President Obama's comments today on the assassination of Anwar al-Awlaki during the change of office ceremony at Fort Myer, Virginia for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff:
"I want to say a few words about some important news. Earlier this morning Anwar al-Awlaki, a leader of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, was killed in Yemen.
"The death of Awlaki is a major blow to Al Qaeda most active operational affiliate. Awlaki was the leader of external operations for Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. In that role, he took the lead in planning and directing efforts to murder innocent Americans. He directed the failed attempt to blow up an airplane on Christmas Day in 2009, he directed the failed attempt to blow up U.S. cargo planes in 2010 and he repeatedly called on individuals in the United States and around the globe to kill innocent men, women and children to advance a murderous agenda.
"The death of Awlaki marks another significant milestone in the broader effort to defeat Al Qaeda and its affiliates. Furthermore, this success is a tribute to our intelligence community and to the efforts of Yemen and of security forces who have worked closely with the United States over the course of several years. Awlaki and his organization have been directly responsible for the deaths of many Yemeni citizens. His hateful ideology and targeting of innocent civilians has been rejected by the vast majority of Muslims and people of all faiths. And he has met his demise because the government and the people of Yemen have joined the international community in a common effort against Al Qaeda.
"Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula remains a dangerous, though weakened, terrorist organization. And going forward we will remain vigilant against any threats to the United States or our allies and partners. But make no mistake, this is further proof that Al Qaeda and its affiliates will find no safe haven anywhere in the world.
"Working with Yemen and our other allies and partners, we will be determined, we will be deliberate, we will be relentless, we will be resolute in our commitment to destroy terrorist networks that aim to kill Americans, and to build a world in which people everywhere can live in greater peace, prosperity and security."
Showing posts with label Al Qaeda. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Al Qaeda. Show all posts
Friday, September 30, 2011
Thursday, September 8, 2011
U.S. Says There is Credible Evidence of 9/11 Al Qaeda Attack
Updated at 10 p.m. edt
There are credible, but unconfirmed threats of a potential Al Qaeda truck-bombing plot aimed at targets in New York City and Washington around the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, officials confirmed tonight.
"The President was briefed on this specific threat information this morning and has been updated on it throughout the day," a White House official said.
"The United States government has already significantly enhanced its security posture in advance of the 9/11 anniversary to protect the country against possible terrorist threats," the official said.
"Nevertheless, the President directed the counterterrorism community to redouble its efforts in response to this credible but unconfirmed information," the source added.
At least three people from Afghanistan, one possibly an American citizen, flew to the U.S. in August with the potential intent to launch a truck-bomb attack in New York, Washington or both, another government official said, confirming an ABC News report.
Authorities are looking for two rental trucks missing from locations in Kansas City, ABC reported.
New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg later claimed the reports of trucks being involved was debunked and he urged people to go about their normal business.
"What we have to do is not let the terrorists win by intimidation," Bloomberg said.
There are credible, but unconfirmed threats of a potential Al Qaeda truck-bombing plot aimed at targets in New York City and Washington around the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, officials confirmed tonight.
"The President was briefed on this specific threat information this morning and has been updated on it throughout the day," a White House official said.
"The United States government has already significantly enhanced its security posture in advance of the 9/11 anniversary to protect the country against possible terrorist threats," the official said.
"Nevertheless, the President directed the counterterrorism community to redouble its efforts in response to this credible but unconfirmed information," the source added.
At least three people from Afghanistan, one possibly an American citizen, flew to the U.S. in August with the potential intent to launch a truck-bomb attack in New York, Washington or both, another government official said, confirming an ABC News report.
Authorities are looking for two rental trucks missing from locations in Kansas City, ABC reported.
New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg later claimed the reports of trucks being involved was debunked and he urged people to go about their normal business.
"What we have to do is not let the terrorists win by intimidation," Bloomberg said.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Feds: A 'Lone Wolf' 9/11 Terrorist Attack Would be Hard to Stop
Cottage industry terror-trackers have warned for months Al Qaeda would be out for revenge for the death of Osama Bin Laden, but what scares President Obama and the FBI the most is a "lone wolf" attacker like the right-wing extremist car-bomber and gunman who killed 69 people in Norway.
Just hours after Obama revealed in an interview his fears of a lone wolf attacks, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security began circulating a warning to local authorities to be on the lookout for individual terrorists capable of the carnage like Anders Brevik admitted to when he car-bombed government buildings and gunned-down unsuspecting patrons at a youth camp in Norway.
The problem, says one government source, is they could be anywhere among us waiting to strike with the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorists attacks approaching and it may be impossible to know it until that person strikes.
A lone wolf could simply take it upon himself top carry out an attack without orders the Al Qaeda or any another terror organization, making it nearly impossible for federal authorities or private-industry terrorist trackers to get even a whiff of such a plot.
"The biggest concern we have right now is not the launching of a major terrorist operation, although that risk is always there," Obama said in a widely-cited interview with CNN"s Wolf Blitzer.
