by Teh Nutroots | Well, we weren't expecting al-Qaeda to send him a nice anthrax-free bouquet of orchids or anything. And now --- infuriated by his popularity --- they're ratcheting up the anti-Obama rhetoric.
In the weeks since, the terrorist group has unleashed a stream of verbal tirades against Barack Obama, each more venomous than the last. Obama has been called a "hypocrite," a "killer" of innocents, an "enemy of Muslims." He was even blamed for the Israeli military assault on Gaza, which began and ended before he took office.
According to this piece, they're disappointed that America selected a nonpolarizing president whose ascension to power was celebrated all over the world. What price their donations and recruiting if people who hated Bush like Obama?
So they're rattled. They were hoping, as we noted at the time, that McCain would win and would continue Bush's hated regime.
Soon after the vote, the attacks turned personal -- and insulting. In his Nov. 16 video message, Zawahiri denounced Obama as "the direct opposite of honorable black Americans" such as Malcolm X. He then used the term "house Negro," implying that Obama is merely a servant carrying out the orders of powerful whites.
Since then, as Obama has begun moving to reverse controversial Bush administration policies, the verbal attacks have become sharper, more frequent and more clearly aimed at Muslim audiences. (WaPo; emphasis added)
There's no pleasing some people, as King Arthur --- the one featured here--- once had occasion to remark.
Site Intelligence Group's founder said:
"The leadership of al-Qaeda is very concerned about the wide support that Obama has been receiving from Arab and Muslim countries," Katz said. "To combat this threat, al-Qaeda has embarked on a propaganda campaign against Obama, not only by linking him to the policies of the Bush administration, including the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan, but also by accusing him of actions in which he had no part."
Other jihadist groups appear less threatened, or perhaps more accepting of an American commander who appears more open to peaceful accommodation, Katz said. A publication known as Al-Samoud, linked to the Taliban in Afghanistan, viewed Obama's election as a welcome sign that Americans are "very much tired from the bitter war" and do not wish to prolong a conflict "ignited by Bush's insanity and his satanic policy."(WaPo)
Yglesias muses:
Never mind; I'm sure in due course he'll adopt policies that will cause his popularity in the Arab world to plummet.
But it's not just the terrorists who are unhappy. Meanwhile, many within the GOP (and many of those who shill for it) join AQ in cordially wishing Obama ill.
At Comments from Left Field, DrGail says, and very mean it is of her to point it out:
Much has been made lately of Rush Limbaugh’s intemperate comments expressing a desire for the president to fail. This was simply a more blatant expression than Ken Blackwell’s convoluted reasoning that President Obama’s economic stimulus plan was little more than a craven effort to secure a longstanding Democratic majority. And just this morning, Senator John McCain expressed his distaste for the economic stimulus plan.
[D]espite generic expressions of support for the new president from McCain and Republican Congressional leaders, their opposition to him appears to be hardening and becoming increasingly shrill and ridiculous.
I.e., "Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!" Also: "I fart in your general direction!"
But guess who else is becoming increasingly shrill and ridiculous in their criticism of President Obama? Al Qaeda....
And she says:
Obama must be doing something right, to cause such angst among two disparate groups whose only common denominator is satisfaction with George W. Bush’s presidency. (CFLF)
Who knew they had so much common ground? Or that both sides would hope to see another epic fail for the country that one hates and the other claims to love?
But she's right: the Republican rhetoric is ratcheting up, which --as I said -- reminds me poignantly of this:
Memeorandum has more.
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