Osama bin Laden has asked Americans to convert to Islam if they want the war in Iraq to end, according to a transcript of the video.
In a short excerpt of the video released ahead of sixth anniversary of the September 11 attacks, bin Laden was shown seated as he talked, wearing a white robe and turban and beige cloak.
His trimmed beard was shorter than in his last video, issued in 2004, and was fully black -- apparently dyed, since in past videos it had turned nearly entirely gray.
The 30-minute videotape, aired by Al Jazeera on Friday, appeared to have been recently made, since bin Laden refers to the Democratic victory in Congress and to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who was elected in May.
Bin Laden made no overt threats and did not directly call for attacks. Instead, he addresses Americans, giving them a lecture on the failures of their leaders to stop the war in Iraq despite growing opposition to it in the US public.
"There are two solutions to stopping it. One is from our side, and it is to escalate the fighting and killing against you. This is our duty, and our brothers are carrying it out," bin Laden said, according to the transcript.
"The second solution is from your side," he said.
"I invite you to embrace Islam."
"It will also achieve your desire to stop the war as a consequence, because as soon as the warmongering owners of the major corporations realise that you have lost confidence in your democratic system and have begun to look for an alternative, and this alternative is Islam, they will run after you to please you and achieve what you want to steer you away from Islam," he said.
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