Convenient

The timing of the release of today's video of Osama bin Laden meeting some of the 9/11 hijackers is perhaps a little too convenient for a number of reasons.

For one thing it should draw attention away from George W Bush's admission yesterday that the CIA has covert jails around the world holding many high profile Al Qaeda leaders. These jails of course being outrageous given that their prisoners are divorced from the American justice system and that doubtless torture and deprivation are regular tactics of the US spy agency. If they didn't have to worry about Al-Qaeda they might actually demand some kind of accountability from their Commander in Chief.

Secondly it will obviously remind Americans of that tragic day now almost five years old. Let's whip up the hysteria and beat the shit out of some Muslims. Why not? And remember voters that Democrats are defeatist and the Republicans have led the (largely failed) struggle against Al-Qaeda and their allies in Saddam's Iraq. Oh wait, you didn't know there was a mid-term election in November? Surprise!

And with any news these days, the appearance of this video will draw attention away from the daily bombings in Iraq and the growing insurgency in Afghanistan. How many hundreds died today in the streets of Baghdad? How many NATO soldiers died in Helmand Province? Turn that down, bin Laden is speaking--let's quake with fear together.

Al Qaeda certainly has a flare from the dramatic as we all witnessed five years ago. But Osama, why release this tape now if you've had it sitting on your shelf since well before 9/11? You should have busted that shit out the day after 9/11 to tell us who broke our beautiful twin towers and crushed our more beloved economy. To be honest we never really knew.

I will propose that this tape fell into the hands of the American military probably after the invasion of Afghanistan and they are now choosing to release it for the reasons outlined above. But maybe Osama just lost it in amongst his porn and Die Hard videos. Just like his buddy Kim Jong-il.

Why the wait? That should be the question on everyone's mind. For now this release seems too perfectly timed for the Bush Administration.