"The risk that we're especially concerned over right now is the lone wolf terrorist, somebody with a single weapon being able to carry out wide-scale massacres of the sort that we saw in Norway recently," Obama said. "You know, when you've got one person who is deranged or driven by a hateful ideology, they can do a lot of damage, and it's a lot harder to trace those lone wolf operators."
There will be stepped security surrounded memorial events for the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, remembering the fate full day that saw Al Qaeda hijack airliners and crash them into the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon in Washington and a field in Shanksville, Pa.
Just hours after Obama revealed in an interview his fears of a lone wolf attacks, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security began circulating a warning to local authorities to be on the lookout for individual terrorists capable of the carnage like Anders Brevik admitted to when he car-bombed government buildings and gunned-down unsuspecting patrons at a youth camp in Norway.
The problem, says one government source, is they could be anywhere among us waiting to strike with the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorists attacks approaching and it may be impossible to know it until that person strikes.
A lone wolf could simply take it upon himself top carry out an attack without orders the Al Qaeda or any another terror organization, making it nearly impossible for federal authorities or private-industry terrorist trackers to get even a whiff of such a plot.
"The biggest concern we have right now is not the launching of a major terrorist operation, although that risk is always there," Obama said in a widely-cited interview with CNN"s Wolf Blitzer.
"The risk that we're especially concerned over right now is the lone wolf terrorist, somebody with a single weapon being able to carry out wide-scale massacres of the sort that we saw in Norway recently," Obama said. "You know, when you've got one person who is deranged or driven by a hateful ideology, they can do a lot of damage, and it's a lot harder to trace those lone wolf operators."
There will be stepped security surrounded memorial events for the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, remembering the fate full day that saw Al Qaeda hijack airliners and crash them into the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon in Washington and a field in Shanksville, Pa.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Obama: Time to End Afghanistan War & Rebuild US
Full Transcript of President Obama's Speech on the Beginning of the End of the War in Afghanistan as Delivered in the East Room of the White House at 8:01 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. Nearly 10 years ago, America suffered the worst attack on our shores since Pearl Harbor. This mass murder was planned by Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda network in Afghanistan, and signaled a new threat to our security –- one in which the targets were no longer soldiers on a battlefield, but innocent men, women and children going about their daily lives.
In the days that followed, our nation was united as we struck at al Qaeda and routed the Taliban in Afghanistan. Then, our focus shifted. A second war was launched in Iraq, and we spent enormous blood and treasure to support a new government there. By the time I took office, the war in Afghanistan had entered its seventh year. But al Qaeda’s leaders had escaped into Pakistan and were plotting new attacks, while the Taliban had regrouped and gone on the offensive. Without a new strategy and decisive action, our military commanders warned that we could face a resurgent al Qaeda and a Taliban taking over large parts of Afghanistan.
For this reason, in one of the most difficult decisions that I’ve made as President, I ordered an additional 30,000 American troops into Afghanistan. When I announced this surge at West Point, we set clear objectives: to refocus on al Qaeda, to reverse the Taliban’s momentum, and train Afghan security forces to defend their own country. I also made it clear that our commitment would not be open-ended, and that we would begin to draw down our forces this July.
Tonight, I can tell you that we are fulfilling that commitment. Thanks to our extraordinary men and women in uniform, our civilian personnel, and our many coalition partners, we are meeting our goals. As a result, starting next month, we will be able to remove 10,000 of our troops from Afghanistan by the end of this year, and we will bring home a total of 33,000 troops by next summer, fully recovering the surge I announced at West Point. After this initial reduction, our troops will continue coming home at a steady pace as Afghan security forces move into the lead. Our mission will change from combat to support. By 2014, this process of transition will be complete, and the Afghan people will be responsible for their own security.
We’re starting this drawdown from a position of strength. Al Qaeda is under more pressure than at any time since 9/11. Together with the Pakistanis, we have taken out more than half of al Qaeda’s leadership. And thanks to our intelligence professionals and Special Forces, we killed Osama bin Laden, the only leader that al Qaeda had ever known. This was a victory for all who have served since 9/11. One soldier summed it up well. “The message,” he said, “is we don’t forget. You will be held accountable, no matter how long it takes.”
The information that we recovered from bin Laden’s compound shows al Qaeda under enormous strain. Bin Laden expressed concern that al Qaeda had been unable to effectively replace senior terrorists that had been killed, and that al Qaeda has failed in its effort to portray America as a nation at war with Islam -– thereby draining more widespread support. Al Qaeda remains dangerous, and we must be vigilant against attacks. But we have put al Qaeda on a path to defeat, and we will not relent until the job is done.
In Afghanistan, we’ve inflicted serious losses on the Taliban and taken a number of its strongholds. Along with our surge, our allies also increased their commitments, which helped stabilize more of the country. Afghan security forces have grown by over 100,000 troops, and in some provinces and municipalities we’ve already begun to transition responsibility for security to the Afghan people. In the face of violence and intimidation, Afghans are fighting and dying for their country, establishing local police forces, opening markets and schools, creating new opportunities for women and girls, and trying to turn the page on decades of war.
