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2005-12-18 Africa North

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Posted by Dan Darling 2005-12-18 01:05|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 suggested last week that Osama bin Laden no longer has operational control of al Qaeda. In fact, it's not clear that anybody does at this point. "Al Qaeda's central leadership has not directly orchestrated or even had foreknowledge of most of the antiwestern attacks since 9/11," a U.S. counterterrorism official tells U.S. News.....The most prominent successor is Abu Musab Zarqawi and his network of foreign suicide bombers in Iraq, but attacks like the Madrid train bombings in March 2004 are of growing concern. Those blasts, which killed 191 people, have been tied to the Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group, a shadowy, loose-knit outfit even more mysterious than the GSPC......some U.S. officials now believe that the GSPC, after years of contacts with al Qaeda leaders, has formally allied itself with bin Laden. That conclusion is still under debate in the intelligence community, but the GSPC's public statements praise al Qaeda increasingly often. In addition, European officials believe that the GSPC has approached al Qaeda leaders with a proposal that it be assigned a mission in North Africa that mirrors Zarqawi's role in Iraq.

So....if I read this correctly - Nobody seems to be in charge of al Qaeda .. especially not bin Laden. Zarqawi is The most prominent successor. Now the GPSC, who after years of contacts with AQ leaders (who apparently are not in charge of AQ) has formally aligned themselves with bin Laden, who has not been in charge of anything to do with foreign attacks since 911. Now more Madrid type bombings, done by a even more mysterious group than the GPSC, are expected because European officials believe that the GSPC has approached al Qaeda leaders, who are not in charge, with a proposal that it be assigned a mission in North Africa that mirrors Zarqawi's role in Iraq.

Is it just me?

Posted by 2b 2005-12-18 03:48|| 2005-12-18 03:48|| Front Page Top

#2 Nope, it's not just you.
It's clear that the enemy is disorganised and in retreat.
We've won, now is just mopping up the die-hards and wannabes.

Posted by Redneck Jim 2005-12-18 09:22|| 2005-12-18 09:22|| Front Page Top

#3 Redneck Jim:
AQ etc. may be disorganized in 'command and control' terms, and seem in retreat, but it is by no means a matter of "just mopping up." The Islamists still possess a powerful recruiting arm in the Wahabbi/Saudi funded mosques and schools, and a huge population of idle young men who are looking for a 'meaning' to their lives.
It can be a fine line between disorganization and decentralization: the ability of the US military to operate as small independent units in the absence of C & C has served it well (think Normandy landing) - they understand and stay on mission. The Islamists seem to understand their mission - kill Westerners - and don't need a whole lot of command and control to be very dangerous at it.

Posted by Glenmore">Glenmore 2005-12-18 09:36|| 2005-12-18 09:36|| Front Page Top

#4 Is you want to put it that way, I'll remind you that the "Mopping Up" in Germany post WW2 is still going on, but the actual fighting is long over.

Posted by Redneck Jim 2005-12-18 09:48|| 2005-12-18 09:48|| Front Page Top

#5 I find it hard to imagine we haven't broken some of their communications schemes by now and sent a few guys out on 'missions' where we could nab 'em. If not we certainly should be dropping rumors that we have been doing this for over a year and really screw with their brains.

Posted by rjschwarz">rjschwarz 2005-12-18 09:50|| 2005-12-18 09:50|| Front Page Top

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