Is it "conspiracy' to think Al Queda videos are suspiciously timed?

[booley]

I am talking about the latest video with Azzam the American. I have no idea if this has ben discussed or debunked or what here. But I did see it on other forums (where the freepers are having a field day.."See, the islamofascists ARE out to convert or kill us! I told you so!"

I mean, first, this is not the first time Al Queda has put out a video during an election cycle or when Shrub and the Republicans seemed to be having problems, is it? I could have sworn this has happened before.

Second, since when did Al Queda ever care about forcibly converting people? I have never heard of this being an issue with them before. That's not an endorsement to say that Al Queda is too nice to do that but that if it was their goal, why not mention it until now? It's even more suspicious that this comes right on the heels of the kidnapping of the Fox reporter and camera man in Gaza and their supposed forced conversion.. when that video came out, we had freeper going on rants about how the evil muslims were all out to convert people and that's why Islam can't be trusted..yadda yadda blah blah blah. (these guys seem to love saying "religion of peace" in the most sarcastic way possible, while also excusing the worst extremists of Christianity in this country. Irony is lost on them.) Later reports showed that that conversion was a smokescreen to hide the fact that the kidnappers got what they really wanted. But now this Al Queda video has provided new fuel to that bigoted fire.

Third, the video even seems to go after critics of Shrub. Supposedly Azzam praises Galloway and Fisk. Now Galloway has made comments about Hezzbollah that I don't think were too bright. But Fisk has described the attacks on 9-11 as 'crimes against humanity" and while he's critical of the Shrub administration, I haven't heard him say anything in support of Al Queda either. Everything I know of the man would suggest he is more fond of terrorists like AL Queda then he is of Shrub. But here we have a video where Shrub's critics are made to seem as if they are league with terrorists. (and how many times have we heard that implied by freepers?)

And last, just to add to the paranoia, we now have the "American Face" of Al Queda. So now I expect we will hear rumors and innuendo from freepers of a fifth column. (and the obvious charge that anyone critical of Shrub is part of or helping this fifth column)

Lets face it, republicans always do better the more people are afraid and in touch with their inner bigot. And this latest video feeds both. Right when the republicans are struggling, here comes an Al Queda video that gives them numerous talking points or seems to substantiate their earlier, since debunked talking points.

And Bin Ladin may be many things, but he never struck me as abysmally stupid or uninformed. Which would imply he knew exactly what effect this video would have.

So is it just me or is there something weird going on?

[Virginia Dare]

1. It's not you...

I smell propaganda and bullshit in the air as well.

[sendero]

2. Kinda makes you wonder..

... just who's side they're on :)

[orwell]

3. Since al-Qaeda is largely a product...

...of western intelligence and media elites, I would say such conspiracies are guaranteed.

[Balbus]

4. It doesn't matter what kind of news story comes out at what time,

it's always a conspiracy. Every piece of news ever reported on any day is a conspiracy that's knocking some other piece of news down the page or further in the broadcast. If a freakin' meteorite came down and wiped out the entire city of Dallas, someone would say "Notice how they didn't report the 2 american soldiers wounded in Afghanistan today? Something's fishy...."

[booley]

5. But we aren't talking about an act of God here

People made that video and those people surely must have thought about what effect that video would have on those watching it.

[Balbus]

21. Uhh, were you around when hurricane Katrina and Rita hit last year?

[booley]

35. This isn't the same

A hurricane doesn't do something and consider what effect it's actions may have on others.

people do.

[NOLADEM]

6. No conspiracy, Al Qaeda is just smarter than the Repubes

Al Qaeda has used the Repubes to their advantage.

All they want is Bush in power, because he does their bidding.

1. Leave Saudi Arabia? Check.
2. Attack Iraq to expose America's supposed motives and hatred of Islam? Check.
3. Bombing mosques to show that we are in a Crusade? Check.
4. Spend America into Bankruptcy (a la Russia)? Check.
5. Rob Americans of their freedoms and disrupt their daily lives with fear? Check.

You see, they can also watch tv and they see that Bush's cabal is in trouble, and they know that their videos send average Americans to the right, scared, and ready to follow Bushco again.

Not a conspiracy. Just smart on their part They prefer the Republicans because the Republicans do their bidding, however unintentionally.

Repubes know this too. Remember when in 2004 they were saying that Al Qaeda wants Dems to win? Remember, all words coming out of Repube's mouths are opposite of fact. They know that a credible argument can be made that their blind anger and stupid Neo-Con fantasies play into Al Qaeda's desires, so they quashed it by accusing the same of the opposition Dems, the trademark Rovian tactic.

