Al Qaeda’s Zawahiri Rebuts McCain: It’s ‘In The Interest’ Of Al Qaeda To See Iran Fail
Al Qaeda’s Zawahiri Rebuts McCain: It’s ‘In The Interest’ Of Al Qaeda To See Iran Fail
Recently, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has repeatedly claimed that Iran and al Qaeda are working together to defeat the United States in Iraq. During a March 18 press conference, for example, McCain claimed that Iranian operatives were “taking al-Qaeda into Iran, training them and sending them back.”
Al Qaeda begs to differ. Danger Room’s Noah Shachtman finds that in a new online Q&A session, Ayman al-Zawahiri — the terrorist organization’s number two leader — clearly states al Qaeda wants Iran to fail in Iraq:
The dispute between America and Iran is a real dispute based on the struggle over areas of influence, and the possibility of America striking Iran is a real possibility. As for what might happen in the region, I can only say that major changes will occur in the region, and the situation will be in the interest of the Mujahideen if the war saps both of them. If, however, one of them emerges victorious, its influence will intensify and fierce battles will begin between it and the Mujahideen, except that the Jihadi awakening currently under way and the degeneration state of affairs of the invaders in Afghanistan and Iraq will make it impossible for Iran or America to become the sole decision-maker in the region.
McCain’s campaign may try to dismiss Zawahiri’s statement as the crazy ranting of a terrorist leader. In the past, however, the senator has embraced statements by al Qaeda’s Osama bin Laden to prove his own points. On March 24 (the day marking 4,000 U.S. troop deaths in Iraq), McCain said that he and Gen. David Petraeus agree with bin Laden on Iraq:
For the first time, I have seen Osama bin Laden and Gen. Petraeus in agreement, and that is, the central battleground in the battle against al-Qaeda is in Iraq today! That’s what bin Laden is saying, and that’s what Gen. Petraeus is saying, and that’s what I’m saying, my friends.
Watch it:
In a December interview, Zawahiri also said that Iran would receive no help from al Qaeda against a U.S. attack because Iran had “stabbed the Muslim Ummah in the back. It caused itself and the Shiites following it a historic disgrace. The signs of this stab will remain vivid in the Muslims’ memory for a very long time.”
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Cool, how about a YouTube debate between McCain and al-Zawahiri? Would McCain use his smarmiest version of “my friend“?
April 3rd, 2008 at 12:10 pmoh but come on, dont you know, whenever al-queeder says something that doesnt affirm screwball rightwing talking points, hes using brayer-rabbit reverse psychology… I mean, when bin laden says america taxes are too high, hes just trying to get us to raise taxes just to show him whose boss
just remember folks, even dick “saddam is building nukes and hanging out with the ringleader of 9-11″ cheney hasnt asserted a link between AQ and iran.. if theres so much evidence, why hasnt he brought it up? he hates iran and would love ANY excuse to bomb them…
April 3rd, 2008 at 12:10 pmMcCain will prove to be another idiot Republican who knows no more than what his handlers can write on note cards for him to read. He’s just like Bush, who has complicated topics explained to him like a third-grader–which means his discussions come off sounding like a third-grader when he tries to talk about things like Middle East issues. Sadly, this is because that’s all the depth these clowns are intellectually capable of handling.
April 3rd, 2008 at 12:17 pmWhat truly makes the claim that Iran is backing AQI so implausible is that AQI has been attacking and murdering far more Iraqi Shiites than Americans, including thousands of innocent women and children who have nothing whatsoever to do with the American occupation or the Iraqi government. This is because the ideology of Al Qaeda is Wahhabism, and the Wahhabis believe the Shiites are “takfir” – traitors to Islam. So they deserve to be attacked and killed just as much as us infidels, and murdering them in a suicide bombing is just as much a one-way ticket to Paradise.
So to suggest that Iran is backing AQI goes further than simply suggesting that they are backing the political rivals of their fellow Shiites in Iraq, against their own interest. It implies that the Iranians are knowingly subsidizing the mass murder of their fellow Shiites, which is absurd on its face.
McCain and his buddies in the Bush administration would understand this perfectly if they just opened their eyes to who really is backing Al Qaeda:
http://www.asecondlookatthesaudis.com
But then, that would be their bestest oil buddies in the Middle East.
