September 6, 2007, Osama bin Laden video

Note: The following description was compiled after consideration of the video and transcript as hosted by [https://web.archive.org/web/20070915023553/http://counterterrorismblog.org/2007/09/obl_transcript.php#025752 The Counterterrorism Blog.]

In the video, bin Laden is seated at a table wearing a white robe, turban, and beige cloak. His beard is shorter than in his 2004 video and is black, leading some to speculate that it had been dyed. The video's title "The Solution" appears in the top left corner of the video frame. The video running time is approximately 26 minutes.

Bin Laden addresses the "People of America" directly in the video, but he makes no direct threats to the United States. He criticizes perceived flaws in American society and US foreign policy, contrasting these with the perceived virtues of Islam. The September 11 attacks are mentioned several times, as is the Iraq War. The video concludes with a suggestion that Americans should convert to Islam.

Other events and themes in the video include:

• The 62nd anniversary of the US Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
• The influence of the Democrat-controlled congress
• The influence of major corporations
• Global warming and the Kyoto Accord
• The war in Afghanistan
• The Dissolution of the Soviet Union
• The Kennedy Assassination
• The Vietnam War
• The extermination of Native American Indians
• The Spanish Inquisition
• The Capitalist / Communist governments who "take their people for fools"

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Individuals mentioned in the video include:

• Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair
• Former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown
• Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy
• Author and political activist Noam Chomsky
• Author and former CIA analyst Michael Scheuer

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He suggests that the viewer read the European thinker who anticipated the fall of the Soviet Union. Although not named, Bin Laden is believed to be referring to Emmanuel Todd and his book After the Empire: The Breakdown of the American Order.{{Citation |last=Weinberger |first=Sharon |title=Osama's Book Club: Michael Scheuer, Emmanuel Todd|url=http://blog.wired.com/defense/2007/09/osamas-reading-.html|access-date=September 19, 2007 |magazine=Wired |date=September 7, 2007}}[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZNfuIvtLos YouTube – Michael Scheuer Mentioned in Bin Laden Tape FOX News][https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aqm4XVylLLc YouTube – Michael Scheuer on the Sept 2007 bin laden message][https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTtoHx-ia8A YouTube – Michael Scheuer on "Inside 9/11"]

Bin Laden suggests that notice should be taken of comments made by a US soldier serving in Iraq named Joshua:

: It would benefit you to listen to the poignant messages of your soldiers in Iraq, who are paying – with their blood, nerves and scattered limbs....Among them is the eloquent message of Joshua which he sent by way of the media, in which he wipes the tears from his eyes and describes American politicians in harsh terms and invites them to join him there for a few days.

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The soldier's comments were made in an ABC News story dated July 16, 2007, although Bin Laden attributes the remarks to Corporal Joshua Lake who appears in the story.ABC News [https://abcnews.go.com/images/Politics/transcript2.pdf transcript of video.]

Several peculiarities in the video raise questions regarding its authenticity:

• Osama bin Laden has a trimmer, blacker beard and the same clothing he wore in the October 2004 video.{{Citation |last=Krawetz |first=Neal |title=Secure Computing: Sec-C |url=http://www.hackerfactor.com/blog/ |access-date=September 13, 2007}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9777136-7.html |title=Researcher: Bin Laden's beard is real, video is not {{!}} Tech news blog – CNET News.com |access-date=September 13, 2007 |archive-date=November 16, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071116001320/http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9777136-7.html |url-status=dead }}
• All references to events current to the timing of the release of the {{nowrap|video{{tsp}}{{mdash}}{{tsp}}}}such as the 62nd anniversary of the US atomic bombing of Japan, and Sarkozy and Brown being the leaders of France and the UK, {{nowrap|respectively{{tsp}}{{mdash}}{{tsp}}}}occur when the video is frozen (rather than showing Bin Laden actually speaking of those events).{{Citation |last=Maschke |first=George |title=Latest Bin Laden Video Is a Forgery: All References to Current Events Are Made During Video Freeze |url=http://www.boomantribune.com/?op=displaystory;sid=2007/9/9/61032/95401 |access-date=September 12, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070912013154/http://www.boomantribune.com/?op=displaystory%3Bsid%3D2007%2F9%2F9%2F61032%2F95401 |archive-date=September 12, 2007 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}

President George W. Bush speaking from the APEC Summit in Sydney, Australia:

: The tape is a reminder of the dangerous world in which we live and it is a reminder that we must work together to protect our people.

