I don't think it's Osama

Okay, maybe I was wrong. I haven't had time to look further into the tape this weekend, and it seems like I got some of my facts mixed up. I'd like to delete the post, but since I don't believe in deleting something even though it could make me look bad, I'll just make it really, really hard to read.

Although I'm still not sure. I've searched for a full and complete transcript of the tape for the past half hour, and I've come up empty handed. But from the snippets of it I've heard and read, it just doesn't convey Osama's oratory stylings. For example, I see no religious overtones in these current statements supposedly from Osama's mouth. I like to joke that this is a man whose every other word is "Allah"... While he's not that bad, Osama's past statements have all had heavy religious overtones. From what I gather of this new tape, that's that the case.

And his mention of Bush reading "My Pet Goat" is odd. Since when did Osama watch movies from Hollywood? This is a man so religious that he would have had people like Saddam killed for drinking alcohol and enjoying western films. I mean, Osama was the man exiled to a country where televisions were illegal, ferchristssake. No matter what your opinion of Osama or Michael Moore is, I highly doubt that Osama watched Fahrenheit 9/11 -- Or any Hollywood film, for the matter.

Of course, Osama dropping an F9/11 reference is a great way to discredit liberals. Hmmm, how convenient! Especially such a reference being dropped less than a week before election day...

I'd like to read the full transcript before making my decision, but right now I really think this tape is a fake.

...hmmm. There's this transcript from CNN (thanks Rimone), but it looks too short. Wasn't Osama's viedo 18 minutes long?

If time allows, I'll be sure to read Juan Cole's analysis today. If he thinks it's Osama, then who am I to judge?

Robert Fisk is also an authority on all things Osama, I wonder what he has to say...