April 3rd, 2008 at 12:20 pmum mcSTUPID, you just said be-tray-us and obl and YOU were all on the same page…. hmmm getting paid by the same people too i bet….
April 3rd, 2008 at 12:23 pmAnd on that last point, guess what AQI and the resurgent Taliban have in common (besides their hatred of Shiites)?
http://www.latimes.com
April 3rd, 2008 at 12:25 pmObviously, McSenile hasn’t got a clue. Hand that man some ginko biloba.
April 3rd, 2008 at 12:25 pmMcChange: ‘Changing Opinions for the Next 100 Years’
April 3rd, 2008 at 12:29 pmMcCain is setting himself up for a great series of Dem campaign ads in which he has to be corrected or retracts public announcements on Iraq & foreign policy, his big ol’ selling point.
Should be as popular as the John Kerry windsurfing flip flop visual. “About Face” McCain…
April 3rd, 2008 at 12:29 pmIf McCain put out a live triple-album of prog rock in the mid-70s, would it be called “Welcome Back, My Friends, to the Ignorance That Never Ends”?
April 3rd, 2008 at 12:31 pmNo doubt part of his manifesto will be an invasion of Africa, in order to break up the America-threatening alliance of lions and antelope.
April 3rd, 2008 at 12:48 pmLet’s also not forget the Zulu threat, the Ottoman Empire, the Mahdi Army (in 19th century, Sudan, not Iraq), and the Shogun.
April 3rd, 2008 at 12:53 pmIf Al Qaeda can’t put aside sectarian dogma long enough to support Hezbollah, which has repeatedly directly engaged Israel, it strains credulity to argue that it would cooperate with, let alone embrace a Shiite theocracy like Iran. I don’t take anything Al Qaeda says at face value but this one is pretty much obvious to anyone who knows the difference between Sunni and Shia and who isn’t convinced that Saddam was involved in 9/11.
April 3rd, 2008 at 12:53 pmYes, but Iran is the McEnemy, so McFlipFlop can say anything he wants about it/them/terrerists.
April 3rd, 2008 at 12:58 pmIsn’t everyone tired of having leadership in posessesion of a substandard intelligence? Haven’t we been embarrassed internationally enough?
Even most republicans I know agree that bush has been embarrasing and when you chuckle at things like this with mccain they usually look at the floor……
Seriously, bush’s gentlmans C has been verified by his inablility to manage even the smallest of governmental tasks sucessfully….
Compare these small minds to Jimmy Carter who was a Nuclear Physicist with an IQ above 150. Bill clinton with comperable intelligence.
Bush may break 100 but certainly not over 120 which is above average but he has refused all of his life to use if to it’s potential.
Mccain is so smart that he graduated 4th from last in his class….
I am tired of “Great Presidential moments” like those that letterman shows every night…..mccain will be just as embarrasing and damaging to our country….
We need someone with some intelligence for a change.
April 3rd, 2008 at 1:01 pmFred said – We need someone with some intelligence for a change.
Indeed. And well said, btw. When American tourists come back from foreign countries and, despite a language barrier, are hearing ‘Obama, Yes!’ from the locals, regardless of origin, I think we found that person of intelligence.
OTOH, McCrazy’s ‘foreign policy tour’ showed him, LIEberman & Graham cracker holding ‘press conferences’ to no one. And even with no one their, McCrazy still managed to misspeak.
I’ll take intelligence over belligerence anytime…
April 3rd, 2008 at 1:08 pmBillinChicago Says:
April 3rd, 2008 at 12:25 pm
And on that last point, guess what AQI and the resurgent Taliban have in common (besides their hatred of Shiites)?
But but I thought the Saudis and Iranians were friends now… They’re all kissing and holding hands and stuff.
April 3rd, 2008 at 1:09 pmRighties know they can cut loose with whatever flavor of lie is most convenient on these issues, because they know “the average voter” has no other information to go on, and is fundamentally un-interested in the dynamic details of Middle East politics and society. Those voters will take the easy way out, and believe anything someone from the Righty establishment blurts out re: turrur, turrurists, A-rabs, and Moozlums.
