al-qaeda hails us troop cut

Zawahri hails US troop cut in Iraq as victory of Islam
Saturday January 07, 2006
jang.com.pk/thenews/jan2006-daily/07-01-2006/main/main11.htm

CAIRO: In a videotape aired on Friday, al-Qaeda’s No 2 Ayman al-Zawahri praised Islam’s victory in forcing a reduction of US troops in Iraq. "If I was comforting the Islam nation for its crisis of Pakistan’s earthquake, I today congratulate it and bless the Islamic victory in Iraq," al-Zawahri said in the two-minute excerpt aired by Al-Jazeera satellite.

Wearing a white turban and gray robe and seated next to an automatic rifle, al-Zawahri, waved his finger for emphasis as he spoke in the video, which the Al-Jazeera said, was dated in December.

"You remember I told you more than a year ago that the American withdrawal from Iraq is only a matter of time, and here they are now ... negotiating with the Mujahideen," al-Zawahri said. "Bush was forced at the end of last year to announce that he will pull out his forces from Iraq, but he was giving excuses for his withdrawal that the Iraqi forces have reached a good level."

Al-Zawahri, speaking calmly but forcefully, said: "With their planes, missiles, tanks and fleets, the US forces are mourning and bleeding, seeking for a getaway from Iraq. Regarding your withdrawal timetable ... you have to admit, Bush, that you have been defeated in Iraq and are being defeated in Afghanistan and will be defeated in Palestine."