Al Qaida commander backs Libyan rebels in message

jpost.com ^

[tsowellfan]

We need a graphic of Obama's NCAA brackets where Libya and Al Qaeda are the top two teams and Obama picks AQ to win it all.

When I see that I will definate post it as a comment in Obama's Facebook LOL

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

AQ is a bit late to the party and does not have much of a presence in Libya.

That is not correct.

Gaddafi regime fed names of jihadists to the CIA and to Britain

[prairiebreeze]

You're on Zeroman's Facebook? LOL! You have more strength of stomach than I do.

[wideawake]

Has it not occurred to you that Qadaffi may have been taking advantage of current events to eliminate his personal enemies?

[tsowellfan]

LOL! I have several Facebook accounts. He’s certainly not on my real one. YUK! On some of my accounts I comment in his facebook as a “supporter” using the “Protest Warrior” technique.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Qaddafi's personal enemies are Al Qaeda terrorists, and East Libya is a hotbed of jihadist activity. The U.S. Army knew it in 2007.

Eastern Libya’s Tribes, Jihadism: Did U.S. Consider Its Own Libya Intel?

Al Qaeda's Foreign Fighters in Iraq (Unclassified U.S. Military Academy Report)

Al Qaeda commander calls for Islamic rule in Libya

Libyan Islamic Fighting Group

[wideawake]

Good data. I would point out that this data informs us that the vast majority of Libyan AQ members come from a single small town in eastern Libya: Darnah. More specifically, from attendees at one specific mosque in Darnah.

Darnah represents less than 2% of eastern Libya's population and the AQ members less than 2% of Darnah's population.

I would also point out that the anti-Qadaffi LIFG in eastern Libya has long denied ties to AQ.

In 2007 the head of the LIFG, Noman Benotman (note the Berber name), wrote a public letter berating AQ and calling them un-Islamic - specifically saying that attacks on Western civilians were wrong - and there was subsequently a split in his organization. The pro-AQ faction apparently left Libya for Iraq and Afghanistan under the leadership of the now-dead Abu Laith Al-Libi.

Moreover, the anti-AQ faction that remained in Libya held limited talks with the Qadaffi government.

Also, the LIFG remains a small group and is not in charge of the Libyan resistance.

[wideawake]

I would also point out that the tribal nature of Libyan society can work very much to the West's advantage as it did in Anbar, Iraq.

Islamists like to tell tribal leaders what customs their tribes should follow, they like to tell them that they are insufficiently Islamic and need to do things the Islamist way, and worst of all they like to pull rank on tribal leaders.

America was very successful with tribal leaders in Iraq by saying: "Look, you are the boss of your tribe. You follow your customs and live your lives the way you see fit. We admire your power and we seek your help. We brought you some gifts, by the way."

[piasa]

.

[Just mythoughts]

Thanks for the reminder, shaking my head.

[Just mythoughts]

AQ is a bit late to the party and does not have much of a presence in Libya. FReepers who actually believe that this is an Islamic radical revolution are naive if they allow themselves to be duped by AQ this easily.

Would you care to revise and extend your proclamation?

[wideawake]

Would you care to revise and extend your proclamation?

Not really.

The fact that AQ has been able to carry out operations in Libya is a far cry from claiming that AQ controls the provisional government.