We will be undone by our own dumb, long before any external power could hope to undo us.
April 3rd, 2008 at 1:09 pmAnd I’ll correct ‘their’ to ‘there’ in #18. (Intelligence can be a fleeting attribute!)
April 3rd, 2008 at 1:10 pmAnd on that last point, guess what AQI and the resurgent Taliban have in common (besides their hatred of Shiites)?
http://www.latimes.com
I hope Keltoi shows up on this thread sometime today, because I had a long exchange with him yesterday, and this is one of the points I made. (He/she did not respond).
April 3rd, 2008 at 1:15 pmTom, I believe that has been true in the recent past but now Americans are feeling it…..the economy will turn their heads much quicker than anything we can say.
With the economy tanking and healthcare and other living costs skyrocketing and jobs evaporating I just think the dynamic has changed and eyes are opening for the first time in a while….fingers crossed.
April 3rd, 2008 at 1:16 pmBadmoodman Says:
April 3rd, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Cool, how about a YouTube debate between McCain and al-Zawahiri? Would McCain use his smarmiest version of “my friend“?
_____
Note to McCain – in Arabic “my friends” is “ya asdaqi.” If you wanted to be real smarmy you could use the more colloquial “ya habibi,” but then you’d just sound like an Egyptian pop star.
April 3rd, 2008 at 1:19 pmKeltoi is not really interested in responding to you….it’s all about keltoi. Here only to show you how smart he/she is and convince you that everything you have based your life on is wrong……you won’t get an equal discussion of your points.
April 3rd, 2008 at 1:20 pmpaleolib Says:
April 3rd, 2008 at 12:53 pm
This is key. McCain, like too many Republicans, doesn’t know and still can’t tell the difference between Sunni and Shia. I don’t think he ever will.
-AF
Andrew Sullivan Is A Fraud
April 3rd, 2008 at 3:45 pmWell Duh, the more unstable the country is, the better the chance that Al Q can move into a position of power. In the case of a strong government (or a strong central figure such as exists in Iran and which existed in Iraq under Saddam Hussein), Al Q represents a threat.
April 3rd, 2008 at 5:32 pmfrom swimming freestyle:
“The U.S., up to this point, has viewed Iraq through a prism of it’s own objectives, ignoring an Iraqi perspective: When will our involvement end? How do we define “victory”? It would not be in U.S. strategic interests to set withdrawal dates. Should we have a long term presence in Iraq? How do we stem Iranian influence in Iraq?
Following next week’s march, the Bush Administration could find itself caught between it’s own high minded proclamations about the Iraqi people’s quest for democracy and an unmistakable expression of Iraqi democracy: an Iraqi call for U.S. forces to get out of Iraq.”
http://swimmingfreestyle.typepad.com
April 3rd, 2008 at 6:44 pmfrom swimming freestyle:
“The U.S., up to this point, has viewed Iraq through a prism of it’s own objectives, ignoring an Iraqi perspective: When will our involvement end? How do we define “victory”? It would not be in U.S. strategic interests to set withdrawal dates. Should we have a long term presence in Iraq? How do we stem Iranian influence in Iraq?
Following next week’s march, the Bush Administration could find itself caught between it’s own high minded proclamations about the Iraqi people’s quest for democracy and an unmistakable expression of Iraqi democracy: an Iraqi call for U.S. forces to get out of Iraq.”
http://swimmingfreestyle.typepad.com
April 3rd, 2008 at 6:44 pmwhatsoever to do with the American occupation or the Iraqi government. This is because the ideology of Al Qaeda is Wahhabism, and the Wahhabis believe the Shiites are “takfir” – traitors to Islam. So they deserve to be attacked and killed just as much as us infidels, and murdering them in a suicide bombing is just as much a one-way ticket to Paradise.
So to suggest that Iran is backing AQI goes further than simply suggesting that they are backing the political rivals of their fellow Shiites in Iraq, against acer travelmate 350 battery,acer travelmate 352 battery their own interest. It implies that the Iranians are knowingly subsidizing the mass murder of their fellow Shiites, which is absurd on its face.
October 15th, 2008 at 8:02 am