05:55 AEST Sat Nov 8 2008

Al-Qaeda in Iraq has urged US president-elect Barack Obama to adopt a policy of neutrality in the war-torn country and to withdraw US troops from there and other Muslim countries.

"On behalf of my brothers in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, and Chechnya, I offer you what is better for you and us: you return to your previous era of neutrality, you withdraw your forces, and you return to your homes," said an audiotape attributed to Omar al-Baghdadi, head of the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq.

The tape, whose authenticity could not be verified, was addressed to the "New Rulers of the White House and All Their Allies, Presidents of Christian Countries".

It was made available by SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors Islamist websites. Because it does not mention Obama by name, SITE said it assumed the recording was made prior to Tuesday's US elections.

The message also said the "unjust" wars launched in Muslim countries were the "principal cause of the collapse of the economic giant".

Earlier this week, the Islamic Army in Iraq, an ultra-conservative Sunni Muslim insurgent group, said Obama would not do anything beneficial for Iraq.

A message posted on the IAI website and dated Tuesday said: "We should not forget that no president is able to cross the line against American interests; rather, they all have to race to achieve them.

"Therefore, the new president will not intend to offer what is beneficial to our countries," said the message, also published by SITE.

"Whatever the results may be, the world today desperately needs to change the unjust American foreign policy that threatens stability and world peace. It harms the peoples of the world, and damages America and its reputation in the globe.

"It is in the interest of the new American administration to move away from the game of creating disasters and blaming them on an invisible enemy ... and has fictitious titles and banners such as war on terror - and supporting them for the goal of plundering wealth and striking Islam."

The IAI first appeared in 2004 and became notorious for the grisly beheading of foreign hostages. It had been allied with al-Qaeda in Iraq, but split with that group last year.

The IAI, which has suffered from internal divisions, has not been a key player in the insurgency since then.

http://optuszoo.news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=662419



Kinda cool it's already Saturday in Australia.

They're just getting over their hangovers and I haven't even started mine....



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what is the objection to this?


What war ever stopped or "won" (sigh) without engaging in talks with both sides?

Here is a question.

I can't seem to find a transcript of the 22 minute audio. Why not? (why do these statements from our "enemy" never available to understand what we're up against...apparently, we're just supposed to believe everything reported to us).

Secondly, of all the descriptions of this audio message posted on Al-Hesbah, WHAT is it that we (American citizens) are supposed to be offended over (I am assuming that was the reaction you hawks are looking for)

This post has been edited by brophy: Nov 8 2008, 02:22 PM

Do I get put on a watch list if I say I agree with that?