A True Believer

As millions of thinking people begin to question the religious orthodoxy that pervades any discussion of anthropogenic global warming, there’s a new convert to the cause. USA News reports

Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has called in a new audiotape for the world to boycott American goods and the U.S. dollar, blaming the United States and other industrialized countries for global warming.

In the tape, aired in part on Al-Jazeera television Friday, bin Laden warns of the dangers of climate change and says that the way to stop it is to bring "the wheels of the American economy" to a halt.

He says the world should "stop consuming American products" and "refrain from using the dollar," according to a transcript on Al-Jazeera's website.

Gosh, that sounds an awful lot like the demands of Leftists and Greenies in Western Europe and even in our own country. And here I thought that OBL was a dedicated Islamist, when in fact, he’s really an AGW true believer.

On a related matter, I couldn’t help but note the smirk that accompanied our AGW true believer-in-chief's brief discussion of the “climate bill” (cap and trade renamed to further obfuscate its meaning and impact) during the State of the Union address:

I know there have been questions about whether we can afford such changes [cap and trade] in a tough economy. I know that there are those who disagree with the overwhelming scientific evidence [emphasis mine] on climate change.

Of course, I’m not suggesting the OBL and President Obama have anything in common. I know that the president only wants what’s best for the United States (in his view) and would like nothing more than to end OBL’s communiqués permanently.

But it is troubling that he refuses to recognize the growing scientific skepticism about this “settled science.”

Those of us in the Center applaud his efforts on alternative energy, green jobs, and clean energy, but a nightmarish carbon tax will do far more harm than good to the economy and will enrich some (can you say: Al Gore) and force many more to struggle. The President should re-examine his true believer status and drop cap and trade (the “energy bill”) for good.