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video: michael scheuer: former head cia bin laden unit

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michael scheuer is the former head of the central intelligence agency (cia) osama bin laden unit. officially called the 'bin laden issue station' or 'alex station' it was disbanded in 2005.

mr. scheuer was on the 'real time with bill maher' show on 21 september 2007. mr. scheuers' nemesis osama bin laden actually quoted mr. scheuer in one of his recent tapes. bin laden said "if you want to understand the reason why we (the usa) are losing this war on terror you should read michael schurers' book."

mr. scheuer says that what bin laden is saying is that "america is fighting a war that doesnt exist." mr. scheurer goes on to explain that "we're fighting because our leaders tell us that the muslims hate freedom and hate liberty and hate women in the workplace -- and thats got nothing to do with it -- it has everything to do with what we do in the islamic world, what our policies are and what our impact is there and thats what the book bin laden was referring to, thats what my book says."

mr. scheuer maintains that bin laden is an "insurgent " and not a terrorist -- "if he was a terrorist he would be a lethal nuisance to the united states, he leads an organization thats much more powerful than anything we ever called a terrorist group and until we treat him as an insurgent leader we're going to continue to be defeated by him as we're being defeated in iraq and afghanistan."

when bill maher questioned mr. scheuer about bin laden's so called plunging "approval rating" in the muslim world, mr. scheuer says that "the reality of it is, is that he's less important than the movement he has spawned -- he remains an important figure in the islamic world but the fact that their are insurgencies that are defeating the united states at this point, in two countries, suggests that whatever they're fighting against hes not particularly important as a popular figure, as an inspirer hes very important."

mr. maher says that he agrees with mr. scheuer that the real reason that bin laden and the people whom he inspires hate the united states is because of our polices rather than our way of life. mr. maher asks "but would you grant me that - that as long as there is an israel in the world and as long as america backs it the kinds of muslims that take religion that seriously that they would strap on a suicide belt are always gonna be out for us and always trying to kill us?"

to which mr. scheuer patriotically responds "i think we can reduce it, i disagree with you on israel, i hope it flourishes, i just dont think its worth one american life or an american dollar...not only israel but saudia arabia or kuwait or bolivia...what i'am telling you is that i'am most interested in the survival of the united states."

mr. scheuer says that "we should not be the unqualified, sole supporter of israel...i think it earns america tremendous pain and increasingly dead americans fighting wars that are not ours to fight."