A quick note on the most recent Osama bin Laden video: in it, bin Laden states that the attacks were intended to force the United States to end its support for Israel. To me, this seems like the most craven sort of political rhetoric there is. As the intensity of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians increases, bin Laden further seeks to capitalize on it in his statements. I’m certainly not foolish enough to believe that he’s actually interested in the plight of Palestinians, and I hope the Palestinians aren’t either. Besides, the last thing they need is a friend like Osama bin Laden. The Palestinians have a just cause in seeking sovereignty for themselves — the anti-Semites within their ranks, and those goading them on from the sidelines throughout the Muslim world do nothing but discredit them.