OPINION: Bin Laden tape threatens U.S. nationals

By William Chamberlin
The Guardsman

Osama bin Laden released a new tape March 24 promising that the day the United States makes a decision to kill Khalid “Hero Warrior” Sheik Mohammed is the day bin Laden will order the execution of all American hostages.

Bin Laden often starts his messages in the name of Allah and peace, then proceeds to proclaim his will is that of the righteous, and that the U.S. is a vile oppressor unjustly tyrannizing his people with its support of Israel. He delivers them in a soft and confident tone, reassuring the listener that he deeply believes what he speaks.

In a tape released earlier this year, addressed to President Barack Obama, bin Laden begins by saying blessed are the followers of peace. The followers of peace?

Bin Laden holds no regard for human life. He professes godliness while subscribing to racism in the same sentence. He feels that U.S. support of Israel’s Palestinian occupation offers him spiritual immunity on all grounds. In his mind he is acting in the name of what is right.

He has followers who definitely believe in him. The temptation to be called apart from the rest of humanity — to have a greater purpose in life — is tantalizing. The promise of this purpose appeals to core elements of human nature: to be a part of a coalition, to have brothers in arms, and to make the world a better place.

But the reasoning behind threatening to kill all American hostages if a man who organized the death of thousands of innocent people is brought to justice, is so skewed it verges on madness. Bin Laden believes he can do no wrong.

What should have taken place is a prompt response upon delivery of the Fűhrer’s newest mandate: that every single American hostage be released and we will just give Mohammed life in prison (period). Let Mohammed rot in a cell instead of killing him, if it saves the lives of our families and loved ones.

Bin Laden has complained we mistreat his soldiers. To that, we can respond that his people wouldn’t have ever been in our custody had he not taken it upon himself to escalate this war in the Middle East by bringing it into the daily lives of U.S. citizens.

The situation with bin Laden is that he hates the West. That’s it. He’s got a blame-thrower and a bad case of trigger-finger. There is no reasoning with this man who, in his eyes, lives a righteous life.

The best response to this newest bin Laden tape is to capture him and hold him accountable for his crimes at all costs. Bin Laden is good at tying all these separate issues together and rallying the troops for a war. He’d probably be an amazing used car salesman. Perhaps another radical leader — one who opposes violence and hatred — could pick apart bin Laden’s reasoning for bringing more bloodshed to this planet.

Maybe there is no way to end this global issue aside from taking down the organizers of this war. In that line of reasoning we would need to hold Mohammed accountable in the most severe manner. We need to understand that submitting to bin Laden’s demands ensures that he keeps making them. It is time to make a serious counter offer: release the captives and Mohammed’s life will be spared.

Let’s put the ball in his court.