Zawahiri Touts U.S. Troop Cuts in Iraq | 'Cos apparently Zarqawi and Binny were otherwise occupied... |
stylish
and seated next to an automatic rifle, waved his finger for emphasis as he spoke in the two-minute excerpt aired by Al-Jazeera. "I congratulate (the Islamic nation) for the victory of Islam in Iraq," he said. Al-Zawahri apparently was referring to comments last month by Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, who said President Bush had authorized new troop cuts below the 138,000 level that prevailed for most of last year. Rumsfeld did not reveal the exact size of the cut, but the Pentagon said the reductions would be about 7,000 troops, about the size of two combat brigades. The Pentagon has not announced a timetable for troop reductions, but indications are that the force could be cut significantly by the end of this year. "You remember I told you more than a year ago that the American withdrawal from Iraq is only a matter of time, and here they are now ... negotiating with the mujahedeen," al-Zawahri said. "Bush was forced at the end of last year to announce that he will pull out his forces from Iraq, but he was giving excuses for his withdrawal that the Iraqi forces have reached a good level."
Well, there was a clarion call to surrender, but W said the opposite. Repeatedly. It sure wasn't the "Lions of Islam" beating us.
Bush has not offered concrete details about bringing troops home but said Wednesday that "possible adjustments" would be discussed with Iraqi leaders if progress continued on security and political efforts.
"As we and our Iraqi friends kill more Jihadis, they will run out of cannon-fodder."
Al-Zawahri said the American forces "with their planes, missiles, tanks and fleets are mourning and bleeding, seeking for a getaway from Iraq."
True about the media and Dems. Most definately NOT true about the American armed forces. They are 'cleaning the clocks' of the Jihadis under very restrictive RoE.
"Regarding your withdrawal timetable ... you have to admit, Bush, that you have been defeated in Iraq and are being defeated in Afghanistan and will be defeated in Palestine," he said, speaking calmly but forcefully.
Ohhhhhh. forcefully.
Al-Jazeera said the videotape was dated in December but it gave no more specifics.
We have had it for a while, but were awaiting instructions from al-Queda on exactly when to release it. Reid was in Vegas, so approval was delayed for a bit.
The most recent videotape from al-Zawahri, aired by Al-Jazeera in October, called on Muslims to aid victims of a massive earthquake in Pakistan. "If I was comforting the Islam nation for its crisis of Pakistan's earthquake, I today congratulate it and bless the Islamic victory in Iraq," al-Zawahri said in Friday's tape.