OBL: Dead Or Alive?

New Bin Laden tape out recently. Or is it? HotAir pegs it as footage from 2002.

NRO's Michael Ledeen:

It seems to be from a video shot in 2001 or 2002. If that is correct, then I would draw two conclusions: first, that it is additional confirmation that he is dead. (If he were alive, they could do a new one, right?) And second, that this is a sign of panic, a poorly manufactured pseudo-blockbuster appearance designed to rally the troops, who must be getting fairly discouraged these days. The war is not going well for them in Iraq or Afghanistan (where the big "spring offensive" didn't happen)or Lebanon or England or over here. The best thing they've got going for them at the moment is (are) the surrender monkeys.

Dead or alive, it's Al Qaeda we're fighting not one man. But Ledeen's point that this looks like a desperation move is interesting. Are the Jihadi faithful getting down in the dumps? Are recruitment efforts hitting hard times? One can hope.

Frankly, I'm surprised that Al Jazeera hasn't been complicit in some kind of "Weekend At Bernie's" routine with OBL's body.