A Veiled Surrender From Osama?

The indispensible Belmont Club blog has an interesting take on the new bin-Laden tape:

It is important to notice what he has stopped saying in this speech. He has stopped talking about the restoration of the Global Caliphate. There is no more mention of the return of Andalusia. There is no more anticipation that Islam will sweep the world. He is no longer boasting that Americans run at the slightest wounds; that they are more cowardly than the Russians. He is not talking about future operations to swathe the world in fire but dwelling on past glories. He is basically saying if you leave us alone we will leave you alone. Though it is couched in his customary orbicular phraseology he is basically asking for time out.
The American answer to Osama's proposal will be given on Election Day. One response is to agree that the United States of America will henceforth act like Sweden, which is on track to become majority Islamic sometime after the middle of this century. The electorate best knows which candidate will serve this end; which candidate most promises to be European-like in attitude and they can choose that path with both eyes open. The electorate can strike that bargain and Osama may keep his word. The other course is to reject Osama's terms utterly; to recognize the pleading in his outwardly belligerent manner and reply that his fugitive existence; the loss of his sanctuaries; the annihilation of his men are but the merest foretaste of what is yet to come: to say that to enemies such as he, the initials 'US' will always mean Unconditional Surrender.
Osama has stated his terms. He awaits America's answer.

I agree that the rhetoric has been toned down dramatically and the other points made. Al-Qaeda has not had it easy since 9/11 and the call to jihad seems to have not had the intended effect of a global Islamic uprising. An optimistic view would be that maybe the people of the mid-east are ready to join the rest of the civilized world and not fight this fight. The US-led coalition has bin-Laden and al-Qaeda on the run and maybe, just maybe, this is a sign that they no longer have the stomach for this fight.