Saturday, November 12, 2005

Al Qaeda getting blasted in Muslim world

This certainly seems like good news: An article in the online edition of a Scots newspaper talks about "Al Qaeda on defensive as bombs begin to backfire".

It seems pretty clear to me that AQ has found it increasingly difficult to operate in the US (I know that sounds like hubris, but it has been 4+ years - sure seems like they would if they could, right?), Western Europe, and the rest of the non-Islamic world. If it's going to run operations, recent history seems to indicate it's left to the Muslim world, where AQ still finds some support and freedom of movement. However, this strategy, implemented without the discipline of only targeting truly Western interests, can alienate the very population in who's name the organization claims to fight.

AQ seems to be nothing like the shadowy and outrageously successful force it was prior to September 11, 2001. Improved security, improved intelligence, an environment that more successfully harasses illegal activity, and attrition of members and leaders have all helped the West get a bit of a leg up.

That's not to say that the danger has passed - it has not. That's also not to say that AQ won't sort itself out and return to it's previous stature, because it may very well. It does, however, mean that it is not impossible to defeat.

No comments: