Neocons Connect Author Blum to Osama

As noted by Wayne Madsen, it is very peculiar that Osama bin Laden finds it necessary to quote author William Blum in his latest communiqué. “Bin Laden quotes from the introduction of a book written by long-time Washington, DC progressive author and journalist and a friend of mine, Bill Blum,” writes Madsen. “Bill was once an editor and contributor to Covert Action Quarterly, a magazine devoted to exposing CIA operations like the arming, funding, and training of Bin Laden and his mujaheddin guerrillas during the Afghan-Soviet war.” As Blum essentially defends the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, and Osama was ostensibly against the Soviet intervention, it makes absolutely no sense for the dead Wahhabi fanatic to quote Blum—in fact, it is completely irrational and entirely unbelievable.

It’s obvious what is going on here—the Straussian neocons are attempting to connect Blum to terrorism. Since Blum’s book (Rogue State: A Guide to the World’s Only Superpower) is essential reading for those of us who want to understand how U.S. interventionism works—and understanding this process is a direct threat to both the neocons and their neolib fellow travelers—it makes sense for the fake CIA-contrived Osama to make mention of it, regardless of the irrationality of the effort.

Here is what the fake Osama had to say about Blum:

“If you (Americans) are sincere in your desire for peace and security, we have answered you. And if Bush decides to carry on with his lies and oppression, then it would be useful for you to read the book Rogue State, which states in its introduction: ‘If I were president, I would stop the attacks on the United States: First I would give an apology to all the widows and orphans and those who were tortured. Then I would announce that American interference in the nations of the world has ended once and for all.’”

“Here’s a top terrorist, hiding out in Pakistan or Afghanistan somewhere, and yet he seems to be familiar with the latest releases from an outfit in Monroe, Maine, called Common Courage Press, the publisher of the Blum book,” writes Cliff Kincaid for the National Ledger.

Blum tells me in an email that Osama bin Laden’s favorable citation of his book was a welcome development. “I hope it helps my book sales,” Blum says. “I’m swamped with media interviews.”

Blum says that if he were president, he would cut the U.S. defense budget by 90 percent and “announce that America’s global interventions have come to an end and inform Israel that it is no longer the 51st state of the union…”

The fact that bin Laden would cite the Blum book demonstrates that bin Laden is counting on a fifth column in the U.S. to undermine the war on terrorism and hand him a victory on the battlefield.

I’d revise this—since Osama is dead and buried—to read as follows: the fact the Straussian neocons would have a fake Osama cite the Blum book demonstrates that they are preparing to portray critics of the invasion as traitorous fifth columnists working for “Islamofascists” and thus should be dealt with, especially considering the fact the Straussian neocons are preparing to attack Iran and, of course, this will swell the ranks of the antiwar movement in America. It is designed to send a message: if you disagree with the murderous neocons, you are a traitor working in league with Osama and his intrepid cave dwellers. It’s an amplification of Bush’s “you’re either with us or the terrorists” mantra.

Addendum

If indeed the neocons figured they’d vilify Bill Blum by attaching him to the obviously fake Bin Laden, it backfired tremendously. “An unexpected endorsement from al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has resulted in a huge jump in sales for a book by a critic of U.S. foreign policy,” reports Reuters. “William Blum’s ‘Rogue State: A Guide to the World’s Only Superpower’ was ranked 209,000 on Amazon.com’s sales list before bin Laden mentioned it in an audiotape released on Thursday. By Friday, the book was No. 30 on the Amazon.com list.”

Unfortunately, it appears Bill believes, like far too many Americans, that Osama is alive and somehow an advocate of his book, which is difficult to believe, to say the least, especially with all the evidence out there to contrary (at minimum, the last few Osamas on video and audio tape are not the same Osama of earlier productions).

Regardless, it appears Blum is selling books like hotcakes and that’s great because his books go a long way in explaining the predatory and even downright evil nature of the foreign policy of the United States.

Finally, in an email earlier this evening, Bill told me the quote in question does not appear in Rogue Nation, thus demonstrating that the dead Osama, the neocons, and the corporate media are clueless.


Articles by: Kurt Nimmo

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