Article

2005-01-12 Arabia

Saudi al-Qaeda weakened but still a threat

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Posted by Dan Darling 2005-01-12 12:16:10 AM|| || Front Page|| [5 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 The writer keeps talking about "captured or killed", as if that makes the total meaningful. It doesn't sound to me as if he is accounting for all the those who escaped from prison, or those released after repenting. (I repent the cookie I just ate. In a moment I will repent the next one.) Also, how many of al Qaeda's top guys are connected to certain Saudi princes? (I do realize that we aren't likely to know until after the Kingdom falls.) And since when do the Iraqi and Yemeni borders present more than a cheesecloth defence against infiltration? Or are they one-way filters? (Not bloody likely to my inexperienced eyes!)

Posted by trailing wife 2005-01-12 11:07:20 AM|| 2005-01-12 11:07:20 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 Also, how many of al Qaeda's top guys are connected to certain Saudi princes? (I do realize that we aren't likely to know until after the Kingdom falls.)

I dunno. I think that with a little network analysis you could figure out a lot. The key nodes are probably the mullahs. Prince X's brothers worship at Mullah Y's mosque. Mullah Y's sermons are consistently quoted by Z al Ghamdi on his website, and so on.

Another way of looking at it would be like this:

Princes -> money, influence, strategic goals -> Mullahs -> money, ideology, tactical goals-> Tribal Muscle

As PD once pointed out here, being a Mullah is the only non-tribal path of upward mobility in these places. The mullahs become brokers between the princely tribes who have the money, but don't want to get their hands dirty and the poorer tribes that need the money and influence and are quite willing to get their hands dirty. And the mullahs are public figures. If you can find out who is in their congregations, you can make the connections.

All of which reinforces the sentiment often expressed here that first we need to hang the mullahs.

Posted by 11A5S 2005-01-12 1:00:59 PM|| 2005-01-12 1:00:59 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 I'm going to print out your explanation, 11A5S. I think I understand the gist, but I'm not accustomed to think in other than straight-line terms, I'm afraid (although my "straight" lines can be pretty curvy and even discontinuous). One take away though, is that the ambitious Suadi born into the wrong tribe and family, should choose to become a mullah.

Thank you!!

Posted by trailing wife 2005-01-12 7:10:54 PM|| 2005-01-12 7:10:54 PM|| Front Page Top

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