Bin Laden Takes Credit For September 11

He couldn't resist, could he? He's like Peter Pan, "I just gotta crow!" I'm sure he made the statement because he felt he had nothing to lose, and perhaps wanted to get it out there before he died, to cement his place in the history of discarded lies (in the words of our President's best speechwriter). I don't think he had anything to worry about, but the Bush administration can breathe a little easier now. The 10% chance or whatever it was that bin Laden was not directly responsible was a thorn in the side of US Foreign Policy, and a tool in the hands of Bush's critics. True, Iraq and others are probably complicitous, but it's not like we're hunting the wrong man. And the CIA must feel rather vindicated too...

If it hadn't been eclipsed by a certain tragic event in Queens this morning bin Laden's admission would have been the talk of the nation. In my opinion it would have (and will even now to some extent) shored up popular support for what is now truly a war of punishment on an unrepentant enemy of mankind and those who support his means.