You have commented 358 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Submit your comments on this article
Arabia
Saudi killing of al Qaeda cell leader shows "resolute pursuit"
2005-08-19
The killing in Saudi Arabia of a top al Qaeda cell leader, Saleh al-Oufi, was another example of the Saudis' "resolute pursuit" of terrorists, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said on Thursday.
We're making polite conversation here. I'm happy to see him dead, of course, and I hope it was very painful, but Lewis Atiyyat Allah is probably the brains of the outfit, with Sheikh Hawali directly over him and Binny off to one side, looking on approvingly. Al-Oafi will be replaced by somebody else who's fond of keeping heads in his fridge and the sporadic carnage will continue.
Al-Oufi "certainly is somebody who has been one of the most wanted terrorist fugitives in Saudi Arabia for several years," McCormack said. U.S. officials "are working closely with the Saudi government on terrorism and law enforcement matters, and that cooperation will continue," he said. In recent months and over the past couple of years, the Saudis have achieved "real successes" in their operations by killing and apprehending a number of senior Qaeda figures in the Kingdom, and dismantling a number of terror cells, and have lost more than 40 of their own law enforcement officers in the process, McCormack said. All those involved in the war against terrorism "need to be vigilant and continue pursuing these networks and these cells and break them up," he said.

Often when a leader of a terror cell is killed or captured, somebody else steps into place to take over those responsibilities, McCormack said, "but what happens in that is you are degrading over time the overall capability of that particular cell or organization, because those people do not have the experience or maybe leadership capabilities that the person that they replaced had." In additional to remaining vigilant and degrading terrorist cells, officials also need to address the root causes of terrorism, he added. "So we are working on a number of different tracks to try to address the issue of terrorism, and what you saw today in Saudi Arabia is one of those tracks," McCormack said.
Posted by:Fred

#7  The killing in Saudi Arabia of a top al Qaeda cell leader, Saleh al-Oufi, was another example of the Saudis' "resolute pursuit" of terrorists, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said on Thursday.

Nah, I think it's more sacrificial lamb than "resolute pursuit". Whack one of them, looks like you're doing something, get praise, and yet nothing changes behind the scenes; the Wahhabis are still playing their little games.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2005-08-19 13:53  

#6  Y'all appear to assume that those who replace the captured/killed leadership are equally skilled. Think to your own work experience -- it generally takes six months to master the intricacies of a new job when you move, whether it's a promotion or a lateral move. And. that presumes you already have most of the skills to do the new job. In the case of Al Qaeda, the skill set needed to successfully run a terror cell are considerably different than those needed to be cannon fodder, or even a master bomb maker. And that doesn't include the social connections and social skills necessary in such a feudal tribal society to keep key Saudi princes and local policemen willing to ignore your little group's activities. Even master bomb makers tend not to be able to handle that critical chore.

So it isn't just dependent on the absolute level of evil in the soul of the leadership replacements, but on classic management theory as well.
Posted by: trailing wife   2005-08-19 13:00  

#5  so now most prairie rattlers in populated areas don't rattle.----- I would like to believe glenmore ; but do not forget that the "old" warriors indeed may be dead / tired / burned out, at the other hand in the last years you get again experienced killers from the USA war in afghanistan and Irak
Posted by: boeboe   2005-08-19 12:16  

#4  Glenmore's made an excellent point.

Perhaps the Saudis, with all of the billions they've got in cash and gold, could buy off some of these AQ "leaders". I'm sure they've got a breaking point... millions in cash for family, new identity cards; safe passage out of Kingdom to some tropical island in the Pacific when this "crisis" blows over; multiple, year-round supply of young, attractive virgins (sort of replaces that, you know, heavenly hothouse); and a Swiss bank account.

Indeed, just to have year round access to Candice Michelle is enough for me to sell out!

http://www.candicemichelle.com/home.asp
Posted by: The Angry Fliegerabwehrkanonen   2005-08-19 08:40  

#3  If by killing an AQ leader the chances are he will be replaced by someone worse, then the strategy should be to not kill AQ leaders. That makes no sense. What happens is you MAY get someone worse, but more likely not.
Then of course there is the prairie rattlesnake evolution phenomenon - years ago most 'rattled' but when they did, people spotted them and killed them, leaving the odd silent rattlesnake to live to procreate, so now most prairie rattlers in populated areas don't rattle.
Posted by: glenmore   2005-08-19 07:29  

#2  I agree but given the circumstances it will probably go in the worst direction
Posted by: Alex   2005-08-19 05:16  

#1  Often when a leader of a terror cell is killed or captured, somebody else steps into place to take over those responsibilities, McCormack said WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT YOU GET ANOTHER ONE : CAN BE WORSE CAN BE BETTER
Posted by: boeboe   2005-08-19 05:04  

00:00