Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Osama Bin Laden's Last Message to America: Beware Capitalism?

In a newly released video, the now-deceased leader of al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, warns the American people of the dangers of capitalism and the military-industrial complex. (ABC News)

By MEGAN CHUCHMACH and RYM MOMTAZ
Sept. 13, 2011

A day after Americans observed the tenth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks by al Qaeda, a new video featuring the terror group's now-deceased leader surfaced in which Osama bin Laden warns the American people not of coming attacks, but of the dangers of capitalism and the military-industrial complex.

Appearing thin and with a very black beard, bin Laden says major corporations -- the "undeclared kings" of America -- ignite wars on purpose for profit and wield the power over elected officials.

"And it seems that the path to stop the hegemony of capitalism is to carry out a real radical change that will help you liberate -- not to liberate Iraq from Saddam Hussein -- but to liberate the White House so that Barack Hussein will be liberated and with him, everyone else from the hegemony of these corporations.," he says in the approximately six-minute address. "Peace be upon those who head the advice."

Bin Laden also urges Americans to read "Obama Wars" by the Washington Post's Bob Woodward, who bin Laden said, "urged Obama to be more honest with you and let you know that he is under pressure to continue the war and to support the Israelis, not to further America's interests but to further their interests."

The video, which appeared online late Monday night, appears to be the same video that was released without accompanying audio by the U.S. government in May, shortly after a team of U.S. Navy SEALs killed bin Laden in his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

Bin Laden's political message is a marked departure from documents found at the terror leader's compound and statements by several other commanders calling for violent attacks against the U.S. and its allies.

The portion featuring bin Laden is included in an hour-long, documentary-style video which also features a new message from bin Laden's successor, Ayman al-Zawahiri.

In his message, Zawahiri praises the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks as "invasions" that "shook the foundations of the global crusaders and still shakes it."

Zawahiri also claims the Arab Spring is a "devastating blow" to American interests -- apparently al Qaeda's latest attempt to claim relevance in the midst of the widespread uprisings. U.S. officials and terrorism experts have previously largely declared the string of Arab revolutions a sign of al Qaeda's demise.

The video surfaced just hours before a massive attack began against the U.S. embassy and other Western interests in Kabul, Afghanistan, for which the Taliban has reportedly claimed responsibility.

ABC News' Lee Ferran contributed to this report.

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