Confederacy of Dunces

US rebuffs Bin Laden 'truce call'

Osama Bin Laden:

"We do not mind offering you a truce that is fair and long-term... so we can build Iraq and Afghanistan... there is no shame in this solution because it prevents wasting of billions of dollars.

I admit, not the most trustworthy source. Of course this guy isn't much better:

US Vice-President Dick Cheney rejected an apparent offer of a "long-term truce", describing it as a "ploy".

First of all, does anyone still give a fuck about what Dick Cheney thinks?

Speaking on the Fox News TV network, Mr Cheney said it was too early to draw firm conclusions about the tape, but added that al-Qaeda was "unlikely" ever to sit down and sign a truce.

"I think you have to destroy them. It's the only way with them," the vice-president said.

And we're doing an awesome job of it. Granted it is sort of hard when everything you do seems to send more and more people into the waiting arms of the very people you're fighting.

On Fox News, Mr Cheney said: "Obviously no-one can guarantee that we won't be hit again. But our nation has been protected by more than luck."

Barely. Nothing this administration has done has protected anyone in anyway. In fact it's the exact opposite. That Al Queda hasn't reaped mass havoc on this country with Bushco in charge is either a testament to Al Queda's incompetence or laziness.

Or maybe it's something else

The speaker on the tape said the reason there had not been an attack in the US since 11 September 2001 was not because of superior US security, but because the group had been engaged in activities in Iraq

Hey they should put Bin on the payroll (as if he's not already) and trot him out to make the talking head rounds because he's really pulling the administrations "we fight them there so we don't have to fight them here" line. They work so well together. Remember when they trotted him out to make his Michael Moore style speech right before the election? Terrorist mastermind/RNC schill - good work if you can get it.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan quickly dismissed the truce offer saying: "We do not negotiate with terrorists. We put them out of business".

God it's hilarious when pudgy duckmen try to talk tough.

The west frequently negotiates with "terrorists" and other assorted troublemakers with successfull results. To dismiss any peace talks out of hand is an act of perfidy and pride at the expense of innocent people.

The whole "we don't negotiate with terrorists" thing is nearsighted and imbecilic. We no longer have any moral high ground to decide who terrorists are. We use first strike, pre-emptive violence (against civilians) as much as any terrorist does to assert power, gain control and effect political change. But what this really comes down to is that the neo-con agenda won't allow for negotiatoins with terrorists because peace isn't part of their plan and they will never have another an enemy this well suited for their Straussian fantasy world. The negotiations have already taken place and Bin Laden is their man. They aren't letting him go anywhere.