Staff editorial: Impact of bin Laden tape unclear

Osama bin Laden's "October surprise" videotape is an obvious attempt to impact the U.S. presidential election; however, as always, bin Laden's ultimate agenda remains as mysterious as his ubiquitous surroundings. While analysts have struggled for the past few days to discern whether or not bin Laden's tape included any emphasis for presidential endorsement, his messages contain multiple persuasive elements.

Admitting to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and threatening more, bin Laden essentially targets President Bush's inability to catch both the true culprits of Sept. 11, 2001 (including himself) and his faulty decision to connect Sadaam Hussein to the attacks. While Bush has continued to reference his ability to manage the events of Sept. 11, 2001 throughout the election, bin Laden's statements truly edge us back to the topic at hand: bin Laden is still alive.

However, with the realization that Sen. John Kerry's promised foreign policy will not include the necessary measures to make significant change, bin Laden states, "Your security does not lie in the hands of Kerry, Bush or al-Qaeda. Your security is in your own hands. Each and every state that does not tamper with our security will have automatically assured its own security."

In the end, despite the threats the of bin Laden's tape, we must not let his message sway our opinion. It the U.S policy not to negotiate with terrorists. As citizens, we must take bin Laden's words with a grain of salt, but recognize their significance in a larger context.