[booley]

7. Great

So Both groups are just using each other with the rest of the world paying the price.

[mikelewis]

11. Very clever...

I think you could work this up into a real nice thread of its own. For years, the Pukes have been saying that it was the Dems that Al Qeada wanted however, if this was true, why would Bin Laden release that video prior to the 2004 election? Why would they rachet up the terror threats prior to every election since 9/11? Bin Laden either didn't know this would help the Pukes and hurt the party he supposedly wanted in the White House or he did know it and really wanted the Pukes to stick around. Since the last thing Al Qeada wants is a competent U.S. government on its heels, your approach is very sellable.

However, I still think that Bush Sr. and his crew are still either running Al Qeada or are at least in cahoots with them. This concept doesn't sell very well because it causes such a dramatic ideological shift. Your angle basically flips their entire argument on its head without causing people any a drastic ideological friction. Very clever...

and welcome to DU. If you post your thoughts on this topic, mine will be the first K & R.

[NOLADEM]

29. Thanks for the support and the welcome

I appreciate it.

I think I have too few posts to start any threads though.

I guess I am just relegated to hijacking the threads for now ;-)

[mikelewis]

32. Write it up and I'll post it for you...

if you like.

[liberal N proud]

8. No conspiracy and it's not a coincidence

It is a fact that Al Queda videos and tapes have been well timed to help the republicans when they are down.

[booley]

10. So how do we counter this

?

[CJCRANE]

19. Just ask

how come American troops are bogged down in Iraq when the al-Qaida leadership is roaming around quite freely in Pakistan?

[Beelzebud]

9. "Azzam the American" is probably filmed at CIA headquarters...

And i'm not even joking... Thats the sad part.

[GrantDem]

26. I agree...

I think the "American Al Qeuda" guy is the biggest joke. How can anyone take that seriously. It's almost like watching A Saturday Night Live skit.

[me b zola]

37. I agree

I just saw a clip of his tape that I had not seen yesterday. They showed "Azzam" saying things that were how the repubs charactorize Dem policies. It was like a cartoon, and I feel as though I have fallen down the rabbit hole.

[SmokingJacket]

12. Well... when would the tapes be NOT be suspiciously timed?

There's almost always something going on that the Repubs would prefer not to be in the news.

That said, I think all the damn tapes are fakes.

[Disturbed]

14. The Politics of Fear work well for al Q and

the Busholini Regime. Timing is the key. Both groups work at the proper timing of their War. Busholini and Remsfailed have complained about the success of al Q in their efforts to gain exposure, especially on TV. The Iraqi Occupation violence has been downplayed by the US Corp Media but the Regime complains that mostly the negatives are displayed. This War has been one of images, as well as force. The majority of the American public are just now starting to realize that Iraq is not the center of this "War On Terror", short hand for a battle against Radical Fundie Islam.

[booley]

36. I don't think it's just the timing

The content seems almost tailored to help the Republicans with thier talking points.

[me b zola]

38. I agree completely

I have thought about if I were a neocon what words would I have this guy say to advance the neocon agenda--"Azzam" gives a perfect performance for the neocons.

[spanone]

13. I would call it an astute observation.

[ComerPerro]

15. well, its clear that Al Qaeda wants Bush and Republicans to win

that's why they put out propaganda that will rally Americans behind BushCo and the GOP right before elections.

[leftofthedial]

16. The "war" on "terror" is a marketing campaign

run by the neocons and the war profiteers and oil companies

these are the commercials.

[CJCRANE]

18. The neocons need al-Qaida

more than muslims do.

Let's face it, what purpose does al-Qaeda play except to keep the base scared and ready to back the next pre-emptive war?

[CJCRANE]

17. I said the same thing

when the Fox News reporters were released: i.e. it was a black op set-up to propagate the "convert or die" meme.

(There was just something very strange about the whole incident, didn't fit the MO of Palestinians nor did it serve any Palestinian interest).

Same with this, it's all too convenient.

on edit: it seems to be working, I've seen quite a few hysterical posts right here on DU.

[Cleita]

20. Question? The name Al Queda was a name that was thrown

at us as a terrorist group after 9/11 back when we believed that in the face of a crisis the neo-con Republicans just might tell us the truth. I mean can someone really explain what Al Queda is? I know they used to show us those Al Queda recruitment camp commercials that were created under Osama, but since all this has been broken up, exactly who is Al Queda?

