Al-Qaida has revived, extended its influence, and has the capacity to carry out a spectacular strike similar to the September 11 attacks on America, one of the world’s leading security thinktanks warned yesterday.
There is increasing evidence “that ‘core’ al-Qaida is proving adaptable and resilient, and has retained an ability to plan and coordinate large-scale attacks in the western world despite the attrition it has suffered”, said the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). “The threat from Islamist terrorism remains as high as ever, and looks set to get worse,” it added.
“The US and its allies have failed to deal a death blow to al-Qaida; the organisation’s ideology appears to have taken root to such a degree that it will require decades to eradicate,” it continued.
The warning came in the latest annual review of world affairs by the IISS. Its strategic survey paints a bleak picture of global security in the future….
We need to find out who ordered all those cases of Grecian Formula 44 Hair Dye, that were sent into the Hindu Kush in the past 6 months. Osama is sure to be hiding in a cave within 5 miles of the air-drop.
We did not finish the job against al Qaeda in Afghanistan. We did not develop new capabilities to defeat a new enemy, or launch a comprehensive strategy to dry up the terrorists’ base of support. We did not reaffirm our basic values, or secure our homeland.
Instead, we got a color-coded politics of fear. Patriotism as the possession of one political party. The diplomacy of refusing to talk to other countries. A rigid 20th century ideology that insisted that the 21st century’s stateless terrorism could be defeated through the invasion and occupation of a state. A deliberate strategy to misrepresent 9/11 to sell a war against a country that had nothing to do with 9/11.
Afghanistan is more violent than it has been since 2001. Al Qaeda has a sanctuary in Pakistan. Israel is besieged by emboldened enemies, talking openly of its destruction. Iran is now presenting the broadest strategic challenge to the United States in the Middle East in a generation. Groups affiliated with or inspired by al Qaeda operate worldwide. Six years after 9/11, we are again in the midst of a “summer of threat,” with bin Ladin and many more terrorists determined to strike in the United States.
And tonight, the most dangerous President of modern times will stand in front of our country, with no creditability, and ask for more time to fight his war of choice.
I had no idea the reanimated corpse of Woodrow Wilson was giving a speech tonight. What channel?
Al-Q may be reenergized, but thanks to the U.S. military and U.S. intelligence, it took them SIX YEARS after their last victory to do so.
Go U.S.!
#2 Bob Under Clinton Al Queda committed the bombing at Kobar Towers, USS Cole, two embassies, and the World Trade center once. Al Queda had “offices” in the Phillipians (now neutralized), Thialand, Indonesia and Somlia (largely neutralized). Nuclear weapons program in Libia and North Korea have been halted. All the while the press has reported classified intelligence programs that have been used to disable Al Queda. I really don’t know what else has been done to Al Queda but we have had a marked reduction in the number of attacks on the US and US interests.