Osama virtually impotent: Bush aide

Two days before the sixth anniversary of the September 11 attacks, President Bush8217;s domestic security advisor dismissed al-Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden as 8220;virtually impotent8221;.

Two days before the sixth anniversary of the September 11 attacks, President Bush8217;s domestic security advisor dismissed al-Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden as 8220;virtually impotent8221;.

Frances F Townsend said a video statement from a curiously dark-bearded Bin Laden 8212; released Thursday 8212; was genuine and made recently, but she described it as little more than a propaganda device.

In the video, Bin Laden compares the Iraq war to Vietnam and praises the actions of the 19 September 11 hijackers, who killed nearly 3,000 people by crashing planes into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field.

Townsend said on 8220;Fox News Sunday8221;: 8220;Let8217;s remember almost six years now since September the 11th, we have not seen much of Bin Laden.8221; She noted this was the third audio or video released of him in as many years.

8220;This is about the best he can do. This is a man on the run, from a cave, who is virtually impotent other than these tapes.8221;

Bush on Saturday said the tape was a 8220;reminder of the dangerous world in which we live.8221;

Townsend8217;s assessment of the terrorist leader 8212; which she repeated almost word for word in an appearance on CNN8217;s 8220;Late Edition8221; 8212; echoed remarks made last week by the newest GOP presidential hopeful, former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson, who said that Bin Laden was 8220;more symbolism than anything else.8221;

Story continues below this ad

On Sunday, Senators John F Kerry and John McCain shot back on ABC8217;s This Week, arguing that Bin Laden remained a dangerously charismatic figure with a broad Internet reach and that he must be captured.

8220;He continues to communicate, he continues to lead and he continues to be a symbol for them of leadership in this radical hatred and evil radical Islamic extremism,8221; said McCain, who is also seeking the Republican presidential nomination; he pledged that if elected, 8220;I8217;ll get him. I8217;ll get him. And we8217;ve got to get him.8221;

Kerry, who unsuccessfully challenged Bush for the White House in 2004, said Bin Laden8217;s video was testimony to 8220;the failure of this administration to capture and kill him.8221;