Problems Won’t Vanish After Bin Laden

As an American Muslim, I have no doubt that Osama bin Laden sponsored the horrific attacks of Sept. 11. He has all but admitted as much in earlier videotapes, often in chilling fashion. In the final analysis, however, the release of the purported “smoking gun” videotape (Dec. 14) will probably not have a significant impact on world opinion. Those who accept Bin Laden’s culpability need no convincing, and those who doubt his involvement will not be convinced.

A more relevant issue concerns the failure of the Bush administration to rally more than lukewarm support for the war on terrorism from the Muslim and Arab worlds. Our leaders have spent more time preaching to the Muslim world than genuinely engaging citizens of Muslim countries in a productive exchange of ideas. In many instances, efforts to win the hearts and minds of the Muslim world have been clumsy if not outright counterproductive. For example, attempting to suppress the release of some Bin Laden videotapes, while heavily promoting this particular one, may be viewed in some quarters as manipulative.

We have entered a frightening era, and genuine reconciliation between the West and the Muslim world assumes an even greater urgency. The subtexts of the current conflict--the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people, the humanitarian nightmare of Iraq, the long-festering crisis in Kashmir and the absence of political freedoms in this region--will not vanish with the demise of Bin Laden.

Basil Abdelkarim

Torrance

The Bin Laden transcript states: “We were at (inaudible) when the event took place. We had notification since the previous Thursday that the event would take place that day.” Note, he says “we had notification since the previous Thursday.”

Who is “we” and, more important, who provided that notification? Who picked the date? Since 9/11 is highly symbolic and Bin Laden was merely informed, who really coordinated this? A bigger mastermind? A co-conspirator of higher authority? Was Bin Laden just the “banker and co-conspirator”?

Don Altfeld

Los Angeles

The world has now seen and heard the Bin Laden tape. Will any mullah, anywhere, have the courage of his convictions to issue a fatwa against the man who has blasphemed Islam more than any other in history?

Howard Rosen

Los Angeles

Watching Bin Laden gloat about the Sept. 11 tragedies reminded me of Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf making jokes and the press laughing as he showed videotapes of Iraqi soldiers dying.

Thomas Haskin

La Mesa