"We do not negotiate with terrorists, we put them out of business."

AP: CIA Confirms It's Bin Laden on Audiotape---

CAIRO, Egypt - Al-Jazeera on Thursday aired an audiotape from Osama bin Laden, who says al-Qaida is making preparations for attacks in the United States but offers a truce on "fair" but undefined conditions. The CIA has authenticated the voice on the tape as that of bin Laden, an agency official said.

I don't think I trust bin Laden's definition of "fair." To him, "fair" would mean the surrender of the United States into his control, the ability to kill countless freedom-lovers, and we would have to stop bombing his friends.

The tape's release came days after a U.S. airstrike in Pakistan that was targeting bin Laden's deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, and reportedly killed four leading al-Qaida figures, including possibly al-Zawahri's son-in-law. There was no mention of the attack on the segments that were broadcast.

It was the first tape from the al-Qaida leader in more than a year — the longest period without a message since the Sept. 11 2001 suicide hijackings in the United States.

The al-Qaida leader is believed to be hiding in the border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Al-Jazeera said the tape was recorded in the Islamic month that corresponds with December.

Bin Laden refers to an alleged comment by President Bush about bombing the Qatar headquarters of Al-Jazeera, which was first reported in the British press on Nov. 22.

He also refers indirectly to the July 7 bombings in London that killed 56 people and to poll numbers that showed a fall in Bush's popularity, as occurred in late 2005.

U.S. counterterror officials said Thursday they have seen no specific or credible intelligence to indicate an upcoming al-Qaida attack on the country.

The United States will not let up in the war on terror despite the threats on the tape, said White House press secretary Scott McClellan. "We do not negotiate with terrorists," McClellan said. "We put them out of business."

Exactly right. Unfortunately, Libs would prefer to surrender to the terrorists, never mind just negotiate. They think we wronged the bad guys, who have every right to be upset. The big, bad United States (never mind our encouragement of freedom and democracy all over the world, never mind our billions of dollars in aid to everyone, never mind we keep the world going) is wicked and al Qaeda and friends are only trying to even things out.

Thank God we have a President who is courageous enough to put the terrorists out of business, on the run, (and let's not forget DEAD).

More of bin Laden sounding like a spokesman for the DNC:

In the tape, bin Laden said he was directing his message to the American people after polls showed that "an overwhelming majority of you want the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq but (Bush) opposed that desire."

He said insurgents were winning the conflict in Iraq and warned that security measures in the West and the United States could not prevent attacks there.

"The proof of that is the explosions you have seen in the capitals of European nations," he said "The delay in similar operations happening in America has not been because of failure to break through your security measures. The operations are under preparation and you will see them in your homes the minute they are through (with preparations), with God's permission."

The al-Qaida leader did not spell out conditions for a truce in the excerpts aired by Al-Jazeera.

"We do not mind offering you a long-term truce with fair conditions that we adhere to," he said. "We are a nation that God has forbidden to lie and cheat. So both sides can enjoy security and stability under this truce so we can build Iraq and Afghanistan, which have been destroyed in this war.

"There is no shame in this solution, which prevents the wasting of billions of dollars that have gone to those with influence and merchants of war in America," he said.

In an Arabic transcription of the entire tape on the Al-Jazeera Web site — but not aired — bin Laden makes an oblique reference to how to prevent new attacks on the United States, but does not specify if these are conditions for a truce.

Bin Laden tells Americans that "if you are sincere in your desire for peace and security, and if Bush refuses to do anything but continue lies and oppression," then he recommends Americans read a book entitled "The Rogue State," apparently a reference to a book of that title by political analyst William Blum. The book has been published in Arabic.

(For a translation, see this post at The Corner by Walid Phares and see this one as well Update: and the AP's translation) Scary the way the leading Dems sound just like this: "this war is getting too expensive," "we aren't winning," "we shouldn't have gone to war," "these places are in worse shape than before."

Except, neither bin Laden nor the Liberals are right.

Freedom is priceless. If you can put a price on it, then you don't value it as you ought to. Liberals are so gung-ho to spend billions and billions of dollars on silly, useless, and wasteful programs, but if the President wants to spend money on the worthiest cause of all, preserving freedom around the world, the Democrats act like Scrooge: We can't spend money! How dare you spend all this money!

We are winning the War on Terror. When was the last terror attack on the United States? On 9/11, I thought there would be attacks every day. It has been over four years and nothing. Even overseas, there haven't been that many terror attacks. Liberals say that going to war will induce more terror attacks, but their words have not been affirmed by anything in real life. If that were the case, we would see Islamic Extremists (aka Fundamentalists aka Muslims) carrying out attacks all over the world, on a constant basis. Not happening. Afghanistan and Iraq are both becoming better, free states. Both have had FREE ELECTIONS and are creating DEMOCRATIC governments. The people are better off than they have ever been. Yes, there is still violence. No, not everything is perfect. But, you cannot expect perfection, so soon, in such places, that have only known tyranny, violence, and horror. Even here in the US, it took time for our new government and country to run smoothly.

We are winning the War on Terror. If one trusts the MSM, then one does not see it, but it is the case. We just aren't told the awe-inspiring stories. We don't get to see the buildings being raised, the schools being opened, the women being liberated (which Liberals usually claim to love), the men not fearing being tortured under a murderous regime. We don't see the lives saved. We don't see any of this because the MSM/Libs prefer us to see the bad. Remember, "if it bleeds, it leads." They don't want to give George W. Bush and and the greatest Military ever and the Republican Party get any credit. These are the same people who wanted to preserve slavery and segregation. These are the same people who want to selfishly hoard freedom to themselves and deny it to the rest of the world. The same people who tell us it isn't ok to have Christmas in schools or prayers before meetings. But, we will win because Right always wins. Right will ultimately win all.

And because Right will ultimately win, we have a duty to assist wherever we can. If that means going to war, to help others attain freedom, then so be it. As Abraham Lincoln wrote, "Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, can not long retain it."

Is it a better strategy to wait for the threat to fully materialize? Or is it better to cut the head off before it reaches maturity? (We all know the terrorists like to cut literal heads off. I'm speaking figuratively) Regardless of whether Saddam Hussein had a big red button in his hand, one that would set off a nuclear weapon, he was a threat. He was a threat in that he harbored terrorists, stockpiled weapons, and behaved in a manner threatening to civilized and free societies. He could have got any weapon he wanted. He could have used it. Should we have let it happen? Should we all have been appeasers, like the Liberals?

The peoples of Afghanistan and Iraq are free. They are FREE. Freedom is worth more than anything on this earth. If one does not have freedom, then one has no control over anything, not even one's right to life. One can't really own property or make choices, because at any time, the tyrannous regime might take them away from you. There is no longer fear of this in those countries.

Things always look worse before they get better, but they do get better. It takes hard work and more sacrifice and sometimes grief, but eventually, one looks up to see blue skies and a bright sun and one breaths in the fresh, free air.

As long as there are men who want to deny freedom to the peoples of Afghanistan and Iraq, there will be difficulties and grief. If the newly freed people can stand together and fight it, there is nothing they cannot over come. They have made such progress, but they still need our help. They don't not want to go back to the old ways. They won't let it happen.

This War on Terror is much too important to the present and future to allow the Liberals and al Qaeda to end it. Our freedom is wrapped up in the freedom of the Afghans, the Iraqis, and any others who so desire it, but have not been given the help they need to grasp it.

Again, as Abraham Lincoln wrote:

"In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free -- honorable alike in what we give, and what we preserve. We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last best, hope of earth."