bin-Laden the man; just a little teddy-bear

I guess it all depends on which side of the aisle you're on. The now head of Al-Qaeda, Ayman Al- Zawahiri just released a love poem to bin-Laden, praising him as the gentle leader we all thought he was.

I feel so much better now. Thanks Ayman!

From AP/Yahoo November 15 by Ben Hubbard

Al-Qaida head recalls 'human side' of bin Laden

CAIRO (AP) — Here's how the new head of al-Qaida remembersOsama bin Laden: A sensitive man who cried when his friends lost family members, remained close to his children despite the hard life of an international jihadist, and fondly remembered — by name — the 19 men who carried out the deadliest terrorist attack ever on U.S. soil.

Longtime bin Laden deputy Ayman al-Zawahri, now al-Qaida's new head, related these and other memories in a new video posted on jihadist websites Tuesday. In the video, al-Zawahri said he wants "to show the human side" of bin Laden's life.

In doing so, he also is likely trying to boost his own popularity by emphasizing his closeness to the terror group's former, more charismatic leader.

Bin Laden, who built al-Qaida into the world's most feared and despised terror organization and was the mastermind behind some of its deadliest attacks, was killed by Navy SEALs in May during a raid in Pakistan. Al-Zawahri assumed control of the organization shortly after, though experts say he lacks bin Laden's charisma, which drew many to the group.

Throughout the 30-minute, conversational video, apparently the first in a series, al-Zawahri emphasizes what he calls the "nobility" of bin Laden's character — as well as his own proximity to him.

"People don't know that this man was tender, gentle, kind, with refined feelings, even when life was hard," he said, wearing a white robe and turban and sitting in front of a green curtain. "We never saw a man like him."

Hitler loved dogs and Capone fed the homeless.

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Al-Zawahri told stories of how bin Laden remembered al-Qaida members who died fighting "jihad," or "holy war." He gave special mention to the hijackers who carried out the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 in the U.S., which killed nearly 3,000 people.

"The sheik would remember with goodness and gratitude and be moved by the memory of the 19 brothers who attacked the idol of our age, America — the Pentagon, the headquarters of its military power, and New York, the symbol of its economic power," he said, pointing his finger for emphasis. "He would remember these brothers with extreme fidelity."