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Al-Qaeda Struggles to Rally Muslims Against Obama

Bush was much easier target for rallying support

By Matt Cantor, Newser Staff

Posted Jan 25, 2009 12:48 PM CST

(Newser) – In George W. Bush, al-Qaeda leaders had an easy figurehead to rally against. But championing the jihadist movement with Barack Obama in the White House is a different story, the Washington Post reports. Qaeda militants are firing insults at Obama, including “hypocrite," "house Negro,” and "enemy of Muslims,” but with polls showing support for Obama among many Muslims, garnering ill will could be difficult.

Al-Qaeda is “highly uncertain about what they're getting in this new adversary," says a former CIA counterterrorism official. "For al-Qaeda, as a matter of image and tone, George W. Bush had been a near-perfect foil." To push their case against Obama, al-Qaeda has linked him to Bush policies and accused him “of actions in which he had no part,” says the founder of an anti-jihadist watchdog organization.

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (2)]

Ayman al-Zawahiri has called Obama "a house Negro." (AP Photo/IntelCenter)

President Barack Obama speaks about Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the Middle East, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009, at the State Department in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

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This is Obama, whom the American machine of lies tried to portray as the rescuer who will change the policy of America. - Ayman al-Zawahiri, al-Qaeda's no. 2

The leadership of al-Qaeda is very concerned about the wide support that Obama has been receiving from Arab and Muslim countries. To combat this threat, al-Qaeda has embarked on a propaganda campaign against Obama. - Rita Katz, founder, Site Intelligence Group

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Al-Qaeda Struggles to Rally Muslims Against Obama