Americans on the eve of elections?

I don't know. What is the smallest measurable unit of time?

Here is my theory:

Al Queda wants to make Americans feel insecure. Right now, they cannot hit us like the did Spain, so they release a threat. They use an "american" for  2 reasons. First, they know it will make us think "gosh, there are Americans working with Al Queda, I wonder how many they have in place that I see every day without knowing it." Second, they don't want it to be delayed by having to have it translated. Al Queda wants the message out fast and in english so that we can hear the words ourselves and extract the emotion directly from the speaker.

What'd ya think?

All I know is that I don't just want to see people like this dead, but that I would be more than happy to kill them myself.


SGatr15

Quoted: If they had really wanted it circulated ASAP, the terrorists would have circulated it on the internet, not give it to ABC.... So did they give it to ABC knowing that ABC might use it to manipulate the election?

After further revue by the referee

Touch down!

GM

Theory: since its not from the web or al jazeera and supposedly from waziristan (which Americans are scared shitless to go into) I'd guess its an ABC producer or fixer that got paid to do it. Kinda like the bush docs

I'd like to know what kinda' presence the peter jennings team has in waziristan exactly... I'm not so sure about this one.

You know, with the nose and glasses.... that guy DOES look a little bit like Rumsfeld!

I don't think it was to air until after Pres. Bush won.  It is widely speculated that the next attack would come after the election and before the Christmas shopping season to have the most effect.  I think this tape was explain afterwards why they attacked if you read the transcript it said that they attacked because America elected Pres. Bush. (read not Kerry the Negotiator)

Quoted: Quoted: How long before DU or Dems in general call this tape a ploy by Republicans to scare Americans on the eve of elections? I don't know. What is the smallest measurable unit of time?

Planck time, oh and:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1202232&mesg_id=1202232