Osama Betting on a U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan

Al Qaeda is stepping up its propaganda offensive to split the U.S. from its European allies. In his latest audiotape, al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden offers Europe an out from Afghanistan, and threatens to attack if the countries do not leave. One interesting part of the short tape is is bin Laden's warning to Europe that the U.S. will abandon Afghanistan and leave Europe open to attack from al Qaeda:

Would that you reflect on the matter and ask wise and reasonable people, because it won't be long until the dust of war clears in Afghanistan, at which point you won't find a trace of any American, because they will have gone away far beyond the Atlantic, Allah permitting, and just us and you will remain, for the oppressed to retaliate from his oppressor.

Bin Laden's message is given weight by the administration's wavering on its commitment to Afghanistan. Al Qaeda's propaganda machine is quickly seizing on this weakness and making its appeal beyond the segments in Europe that are already looking for the exit in Afghanistan.