Guest post by Beejj
The best part of the Times piece is the 11 slide pictures that accompany it. It’s remarkable how at-home Obama appears amongst the clitoridectomists. And, of course, there’s not a woman to be seen anywhere. No doubt the Saudis will have done their bit to programme him for his forthcoming Cairo speech, so we’ll await his words of profound wisdom. Meanwhile, Israel, keep your powder dry…
Osama bin Laden emerged from the shadows yesterday to deliver a scathing attack on President Obama minutes after the US leader landed in Saudi Arabia to begin his landmark visit to the Middle East.
In advance of Mr Obama’s keenly anticipated speech to the Islamic world in Cairo today, bin Laden accused him of “antagonising Muslims” and inflaming hatred against America by backing Pakistan’s recent crackdown on militants in the Swat Valley.
Bin Laden’s message came a day after his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, surfaced to attack the White House’s new incumbent. Middle East analysts say that the two tapes indicate growing concern in al-Qaeda’s leadership about Mr Obama’s arrival on the world stage when their influence over the increasingly splintered terror network is waning.
As Mr Obama held talks with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, after landing in Riyadh, the al-Qaeda leader’s audiotape was being broadcast on news channels globally. It is his third public message this year but the first time he has used such murderous and threatening language against Mr Obama.
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