That whole thing is a puzzlement, at least to me.
I don't understand why al-Qaeda would be messing around with this ambiguous stuff.
I can see why the CIA and Rice would want to keep the troops fired up with OBL being alive, that makes sense. Morning report can have a bit of spark.
Can't see why the OBL folks wouldn't do something definitive or nothing at all.
I suspect he's dead. And folks who know much, much more than I suspect he's alive. I'd bet with them, even though I suspect he's dead.
Arf (let the cheap shots roll)