Walid Phares notes the most recent rejoinder to those who keep their heads in the sand, and don't believe that we are at war with an enemy whose ultimate goal is world domination:

...the “Azzam” video reconfirms clearly, in an English language that academic translators [cough...Juan Cole...cough--ed] won’t be able to distort, that al Qaeda’s movement worldwide and in the United States is seeking total annihilation or conversion of the enemy: American and other democracies.

It also indicates that they know who both their friends, and their enemies are:

Sensationally but not unexpectedly, he “name” a number of intellectual-enemies in this country: Daniel Pipes, Steven Emerson, Robert Spencer and Michael Spencer. Rarely Jihadi Terrorists at this high level media exposure named symbols of their enemy’s intelligentsia. And in addition to “experts” named in the tape, Gadahn goes on a ferocious attack against American “Tele-Evangelists” and their media, showing the other type of foes al Qaeda is very upset with.

...“Azzam” names “sympathetic” personalities for whom he has messages for action; He asks journalist Seymour Hirsh to “reveal more” than what was published in a New Yorker article on the War: Obviously an open call by al Qaeda to M Hirsch to resume the attack against the US War on Terror. Then “Azzam” turn to two British journalists and thank them for their “admiration and respect for Islam” encourage them to do the final step: Convert. He names British MP George Galloway and journalist Robert Fisk. But more troubling in Gadahn’s tape was his direct call to Jihadists within the US Armed forces to work patiently till the time comes and they should continue to aggregate while escaping the surveillance of their military authorities.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure that either party is sufficiently serious about the threat, though Bush at least talks a good game once in a while.

Hmmm, apparently his name is spelled Adam Gadahn. I gather from the wikipedia article above, that the video in question was released yesterday. I wonder if we'll see a comforting followup on Monday. Seems to be a standard propaganda tactic dating back from when Hitler rose to power. Aggressive statements over the weekend followed by "What we really said was..." on Monday. So I wouldn't count on the recent release being that persuasive.

Second, this is propaganda. I don't see real meaning to be had here aside from the bits early on about their overall goals. The bit about friends and enemies is completely worthless. I glanced through the names listed by Mr. Phares as "intellectual enemies", and I'd have to say based on glancing through what they wrote, that these people got undeserved respect. This group, with the possible exception of Michael Spencer (I see no one who would fit as an appropriate ideologue), appears to be stoking the terrorism hysteria for their own purpose.

"we are at war with an enemy whose ultimate goal is world domination"

But enough about the Republican Party...