Interesting read from The Independent. Just goes to show that “al Qeada” was on it’s last legs before 9/11 and it’s only the response from the Bush admin that has kept it alive, apparently 9/11 was to be Bin Ladens last throw of the dice.

Benotman says that Bin Laden tried to placate him with a promise: “I have one more operation, and after that I will quit” – an apparent reference to 11 September. “I can’t call this one back because that would demoralise the whole organisation,” Benotman remembers Bin Laden saying.

So whose enemies are paramount in the minds of American policy makers, Israel’s or America’s? Must bin Laden and Zawahiri remain free forever while we ally with their friends and fight those they hate but do not threaten us?

props to Anders for putting this video together.

(xposted @ Random musings…)

The first Meet the Press after 9/11:

MR. RUSSERT: Why does he hate us so much?

VICE PRES. CHENEY: It must have something to do with his background, his own upbringing. He’s the son of a prominent Saudi family, successful business group with significant wealth. He went and served in Afghanistan with the mujahedeen during the war against the Russians, and he has, for whatever reason, developed this intense hatred of everything that relates to the United States. And his objective, obviously, is to try to influence our behavior to force us to withdraw from that part of the world, and clearly he’s not going to be successful. And…

MR. RUSSERT: He has stated unequivocally that he wants the United States out of the Middle East. He no longer wants the United States to be the ally of Israel. Will our relationship with Israel change in any way, shape or form because of this event?

VICE PRES. CHENEY: No. The fact of the matter is that the – we’ll not allow him to achieve his aims. We’re not about to change our policies…

Via Thomas DiLorenzo