I'm not buying it!

Bin Laden Threatens Attacks, Offers Truce

CAIRO, Egypt - Osama bin Laden warned in an audiotape aired Thursday that his fighters are preparing new attacks in the United States but offered the American people a "long-term truce" without specifying the conditions.

The tape, portions of which were aired on Al-Jazeera television, was the first from the al-Qaida leader in more than a year. It came only days after a U.S. airstrike in Pakistan that targeted bin Laden's deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, and reportedly killed four leading al-Qaida figures, possibly including al-Zawahri's son-in-law.

There was no mention of that attack in the tape, which Al-Jazeera said was recorded in January. The network initially reported it believed the tape was made in December, but later corrected itself on the air. Editors at the station said they could not comment on how they knew when it was made.

The CIA has authenticated the voice on the tape as that of bin Laden, an agency official said. The al-Qaida leader is believed to be hiding in the border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Osama is dead but there are a couple of groups that need for him to be alive. First, al-Qaeda needs for him to be alive. He is the prophet and leader. The central authority of the old al-Qaeda leadership has been slipping and they need to give it a boost. Second, the administration of George W. Bush needs for him to be alive. The alleged talk today could have been written by someone from the administration. A threat, the fear thing hasn't been working as well of late. Need to get the old adrenalin flowing in the flock of sheep again to distract from the illegal spying charges etc. But the CIA said it was Osama. OK, when has the CIA been right lately. That's a bit like Bill O'Reily telling me it was legitimate.

Osama bin Laden is dead!