Terrorist Watch

The reputed voice of Osama bin Laden was heard again on al Jazeera and other media outlets warning Americans that they would reap the consequences of President Obama's anti-Islamic policies. He blames Obama for the failure of the truce between the Pakistani government and the Islamists of Swat province, accusing the President of refusing to let the people of Swat govern themselves according to Islamic law. He's vague about the consequences we're to suffer, as usual, but I can't help thinking this week that if he'd been bold enough to threaten abortion clinics during his tantrum, some people in this country would have us declare war on Pakistan just on the suspicion that he's there. Those are the same people who sound ready to have a new Patriot Act set up specifically for the anti-abortion movement -- which may just go to show that some people's sensibility on civil liberties depends on whose ox they think is being gored, and by whom.