Bin Laden tape ignored?

Jazeera TV: Bin Laden Tape Backs Zarqawi in Iraq

Dubai (Reuters)

DUBAI (Reuters) - A new tape purportedly from al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden backed Abu Musab al-Zarqawi as the Islamist network's leader in Iraq, Al Jazeera television reported Monday.

It said the tape, which the station did not air, also discussed the upcoming Iraqi elections, without giving further details.

Mata Musing

Duh wuh... tell us something we don't know. BTW, no need to link. What you see above is it... not one noun or verb more. Is Bin Laden is becoming too irrelevant for even the Arabic TV ratings.

Then again, who knows what to believe? This update from another AP wire source:

Purported Bin Laden Tape Calls for Boycott

AP's TANALEE SMITH says the station aired portions of the audio tape over a still of the bearded one. Wish these folks could get their stories straight....

CAIRO, Egypt - In an audiotape broadcast Monday by Al-Jazeera satellite television, a man purported to be Osama bin Laden endorsed Abu-Musab al-Zarqawi as his deputy in Iraq and called for a boycott of next month's elections there.

(snip)

Iraqis are scheduled to elect a 275-member National Assembly on Jan. 30, and those lawmakers will draft a new constitution. There have been calls to postpone the election because of the ongoing insurgency, but President Bush has insisted the vote be held as scheduled.

The speaker condemned those elections.

"In the balance of Islam, this constitution is infidel and therefore everyone who participates in this election will be considered infidels," he said. "Beware of henchmen who speak in the name of Islamic parties and groups who urge people to participate in this blatant apostasy."

He apparently was referring to Shiite clerics, particularly Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, who have issued edicts saying participating in the election was a "religious duty."

Perhaps Bin Laden's cave home theatre needs expansion since he's apparently missed the latest in Baghdad polls (see my comments below) that point to the population ignoring pleas like these from the bearded one. Evidently maintaining a tyrannical gov't of oppression in their country is not their first choice afterall.

Must be somewhat of a shock to realize terrorists are losing "hearts and minds" battle with their our own fellow Muslims.

As far as a boycott, even the Palestinian Hamas terrorists recognize the importance of participating in elections. Just like in the US, a ballot uncast results in having no say in what goes on... just as it should be.