Osama Bin Laden's new tape praising Zarqawi

The newest tape by Osama bin Laden is out and available now. In the high-quality 19 minute production, bin Laden praises Zarqawi while at the same time distances himself from Zarqawi's killing of innocent Iraqis. Osama uses flowery words and poetic verse for Zarqawi but blames American President George W. Bush for the attack on Zarqawi. Jordan's King Abdullah is also reprimanded by bin Laden for not allowing Zarqawi a proper funeral in his hometown in Jordan. (via former Ambassador Ginsberg on Fox News Channel.)

The banner flashed the message, “Good News Soon,” followed by a picture of a smiling al-Zarqawi and the words, “A tribute to the martyr of the Islamic nation and prince of the martyrdom-seekers, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, God rest his soul, from Sheik Osama bin Laden, God preserve him.” The banner then flashes a picture of bin Laden. source

Bin Laden has issued 16 tapes since September 11, 2001, (list and description of each found here).

In the 19-minute, 32-second tape, the voice, which sounds like bin Laden, praises al Zarqawi highly, calls him "the Knight of Islam" and prays that he is accepted as a martyr.

He says al Zarqawi provides a great example of how to rebel against tyrants, and he calls President Bush the "pharaoh of his time" and says he arrogantly invaded Iraq in spite of the objections of the world.

The statement is full of poetry, including a long one he recites at the end, which he says was written by someone called Sheikh Youssef Abu Helala.

The voice identified as bin Laden says that when the U.S.-led coalition invaded Iraq, al Zarqawi and a group of 17 men agreed to fight, even though they only had a small number of Kalashnikovs, mines and bazookas. He recalls that al Zarqawi had fought against the Russians in Afghanistan and says he was therefore not afraid of the idea of fighting a major power.

He also defends al Zarqawi against those who claimed he killed innocent people, and he seems to try to justify attacks on Shiites in Iraq by saying that people who agree to fight on the side of "the crusaders" — the coalition troops — have to be fought regardless of their sect.

He says that Bush should give al Zarqawi's body to his family and says "the flag has not fallen thanks be to God, but it has moved from a lion to a lion from the lion of Islam. We will continue — God willing — to fight you and your allies everywhere in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia and Sudan until we deplete your resources, kill your men and (force you) to return defeated to your lands as we have defeated you before — God willing — in Somalia." source