The Torture Offensive

I was wondering last night, does it make good political sense to push for torture ahead of an election? I saw a headline in a local rag up in the western part of the state, fairly Republican up there, "Bush wants to break Geneva Conevention on Torture". Not sure if that's accurate, but that was the jist of it. That doesn't play well, clearly, and the law of diminishing returns is always working against such schemes. But why push for torture now? Do you really want to make this election about Abu Ghraib?

Well, maybe you do if you know something that I don't (or didn't).

Urgent news from Abu Dawood, one of the newly appointed commanders of the al Qaeda forces in Afghanistan:

Final preparations have been made for the American Hiroshima, a major attack on the U. S. Muslims living in the United States should leave the country without further warning.

Hat tip John Robb. But why am I finding out about this from a Canadian news outlet? Must not be a very big deal I guess.

Yes a bigger attack than September 11th 2001. Brother Adnan [el Shukrijumah] will lead that attack, Inshallah.

Oops. Guess it is a big deal. So shouldn't Adnan's picture be up all over the place? I suppose we don't know enough about him though, probably just a phantom in the dark.

He is an American and a friend of Muhammad Atta, who led 9/11 attacks five years ago. We call him "Jaffer al Tayyar" ["Jafer the Pilot"]; he is very brave and intelligent. Bush is aware that brother Adnan has smuggled deadly materials inside America from the Mexican border. Bush is silent about him, because he doesn't want to panic his people.

Uh. Nevermind that. I guess that explains it doesn't it? Jesus. But I suppose it's too vague a threat? Not actionable? Not specific enough?

Muslims should leave America. We cannot stop our attack just because of the American Muslims; they must realize that American forces are killing innocent Muslims in Afghanistan and Iraq; we have the right to respond back, in the same manner, in the enemy's homeland. The American Muslims are like a human shield for our enemy; they must leave New York and Washington.

Unless of course you're a Muslim living in New York and Washington. Looks like al-Qaeda understands responsive government.