Article

2005-07-25 Terror Networks & Islam

NYT on the possibility of a resurgent al-Qaeda

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Posted by Dan Darling 2005-07-25 10:00|| || Front Page|| [7 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 A resurgent al Qaeda would be an al Qaeda that can carry out 9/11-style operations on a production-line type basis, with each attack killing thousands on a day-to-day basis. That was the real fear after 9/11 - could they keep up that operational tempo on American soil? The answer was no. The only place where it can approximate those numbers is in Iraq, but that is mixed in with an ongoing civil war between Sunnis and Shias, and an environment in which perhaps 20% of the population supports al Qaeda. I don't think you have anywhere near those numbers in any Western country, including Turkey.

Posted by Zhang Fei">Zhang Fei 2005-07-25 10:29|| http://timurileng.blogspot.com]">[http://timurileng.blogspot.com] 2005-07-25 10:29|| Front Page Top

#2 dan, I think sometimes it is useful to step back and look at things in a cold and aloof manner as to what point is attempting to be made, rather than if the point is actually true or logical or possible.

This reads like poorly written propaganada to me. Clearly the writer is attempting to get the reader to view things in a manner other how it may seem to appear, leading down a garden path of, "though it may seem"

Here is the writers ultimate point:
But Al Qaeda's true form these days is a question mark. A majority of the officials interviewed call it a badly hobbled, barely functioning organization. Its top commanders have been captured or killed, and its two top leaders - Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri - have been in hiding for nearly four years.
One senior counterterrorism official said, "Al Qaeda is finished. But there is Al Qaedaism. This is a powerful ideology that drives local groups to do what they think Osama bin Laden wants."

Now, step back for a moment and say you are a jihadi. You may just be asking yourself that same question. Where is Bin Laden? Where is Zawahiri. Is Zarqawi dead? All of our top leaders seem to be AWOL or in jail. Where are they? What exactly is the goal we are fighting for?

I don't have time to ponder this but I can't help wondering if this isn't written for you or me...but rather for the jihadi who might be asking himself that very question, "is AQ finished".

Posted by 2b 2005-07-25 11:11|| 2005-07-25 11:11|| Front Page Top

#3 Hehehe, good point. I hadn't considered that ...

Posted by Dan Darling">Dan Darling 2005-07-25 11:15|| http://www.regnumcrucis.blogspot.com]">[http://www.regnumcrucis.blogspot.com] 2005-07-25 11:15|| Front Page Top

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