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: In the same speech:

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: I found it interesting that on the tape Iraq was mentioned, which is a reminder that Iraq is part of the war against extremists. If Al-Qaeda bothers to mention Iraq, it's because they want to achieve their objectives in Iraq, which is to drive us out.{{Citation |last=Wolfson |first=Paula |title=Bush Reacts to Bin Laden Video |url=http://www.voanews.com/english/2007-09-08-voa2.cfm |access-date=September 12, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070909135703/http://www.voanews.com/english/2007-09-08-voa2.cfm |archive-date=September 9, 2007 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}

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Homeland Security Advisor Frances Townsend speaking to Fox News Sunday:

: Remember, the last audiotape was in June of '06. The last video was just before the election in October of '04. This is about the best he can do. This is a man on the run, from a cave, who is virtually impotent other than these tapes.{{Citation |title=Transcript: Fran Townsend on 'FOX News Sunday' |url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/transcript-fran-townsend-on-fox-news-sunday | work=Fox News | date=September 9, 2007}}

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Expert on Islamic issues Sliman Abu Rahman (based in Amman, Jordan) speaking to Al Jazeera:

: In his earlier speeches he offered them a truce and now he is asking them to convert. I think this is very far from reality and no political organizing with realistic political objectives can have such an unacceptable political discourse.Al Jazeera coverage, September 2007.

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Former CIA analyst Michael Scheuer speaking to Wolf Blitzer, anchor of CNN's The Situation Room:

: Inherent in his request for us to convert (to Islam) is a very explicit threat that he is going to attack us in a very hard way. The prophet told Muslims before you attack anyone you warn them, offer them a chance to convert and offer them truces.CNN: The Situation Room, September 2007.

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Scheuer also provided a more detailed analysis at the Jamestown Foundation site.[http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Bswords%5D=8fd5893941d69d0be3f378576261ae3e&tx_ttnews%5Bany_of_the_words%5D=scheuer&tx_ttnews%5Bpointer%5D=2&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=4395&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=7&cHash=99a6c12a28 The Jamestown Foundation]

Security analyst M.J. Gohel of the Asia-Pacific Foundation speaking to The Washington Post:

: This has the language and hallmarks of Adam Gadahn and is very reminiscent of his own messages in terms of style and content.{{Citation |last=Whitlock |first=Craig |title=Converts To Islam Move Up In Cells|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/14/AR2007091402265.html?hpid=topnews |access-date=September 15, 2007 | newspaper=The Washington Post | date=September 15, 2007}}{{failed verification|date=March 2017}}

{{Main|September 11, 2007 Osama bin Laden video}}

On September 11, 2007, a second video appeared, purportedly featuring a eulogy by Osama bin Laden for 9/11 hijacker Waleed al-Shehri. In the video, a voice identified as bin Laden's delivers a 14-minute introduction. The voice is heard over a still picture of bin Laden, dressed and groomed as he appears in the September 7, 2007 video. The 33-minute balance is a video recording of al-Shehri reading his will.{{Citation |last=Nasr |first=Octavia |title= New bin Laden video surfaces |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/09/11/binladen.video/index.html |access-date=September 12, 2007 | work=CNN | date=September 11, 2007}}

• Videos of Ayman al-Zawahiri
• 2004 Osama bin Laden video
• Videos of Osama bin Laden
• Messages to the World: The Statements of Osama bin Laden

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• [https://abcnews.go.com/images/Politics/transcript2.pdf Complete Transcript from ABC News]

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Category:Al-Qaeda

Category:Videos of Osama bin Laden

Bin Laden video

Category:Aftermath of the September 11 attacks