AL-QAEDA'S RESURGENCE, Part 2

Asia Times ^ | 3/3/2007 | Syed Saleem Shahzad

[ex-Texan]

Looking for a new home in Iraq

KARACHI - Having solidified its leadership and opened up financial lifelines, al-Qaeda is preparing for its next major step - establishing a new base in the heart of the Middle East, Iraq.

This will position al-Qaeda to step up attacks on Europe in an effort to force Western countries to cut their strategic alliances with Washington, and to serve as a nerve center to bring new al-Qaeda groups into action in the Arab world.

According to people familiar with al-Qaeda's thinking who spoke to Asia Times Online, Osama bin Laden's deputy and the group's ideologue, Dr Ayman al-Zawahiri, sees potential for the group to capitalize on a possible US war over Iran. Relocating the al-Qaeda leadership from the Afghan-Pakistani border areas would put it closer to this new "epicenter".

In addition, the relationship between al-Qaeda and the Taliban has cooled after the Taliban's decision to strike a deal with Pakistan over support for the insurgency in southwestern Afghanistan. Al-Qaeda refuses to deal with any state, including Islamabad (see Pakistan makes a deal with the Taliban, Asia Times Online, March 1).

The al-Qaeda leadership is biding its time, banking on sufficient chaos in Iran and Iraq for it to move to the Middle East, according to Asia Times Online interactions with various sources.

[ex-Texan]

I just saw this report on the web. I thought people ought to know about what is happening.

[Cindy]

Thanks ex-Texan for posting this article.

AQ has been in Iraq for quite awhile now.

[ex-Texan]

AQ is conducting a war as a surrogate warrior. Just like Hezbollah and Hamas are at war with Israel. AQ is being supplied weapons by Iran and Syria. Iran and Syria are at war with the U.S. and the people of Iraq. Time to wake up some liberals.

Patton's famous Speech from the film "Patton"

[Cindy]

Thanks for your feedback.

We're always following the threats here on FR:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=threatmatrix

[ex-Texan]

Al Qaeda's plans include making and using an atom bomb. According to the same source:

[Cindy]

Yep.
Thank you for the post.

[thegreatbeast]

There is no question that al Qaeda is a grave threat to many states but the fact is that they are a shadow of their former selves. How can a movement rally around a leader who has taken to publishing video fatwas with the regularity of total solar eclipses? Sure, Zawahiri can manage to rustle up a more steady diet of video rants but the fact can''t be escaped that these guys are on the run and unable to even tell their wives where they are. This does not make for a dynamic recruitment campaign.
Sure, there is no shortage of disaffected young muslims but we haven't allowed al Qaeda any way or anywhere to organize them, at least on any scale.
And we're fortunate enough to be able to kill their members everyday, and we've eliminated much of their leadership.
Word has it, too, that al Qaeda has gone a long way to wearing out their welcome in Iraq by their indiscriminate killing of other muslims.
No, I think that we are winning the war with al Qaeda. It isn't close to being finished but we are winning, and someday we will get UBL and Zawahiri-- it's just a matter of time. Their world gets smaller & smaller.

[dk/coro]

From my perspective -- and I have been a student of the Middle East for some time -- is the reference to "time".

The concept of "time" (and its role in this civilizational conflict) is markedly different in the Islamic world, vis-a-vis Christendom/The Western Democracies.

To me, this is the biggest threat to the survival of our Republic in this mortal conflict.

I could well argue that the "time" factor, when introduced into the decision-making process in a democracy, will pose a challenge much more serious than any posed on the battlefield(s) -- ill defined as they often are -- in this type of asymmetric warfare.

Unless the acute criticality of the threat posed by Islamism is identified and factored into the political decision-making matrix in Washington -- with a clear understanding by our leadership of the long-term dedication to this struggle into the out years -- our Republic will be doomed w/o so much as the first nuke cooking off. Demographics and PC/MC cultural accommodation will have done what high tech weaponry could never do:

Defeat the Republic that we have known, loved, and defended.

End of rant.

Fire away fellow Freepers. I have my flak jacket on. *S*

[TheLebowskiDude]

I'm not completely following your logic. I somewhat understand it, but could you please explain to me why we are still "buddies" with Pakistan/Saudi Arabia/Uzbekistan/Dubai/Etc?? If Islam is such a big and current threat then why are we currently "friends" with these governments?

Please clarify, or specify, what you are referring to.

[JudgemAll]

We are at war with a lunatic cult which even recruits defeatism and demoralization in Congress... and this cult is more of a coded amalgam of "misfits incorporated" worldwide.

[denydenydeny]

Al-Qaeda refuses to deal with any state, including Islamabad

Total lie. AQ was perfectly happy to deal with the Taleban when they ran Afghanistan, to name one example.

AQ cannot ADMIT dealing with any state, because that state would immediately be in American crosshairs.

This story is essentially an Al Qaeda press release, but it indirectly confirms the fear and respect that all of these people have for American power.

[dk/coro]

Sorry. I stand on my comment.

As you should well know, Geo-Politics drives many a marriage of convenience; and, of course, in International Affairs, current expediency makes for all sorts of bedfellows.

But, of course, you are well aware of this political truism.

I care not to pursue this modest exchange further in a public forum.