Would it have made any difference?

[Aragorn]

Just watched a report on TV that interviewed alot of citizens in the Middle East regarding the bin Laden tape. The majority claim the it's false, that the U.S. can do anything to falsify evidence. Very interesting. So, I wonder if, when this whole thing began, it would've made any difference had we presented evidence in the beginning. You know...when the Taliban, and many others, were requesting direct proof of bin Laden's involvement? My guess is that it would not have mattered.

[Firefish]

I dont think it would've made a differance. Remember though, we didn't have this tape when they wanted proof of "Hismama beenlayins" involvment in the WTC bombing. So they may accuse the Gov. of making up this tape just to have evidence. I think it's important to remember....they live in caves and prey to a god they belive condones killing people for no viable reason. Let them think what they may, say what they want. After all, what they think is worth about as much as a bucket full of whale poop.

[wgscott]

It is of course impossible to know, but I think the US made a big mistake saying it would share the evidence with the world, and then decided to refuse. If they had showed compelling evidence to the Taliban and released it to the World's press, and the Taliban turned their noses up at it, then at least they would have been discredited in the more rational sectors of the Muslim world. The only reason this is a particular concern is that as a long-term solution to preventing terrorism, we have to undermine the enemy's ability to produce useful recruiting propaganda.

As I said elsewhere, if I were running the CIA's psy-ops, I would have been flooding the video tape market with films of the guy and his buddies chowing down at a pork-fest.