What do The American Left and al Qaeda have in common? Both will stand to lose what little credibility they have left on foreign affairs if Middle East nations such as Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine continue on the difficult road toward liberty and political self-determination. Osama bin Laden's top lieutenant, Ayman al-Zawahri, is clearly nervous, and in a newly-released video which aired on al-Jazeera TV, warns Arabs working toward democratic reforms that what they really should want is Holy War against infidel Western imperialists, no doubt intended to move emerging Arab nations back into the dark ages (think Taliban-era Afghanistan).

But al-Zawahri's manifesto for theocratic dysfunction didn't get by the B.S. detector of ABC-TV's Brian Ross.

In the video, Ayman al-Zawahri instructs Muslims not to be lulled into accepting peaceful democratic reforms being pushed by the United States and President Bush.

...."This is his nightmare. Popular democracy, peaceful demonstrations, and al Qaeda would like to intervene in the process," said ABC News analyst Fawaz Gerges, professor of Middle Eastern studies at Sarah Lawrence College.

"Reforms are taking place in the Middle East against al Qaeda's wishes, al Qaeda is being left behind," said Gerges. "Osama bin Laden and Zawahri realize they've lost touch in reality and they would like to have their own say."

In the video, bin Laden's No. 2 man also urges Palestinians to ignore the new democratic initiatives from Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. "I ask them not to abandon their jihad, not to lay down their weapons," he says on the tape.

Meanwhile, the leader of Iraq's al Qaeda group says the country's attempt to institutionalize political self-determination is doomed because it stems from the arrogant intervention of President George W. Bush.

So, taken together, we get this message from al Qaeda: we're scared we're going to be on the losing end of this thing...but oh, ah, wait a minute, no, we're going to win.

Common sense should tell anyone that with all the resources terrorists are spending in Iraq now, al Qaeda is utterly terrified at that something resembling a constitutional democracy will eventually emerge in Iraq, and send a powerful message to the rest of the Arab world.

Cue up the Bob Dylan, for "The Times They Are A-Changin'."

Posted by Matt Rosenberg at June 21, 2005 05:12 PM

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