The Republicans have launched a new television advertisement that uses Osama bin Ladin's words and image to convince the viewer that only the Republicans can keep America safe. See the advertisement here.

There is no voice-over for the advertisement. You only hear a ticking sound and see Osama's image with his threatening quotations on the screen about his desire to attack the United States again. Transcript of the silent advertisement follows:

“What is yet to come will be even greater”-Osama Bin Laden, Al Jazeera, 12/26/01

“With God’s permission we call on everyone who believes in God…to comply with His will to kill the Americans.”

-Osama Bin Laden (The World Islamic Front, Fatwa, 2/23/98)

[Text Fades: “kill the Americans”]

“They will not come to their senses unless the attacks fall on their heads and…until the battle has moved inside America.” -Osama Bin Laden (Interview, Al-Jazeera, 10/21/01)

[Text Fades: “inside America.”]

“We sent our people to Moscow, to Tashkent, to other central Asian states, and they negotiated. And we purchased some suitcase bombs.” -Ayman Al-Zawahiri (“Al Qaeda: We Bought Nuke Cases,” [New York] Daily News, 3/22/04)

[Text Fades: “suitcase bombs.”]

“Our message is clear—what you saw in New York and Washington and what you are seeing in Afghanistan and Iraq, all these are nothing compared to what you will see next.” -Ayman Al-Zawahiri (“Al Qaeda Threatens More UK, U.S. Attacks,” CNN.com, 8/4/05)

[Text Fades: “nothing compared to what you will see next.”]

“What is yet to come will be even greater”

These Are The Stakes. Vote November 7th.

www.GOP.com

Paid For By The Republican National Committee. Not Authorized By Any Candidate Or Candidate Committee.

In many ways, this is pretty sick, but understandable. Fear works as a campaign tactic. With the Republicans lagging in the polls leading up to the mid-term elections, it's anything goes. Problem is that the advertisement overlooks one important fact: George W. Bush was President when September 11 happened. Former Bush administration officials have reported that Bush was not focused on the bin Ladin threat prior to 9/11 and cared more about finding a Saddam Hussein link to the World Trade Center, and when Bush was presented with a briefing on an imminent al Qaeda attack in August 2001, he shrugged it off and told the CIA briefer that "all right, you've covered your ass, now." Evidence also shows that the war in Iraq has worsened the terror climate and made us less safe. And didn't Bush once say in public that he was not concerned about bin Ladin? I don't think the Democrats have the guts to turn these unpleasant facts into an advertisement campaign. But the Republicans would, and have.