05 May 2011 By Stephen Lendman Winston Churchill rightly
explained that "(a) lie gets halfway around the world
before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." He
said it perhaps before television. For sure before
24-hour cable TV and modern technology instantly
communicating globally. It applies to Obama's latest lie,
announced at 11:35PM EDT on bin Laden, saying: "Tonight, I can report to the
American people and to the world that the United
States has conducted an operation that killed Osama
bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist
who's responsible for the murder of thousands of
innocent men, women, and children." Highlighting 9/11, he
painstakingly discussed everything but the truth.
America's media repeated it. Celebratory crowds in
front of the White House, in Times Square, and at
"ground zero" cheered it past midnight, mindlessly
believing a lie. More on that below. On May 1, New York Times writers
Peter Baker, Helene Cooper and Mark Mazzetti
headlined, "Bin Laden Is Dead, Obama says:
continuing: Calling him "the mastermind of
the most devastating attack on American soil in modern
times and the most hunted man in the world," Obama
announced his death Sunday night, declaring "justice
has been done." Cheerleading, not reporting,
Baker, Cooper and Mazzetti called his "demise....a
defining moment in the American-led fight against
terrorism, a symbolic stroke affirming the
relentlessness of the pursuit of those who attacked
New York and Washington on Sept. 11, 2001." New Year's eve arrived early in
America, celebrating a lie, the "bewildered herd"
again seduced by presidential deception. A USA Today editorial headlined,
"At last, bin Laden is dead," saying: "Could there be any more
satisfying words to hear?" The Boston Globe highlighted "a
moment of unity" after nearly a decade of war, calling
Obama's announcement a "vindication of a manhunt
spanning presidential administrations, and involving
numerous agencies and countless intelligence
officers." AP quoted Bill Clinton saying: "I congratulate the president,
the national security team and the members of our
armed forces on bringing Osama bin Laden to justice
after more than a decade of murderous al Qaeda
attacks." House speaker John Boehner (R.
OH) said it was "great news..." House Democrat leader Nancy
Pelosi called it "historic." Senate Democrat leader Harry Reid
"reaffirm(ed) our resolve to defeat the terrorist
forces that killed (9/11 victims) and thousands of
others across the globe." Expect lots more cheerleading
ahead, led by major media reports doing what they do
best, providing sanitized, managed news, not truth. Post-9/11, bin Laden became "Enemy Number One," the nation's top "security threat." In fact, if he hadn't existed, he'd have been invented for political advantage. In March 1985, after Ronald Reagan signed National Security Decision Directive (NSDD) 166 to arm Afghan Mujahideen fighters, Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) recruited bin Laden to fight Soviet Afghan forces as a CIA asset. He likely remained one until his death, while simultaneously called "Enemy Number One," using him advantageously both ways. David Ray Griffin wrote seminal books on 9/11, including "The New Pearl Harbor," "The 9/11 Commission Report," "9/11 and American Empire," "9/11 Contradictions," "Mysterious Collapse of World Trade Center 7," and "Osama Bin Laden: Dead of Alive?" It was also the title of his October 9, 2009 Global Research article, covering two types of evidence: (1) Objective evidence that he's dead: After December 13, 2001, his regularly intercepted messages stopped. On December 26, 2001, according to "a leading Pakistani newspaper" story, a prominent Taliban official said he attended his funeral. Bin Laden, in fact, was very ill with kidney disease. In September 2001, CBS News anchor Dan Rather reported that he was admitted to a Rawalpindi, Pakistan hospital on September 10, 2001, and France's Le Figaro said: "Dubai....was the backdrop of a secret meeting between Osama bin Laden and the local CIA agent in July (2001). A partner of the administration of the American Hospital....claims that (bin Laden) stayed (there) between the 4th and 14th of July (and) received visits from many members of his family as well as prominent Saudis and Emiratis. (During the same period), the local CIA agent, known to many in Dubai, was seen taking (the hospital's) main elevator (to) bin Laden's room." Why not if he was a valued asset. In July 2002, "CNN reported that (his) bodyguards had been captured in February of that year, adding: 'Sources believe that if the bodyguards were captured away from bin Laden, it is likely the most wanted man in the world is dead." Finally, despite Washington offering a $25 million reward for information leading to his capture or killing, no one came forward. (2) Testimonial evidence of his death: In 2002, influential "people in a position to know" that he died included: -- Pakistan President Musharraf; -- FBI counterterrorism head Dale Watson; -- Oliver North saying, "I'm certain that Osama is dead....and so are all the other guys I stay in touch with;" -- Afghanistan President Karzai; -- Israeli intelligence saying supposed bin Laden messages were fake; and -- Pakistan's ISI "confirm(ing) the death of....Osama bin Laden (and) attribut(ing) the reasons behind Washington's hiding (the truth) to the desire of (America's hawks) to use the issue of al Qaeda and international terrorism to invade Iraq." Other evidence includes former CIA case officer Robert Baer telling National Public Radio (NPR): "Of course he's dead." Then in March 2009, "former Foreign Service officer Angelo Codevilla published an essay in the American Spectator entitled 'Osama bin Elvis,' " saying: "Seven years after (bin Laden's) last verifiable appearance among the living, there is more evidence of Elvis's presence among us than for his." Griffin also explained fake messages and videos, saying today's advanced technology can fool experts, but not all of them. For years, bin Laden tapes surfaced at strategically-timed moments. Consider one on Friday, September 7, 2007 ahead the sixth 9/11 anniversary. Hector Factor's Neal Krawetz, a digital image forensics expert, said it was full of low quality visual and audio splices, a likely fake. Striking also was bin Laden's beard that was gray in recent images. In this one, it was black. In addition, he was dressed in a white hat and shirt, as well as a yellow sweater, the same attire as on an October 29, 2004 video. Moreover, the background, lighting, desk and camera angle were identical. Krawetz noted that "if you overlay the 2007 and 2004 videos, bin Laden's face is the same (unaged)." Only his beard was darker, and the picture contrast was adjusted. Most important are the edits showing obvious splices, at least six video ones in all. Even more audio ones were used that appeared to be words and phrases spliced together, making Krawetz suspect a vocal imitator was used. A Final Comment Clear evidence showed bin Laden died years ago, likely in December 2001. However, reporting it was concealed to pursue America's "war on terror." As a result, "Enemy Number One" was used to stoke fear as pretext for imperial wars on Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Libya, perhaps others now planned, and numerous proxy ones in Somalia, Yemen, Bahrain, Palestine, Central Africa, Colombia, and elsewhere. Griffin wrote his bin Laden book, hoping to shorten America's wars. He also wished to expose "fake bin Laden tapes (used as) one part of an extensive propaganda operation....furthering the militarization of America and its foreign policy" while popular needs go begging. Obama's latest lie left America's imperial agenda unchanged. In fact, his announcement likely bolsters public support for what's clearly become unpopular, saying: "(T)hink back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11," urging people to show it again despite how militarism harms their security, well-being and futures by draining funds badly needed for domestic needs. Instead, expect increasing amounts used for corporate handouts and wars, Obama as uncaring about human needs as extremist Republicans. He's also an inveterate liar.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening. http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/. Comments 💬 التعليقات |