One has to wonder.  The latest indication is Al Zawahri delivering the eulogy for Al Zarqawi.  Yet what struck me was this:

Al-Zawahri, who is believed to be hiding in the mountains on the Pakistani-Afghan border,

Which is the area that Bin laden was supposed to be in as well.  If Al Zawahri can get a tape out, why cant Bin Laden?

And then there is also this:

did not mention al-Zarqawi's successor, named by al-Qaida in Iraq as Abu Hamza al-Muhajer. The omission might mean the tape was recorded before the successor was chosen, or it might indicate that al-Zawahri does not endorse the new leader.

That would indicate (the bold part) that the internal communication of Al Qaeda has broken down, but then why would the number 2 not be parroting the number 1's choices? If he does not approve, who approved him?  When Numero uno dies, it is often hard for Numero Duo to reign in the tentacles of a crime organization, and this does appear to be a case of #2 trying to assume a mantle.

It takes a long time to splice a tape (I use to do it when I was in radio.  It is a very tedious - or was 30 years ago - job).  Which just begs the question that when you have to get something out fast, you use a live person, not a spliced one.

We may never know, but Al Zawahri's statement raises more questions than stupidity for a change.

Dead or Alive?  Where in the world is bin Laden (or where in the nether world is he)?