Osama bin Laden may have disappeared from public view for the same reason that rich dilettantes withdraw, computer in hand and young writing assistant in tow, to well-appointed seaside or mountain retreats.

Yes, he is rumored to be writing a book. Yes, with the help of a younger writer.

Predictably, if he is writing a book at all, it's a self-justifying book.

The Christian Science Monitor reports that it is "a defense of Al Qaeda" penned in response to " 'negative propaganda and insufficient information' ."

As if published responses to 9/11 and ensuing events were mere attack ads in some obscure political campaign?

You don't read Arabic? Despair not. The Press Trust of India reports that a young writer who is assisting Osama "will later translate the text into English"

I'm sure you can hardly wait.

Update

The alleged book, purportedly being authored while the best of the U.S. military scour the earth for bin Laden, is they say to be called “Nidal,” which is said to mean "struggle."

If you have inferred that I'm having a struggle with the idea that this tome is being scrawled, typed or keyboarded out somewhere (anywhere), you're right.

No, I'm not scouring the trade press each day for Osama's Booker nomination.