I don't believe for a minute that there aren't terrorist groups around the world who have American and Americans in their gunsights but are they really Al Queda? If our CIA hadn't been compromised and neutered we might have operatives working on intelligence about these groups right now, however, I don't think that is happening. I don't believe Al Queda is real anymore.

Oh, btw I think bin Ladin is dead and BushCo know that. He's a convenient bugaboo to keep trotting out every now and then to distract and scare us.

[CJCRANE]

22. This also shows how the MSM works.

ONE Fox News reporter is held at gunpoint and asked to convert but because this makes the headlines the freepers can generalise and say ALL muslims want to kill unbelievers etc.

Then ONE strange guy called Azzam the American pops up and says the same thing and reinforces the meme.

I mean who is this guy? He's just some f*cker with a camcorder, what suddenly makes him the global spokesman for the religion?

[Telly Savalas]

23. The U.S. is an election cycle about half the time

and the Republicans are constantly in some sort of trouble. There's not really such a thing as "suspicious timing".

[CJCRANE]

25. How come the terror alerts

stopped completely straight after the '04 election?

(Even John Ashcroft said after the election that they had defeated terrorism, and B*sh went on his Social Security tour).

Then all of a sudden the Brits implement an American-style terror alert system on August 1st this year, then BAM on the 10th we got an "apocalyptic" terror alert...

on edit: and non-stop terror scares since then.

[Telly Savalas]

27. There were numerous "terror scares" between the last election

and Aug. 1, 2006.

I'm not arguing that Bush and the GOP aren't trying breed a culture of fear which they will try to exploit at the polls. Without a doubt they are.

I'm just saying this idea of "suspicious timing" implies there must be a "non-suspicious time." In the last 12-18 months, was there ever a day when a terror scare couldn't be explained as a distraction tactic by the GOP? If not, then all timing is "suspicious timing" which renders the term meaningless.

[CJCRANE]

28. I disagree

the nature of the alerts seems to have suddenly ramped up in the last month, however it's subjective as I don't have the means to analyse news reports of the last 12-18 months.

However, even if the "suspicious timing" idea is negated, it is still possible that these terror scares are still an ongoing form of manipulation.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

24. Can anyone explain how forcible conversions of Americans to Islam is

supposed to happen? Any plausible mechanism? LOL

[PresidentWar]

30. Yes. It involves gift certificates, free microwaves and movie passes.

/sarcasm

Seriously, though...its amazing what Americans will accept given half a stupid bribe.

If you want evidence, see how many peoples' votes the rethugs bribed with pResident asshole's 300 dollar giveaway.

[NOLADEM]

31. It is not to be forcible

It is considered a last offer before they kill you for being an infidel.

It is a last rites of sorts.

The Koran calls for this if I recall correctly...you must offer your enemy an opportunity to convert or they kill you. (See Jill Carroll and the Fox News guys.)

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

33. Again, aside from individuals being kidnapped, any plausible mechanism

for any significant number of Americans to be forcibly converted to Islam?

With what amphibious landing ships, and what army or marine force, supported by what air force and navy, are the Islamic folks going to forcibly convert any significant number of Americans?

[NOLADEM]

39. Again, it is not about forcing anything...

It is about them feeling they have permission from Allah to kill us.

They have hoops to jump through before senseless killing starts just like we do. In America, the gubment lies to scare the shit out of the people, the congress spends money we dont have, the prez gives a speech about how it is sad we have to kill, and then we start bombing 1 second after midnight on the given deadline.

In al qaeda, they get the blessing of the religious leader they follow, pray, cite koranic verses, make a martyrdom tape, their leadership offers a 'last offer' and then they kill.

Not so different from us. Just different hats, different words and more beards. Still senseless, inhumane insanity.

They are NOT expecting for us to convert. In fact, it probably would throw them off like hell if we did. They just want to not feel guilty about killing, and if we refuse to worship their god, that is all they need to dehumanize us and kill us. Ya know, just like when Bushco makes impossible demands on whatever country he wants to bomb next.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

41. The reason I ask this question is because of the WWIII rhetoric and all

the freeperesque "They're going to have us all speaking Arabic" kind of talk, without any examination of how such a thing could be possible, and the military asymnetry that makes people resort to terrorism in the first place.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

34. Yes and no.

Suspicion of collusion be Al-Quaeda and the American government is nonsense of the kind that gets conspiracy theorists a bad name.

On the other hand, I think it's more likely than not that the timing of this video is an attempt by Al-Quaeda to influence the American elections, although in what way I don't know.

[Kazak]

40. Gee, what, a few days before the '04 election?

Quite the koinkidink, no?

:eyes: