after checking into what's known about bin laden's personal history (i'd been wondering what the 1982 was about too--and your information about lebanon made me even more curious) and reading (translations of course) both the newest message and previous ones from several sources, i am feeling increasingly suspicious about this message.
not all of the parts fit together properly. others seem to be missing.
the references to freedom seem so out of place, as you pointed out. several english translations of the last sentence say 'Any state that does not mess with our security, has naturally guaranteed its own security.' mess with our security??? im sure that must be an idiomatic error but...
also it seems strange to me that it is so easy for these tapes to be delivered to al-jazeera and no one has yet been tracked by satellite cameras.
while im certain that zarqawi is the central target of the upcoming assault on fallouja, im not at all certain he is still there waiting for it. (i posted the entire text of an article published by the la times about the situation in fallouja on my blog; if you have the time--its lengthy--id be interested in your opinion of it). my feeling is the ultimate winner in iraq will be sistani who seems to be a very skillful politician.