Posted on 08/09/2022 6:33:57 AM PDT by MtnClimber
Iran’s attempt to control al-Qaeda may be one of the biggest strategic benefits the rogue state has ever enjoyed. And it could cost the United States dearly if Joe Biden is not careful.
The death of al-Qaeda’s longtime leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, proves how dangerous it is to lead the world’s most notorious Islamist terrorist organization. Given the group’s international reach and the fact that it has survived nearly 30 years of conflict with America’s war machine, many observers have been surprised by the fact that al-Qaeda did not have a succession plan in place. This is especially odd considering how many of al-Qaeda’s top leaders have either been captured by U.S. and allied forces or killed in a variety of colorful ways by the U.S. military (including both Zawahiri’s predecessor, Osama Bin Laden).
To observe the way the Biden Administration celebrated Zawahiri’s explosive death in Taliban-controlled Kabul, one could be forgiven for believing this meant the threat from al-Qaeda is over. Not true. In fact, the threat is evolving—as it did in the aftermath of the killing of Bin Laden in 2011.
And while no actual succession plan was in place for the infamous terrorist group, there are at least two men who appear to be the likeliest figures to assume power. One is longtime al-Qaeda leader, Egyptian-born Saif al-Adel and the other is Abd al-Rahman al-Maghribi. The former was an old comrade of Zawahiri, and the latter is Zawahiri’s son-in-law. Both men, however, have lived in Iran for years.
The fact that these two men have resided in Iran for as long as they have indicates they’re doing more than just taking refuge from American bombs: they’re likely under the protection of Iranian intelligence. Some might even say the two men are under house arrest. This is an especially dangerous condition. Tehran has already proven its ability to bring some of the world’s largest and deadliest terrorist organizations under its bloody spell. Many know about Iran’s long-standing relationship with the Lebanon-based Shiite Muslim terror group, Hezbollah.
Few realize that as far back as 2017, Iran had started building ties with Fatah in the Palestine Authority. The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) led for decades by Yasser Arafat was a Soviet-backed quasi-Marxist revolutionary movement opposed to Israel’s existence as a predominantly Jewish, democratic state in the Arab world. Fatah is the PLO’s political successor. It rules over the Palestinian Territories. In 2022, Islamist Iran and Marxist Fatah are comrades. Further, in 2020, Iran solidified its partnership with the other Palestinian terrorist group, Hamas. With these new connections, Tehran has worked to unite its Hezbollah allies with Fatah and Hamas, in an alliance Tehran seems to believe will defeat its Israeli foes in a coming war.
Should Iran bring al-Qaeda under its green banner of Islamist fundamentalism, armed with nuclear weapons it would become a direct and existential threat to the United States. Iran’s terrorist proxies, with their variegated ideological and religious beliefs, would prove extremely difficult for Western security experts to anticipate and would have a truly global reach.
What’s more, any potential nuclear terrorist event would be hard to attribute to Iran. Effectively, Tehran could coordinate a global nuclear terrorist attack and shield itself from direct American reprisals by getting their proxies—especially a potentially Iran-influenced al-Qaeda—to take the brunt of the consequences. All while Iran gets America to weaken itself fighting a terrorist group as Iran captures more of the Middle East.
The rise of either Saif al-Adel or Abd al-Rahman al-Maghribi from their perches in Iran is not a fait accompli. The very fact that these two men have been removed from the daily fighting in neighboring Afghanistan means that the other leaders of al-Qaeda, such as the leaders of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Al Shabaab, the Somali-based al-Qaeda franchise, are suspicious of both men. Plus, these groups are predominantly Sunni Muslim and are not disposed to following those who’ve fallen under the sway of Shiite Iran.
And Joe wants to put the suicidal Iran deal back in place.
Jimmy Carter.....the gift that keeps on giving.
Iran is going to have to be dealt with sooner or later.
Isn’t there a Shia-Sunni problem between these two snakes?
Al Qaeda is Unni and Iran is Shiite.
Could be good when Iran decides to ride the tiger.
Sunni. Turning off auto correct.
Never forget the Clintons kissing and hugging Soviet-backed Arafat.
Arafat-head should have been taken out the day he reared his fat ugly head.
He is the reason you have to wait in line for hours to get undressed and fondled at the airport
Al-Qaeda is a Sunni organization. Iran is a Shiite country.
At best, Sunnis think of Shiites as somewhat heretical. At worst, they will actively slaughter each other.
One of Iran’s big plans is to create a “Shiite Crescent”, a territory from Lebanon to Pakistan including all Shiites. Total fantasy, and nothing the Sunnis would tolerate.
Maybe I’m not very Christian, but I haven’t had much love for Iran the past 43 years. I believe Iran is due another Operation Praying Mantis.
Why not? Biden/Kerry/Obama has given the mullahs the money.
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