Tag: al-qaeda

Helen Asks Why

Thank God for Helen Thomas, the only person to show any courage at the White House press briefing after President Barack Obama gave a flaccid account of the intelligence screw-up that almost downed an airliner on Christmas Day. After Obama briefly addressed L’Affaire Abdulmutallab and wrote "must do better" on the report cards of the … Continue reading “Helen Asks Why”

The Weird Factor

What I call the Weird Factor, for lack of a better name, seems to have become a permanent feature of our post-9/11 world, a dark and sinister leitmotif that plays in the background. On 9/11, of course, the Factor was on full display as a whole string of unusual events and unexplained phenomena were visited … Continue reading “The Weird Factor”

Al-Qaeda Using US to Accomplish Goals – and US Is Playing Along

It is not widely understood that the policy objective of al-Qaeda is not to attack the Western countries, which in itself accomplishes nothing. Bringing down a Western airliner or blowing up a building in the United States or Britain is of no interest in itself, since the Islamic radical does no good by simply killing … Continue reading “Al-Qaeda Using US to Accomplish Goals – and US Is Playing Along”

The ‘Long War’: Who’s Winning?

It has been eight years since al-Qaeda attacked the Twin Towers and the Pentagon: eight long years in which the "war on terrorism" – begun by George W. Bush in a blaze of righteousness, and since carried on by his successor, in Afghanistan and Pakistan – has been waged on several fronts. So, how are … Continue reading “The ‘Long War’: Who’s Winning?”

Aborted Bombing Puts Yemen in the Limelight

The attempted Christmas Day bombing of a U.S. airliner by a Nigerian allegedly associated with al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has propelled long-neglected Yemen into the media spotlight. The attempt, which was foiled by alert passengers who subdued the alleged bomber, 23-year-old Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, as he tried to set off explosives, could result … Continue reading “Aborted Bombing Puts Yemen in the Limelight”

US Silent About Taliban Guarantee Offer on al-Qaeda

The Barack Obama administration is refusing to acknowledge an offer by the leadership of the Taliban in early December to give "legal guarantees" that it will not allow Afghanistan to be used for attacks on other countries. The administration’s silence on the offer, despite a public statement by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressing skepticism … Continue reading “US Silent About Taliban Guarantee Offer on al-Qaeda”

Obama Previously Rejected His New Surge Rationale

President Barack Obama presented a case Tuesday for sending 30,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan that included both soaring rhetoric and a new emphasis on its necessity for U.S. national security. Obama said the escalation was for a "vital national interest" and invoked the threat of attacks from the Afghanistan-Pakistan border area, asserting that such … Continue reading “Obama Previously Rejected His New Surge Rationale”

Blazing Afghanistan

Afghanistan has become a Mel Brooks movie. President Hamid Karzai handpicked an election commission that threw the election his way. UN overseers declared the election was crooked and decreed that a runoff was required. Karzai didn’t want to face a runoff, but John Kerry and other U.S. officials talked him into accepting it. Karzai’s opponent, … Continue reading “Blazing Afghanistan”

Arrogant US Misses the Message From Pakistan’s People

There has always been in American foreign policy circles a virus called arrogance, caused by the hereditary assumption that Americans know better than others. Surprisingly, this does not always prove the case, but the condition seems highly resistant to treatment, even by experience. There seems a high probability that the disease has struck Obama administration … Continue reading “Arrogant US Misses the Message From Pakistan’s People”

Pro-War Officials Play Up Taliban-al-Qaeda Ties

U.S. national security officials, concerned that President Barack Obama might be abandoning the strategy of full-fledged counterinsurgency war in Afghanistan, are claiming new intelligence assessments suggesting that al-Qaeda would be allowed to return to Afghanistan in the event of a Taliban victory. But two former senior intelligence analysts who have long followed the issue of … Continue reading “Pro-War Officials Play Up Taliban-al-Qaeda Ties”