Monday, February 1, 2010

"From Osama to Obama"

Osama bin Laden is the most infamous man of the 21st century. The Saudi jihadist has led al-Qaeda in acts of terror against the US since the late 1980s. On January 23rd bin Laden spoke for the first time since the botched Christmas day bombing. His message was short and concise with an unexpectedly new theme: Palestine.

It started by praising Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab and his attempted attack on the US before transitioning and showing a newly kindled interest in the Gaza strip predicament. He made it clear that Palestine now has the full support of al-Qaeda and warned, "America will never dream of living in peace unless we live it in Palestine. It is unfair that you enjoy a safe life while our brothers in Gaza suffer greatly. Therefore, with God's will, our attacks on you will continue as long as you continue to support Israel."

Bin Laden's address of Palestine is sure to reverberate throughout both the Arab and Muslim worlds. This support will only continue to heat the coals that fuel the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. For now though, both sides wait to see what happens in the aftermath of bin Laden's most recent declaration.

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