The production of this tape, at a time when support for the war on Iraq is weakened by the Nato split, is either quite a stroke of luck or a piece of gamesmanship that even Saddam Hussein would be proud of.
My initial reaction was "Do they think we're stupid?" but I suppose only the "intelligence community" know the truth of this tape.
It's being described as "conclusive" proof of a connection between Bin Ladens terrorists and Iraq, but on the tape Bin Laden describes the Iraqi government as "infidels" which doesn't sound like a cosy alliance to me.
All this coincides with a high profile stepping up of security at Heathrow airport with several hundred troops being drafted in and light tanks.TANKS? Are we expecting an attack by armoured vehicles? What else would the tanks be for? Unless it's designed to make maximum press.
I am not against ridding the world of evil men like Bin Laden and Hussein but hate the creeping feeling of manipulation by both the American and British governments. There would be a lot more support for an honest approach to these problems than there is for this present debacle.