Bin Laden's concern about Zarqawi's remains

James Robbins:

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Bin Laden suggests that President Bush should allow Zarqawi’s body to be returned to his family in Jordan, but this is a matter that is up to the Jordanian government, which so far has not shown much interest in facilitating a homecoming. Bin Laden mocks King Abdullah II, calling him a Coalition minion, and asking “what scares you about Abu Musab after he’s dead? You know that his funeral, if allowed to happen, would be a huge funeral showing the extent of sympathy with the mujahedin.” A large crowd would definitely turn out, though most people would be on hand to demonstrate their anger and disgust. Last November’s hotel bombings in Amman, masterminded by Zarqawi, are still fresh in people’s memory, and mentioning them to Jordanians has the same visceral impact as memory of the 9/11 attacks does here. Jordan has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards those who choose to mourn the country’s least favorite son, and four opposition members of parliament who paid condolences to Zarqawi’s family have been arrested for fomenting sectarian strife. Don’t count on that funeral any time soon, but they have already held a wedding.

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It is ironic that in the years before 9/11 when bin Laden was releasing lengthy, substantive statements on important matters of al Qaeda objectives and strategy few people were paying attention; and now when he has the world’s ear all bin Laden can muster are empty threats, puerile mockery, and hollow clichés honoring fallen members of his ever-shrinking group of followers. None of the promised domestic attacks of the last five years have materialized. And since Zarqawi’s demise attacks on Coalition forces in Iraq have fallen by 15-20 percent. Osama is going to have to work a lot harder than this to prove he is still relevant.

Why doesn't he suggest that it be treated inthe same way al Qaeda treated the bodies of the US soldiers last week? Isn't that the al Qaeda way of showing respect? An eulogy for a war criminal by a war criminal is not a man bites dog story. What would make the coverage more interesting is if the main stream media would discuss that aspect of the tape. Robbins is always interesting.

Update: Gateway Pundit has more on the tape and notes how teh al Qaeda connection to Iraq is even stronger now.