Of course, huge challenges remain. This is the beginning -- but not the end –- of our effort to wind down this war. We’ll have to do the hard work of keeping the gains that we’ve made, while we draw down our forces and transition responsibility for security to the Afghan government. And next May, in Chicago, we will host a summit with our NATO allies and partners to shape the next phase of this transition.
We do know that peace cannot come to a land that has known so much war without a political settlement. So as we strengthen the Afghan government and security forces, America will join initiatives that reconcile the Afghan people, including the Taliban. Our position on these talks is clear: They must be led by the Afghan government, and those who want to be a part of a peaceful Afghanistan must break from al Qaeda, abandon violence, and abide by the Afghan constitution. But, in part because of our military effort, we have reason to believe that progress can be made.
The goal that we seek is achievable, and can be expressed simply: No safe haven from which al Qaeda or its affiliates can launch attacks against our homeland or our allies. We won't try to make Afghanistan a perfect place. We will not police its streets or patrol its mountains indefinitely. That is the responsibility of the Afghan government, which must step up its ability to protect its people, and move from an economy shaped by war to one that can sustain a lasting peace. What we can do, and will do, is build a partnership with the Afghan people that endures –- one that ensures that we will be able to continue targeting terrorists and supporting a sovereign Afghan government.
Of course, our efforts must also address terrorist safe havens in Pakistan. No country is more endangered by the presence of violent extremists, which is why we will continue to press Pakistan to expand its participation in securing a more peaceful future for this war-torn region. We'll work with the Pakistani government to root out the cancer of violent extremism, and we will insist that it keeps its commitments. For there should be no doubt that so long as I am President, the United States will never tolerate a safe haven for those who aim to kill us. They cannot elude us, nor escape the justice they deserve.
My fellow Americans, this has been a difficult decade for our country. We've learned anew the profound cost of war -- a cost that's been paid by the nearly 4,500 Americans who have given their lives in Iraq, and the over 1,500 who have done so in Afghanistan -– men and women who will not live to enjoy the freedom that they defended. Thousands more have been wounded. Some have lost limbs on the battlefield, and others still battle the demons that have followed them home.
Yet tonight, we take comfort in knowing that the tide of war is receding. Fewer of our sons and daughters are serving in harm’s way. We’ve ended our combat mission in Iraq, with 100,000 American troops already out of that country. And even as there will be dark days ahead in Afghanistan, the light of a secure peace can be seen in the distance. These long wars will come to a responsible end.
As they do, we must learn their lessons. Already this decade of war has caused many to question the nature of America’s engagement around the world. Some would have America retreat from our responsibility as an anchor of global security, and embrace an isolation that ignores the very real threats that we face. Others would have America over-extended, confronting every evil that can be found abroad.
We must chart a more centered course. Like generations before, we must embrace America’s singular role in the course of human events. But we must be as pragmatic as we are passionate; as strategic as we are resolute. When threatened, we must respond with force –- but when that force can be targeted, we need not deploy large armies overseas. When innocents are being slaughtered and global security endangered, we don’t have to choose between standing idly by or acting on our own. Instead, we must rally international action, which we’re doing in Libya, where we do not have a single soldier on the ground, but are supporting allies in protecting the Libyan people and giving them the chance to determine their own destiny.
In all that we do, we must remember that what sets America apart is not solely our power -– it is the principles upon which our union was founded. We’re a nation that brings our enemies to justice while adhering to the rule of law, and respecting the rights of all our citizens. We protect our own freedom and prosperity by extending it to others. We stand not for empire, but for self-determination. That is why we have a stake in the democratic aspirations that are now washing across the Arab world. We will support those revolutions with fidelity to our ideals, with the power of our example, and with an unwavering belief that all human beings deserve to live with freedom and dignity.
Above all, we are a nation whose strength abroad has been anchored in opportunity for our citizens here at home. Over the last decade, we have spent a trillion dollars on war, at a time of rising debt and hard economic times. Now, we must invest in America’s greatest resource –- our people. We must unleash innovation that creates new jobs and industries, while living within our means. We must rebuild our infrastructure and find new and clean sources of energy. And most of all, after a decade of passionate debate, we must recapture the common purpose that we shared at the beginning of this time of war. For our nation draws strength from our differences, and when our union is strong no hill is too steep, no horizon is beyond our reach.
America, it is time to focus on nation building here at home.
In this effort, we draw inspiration from our fellow Americans who have sacrificed so much on our behalf. To our troops, our veterans and their families, I speak for all Americans when I say that we will keep our sacred trust with you, and provide you with the care and benefits and opportunity that you deserve.
I met some of these patriotic Americans at Fort Campbell. A while back, I spoke to the 101st Airborne that has fought to turn the tide in Afghanistan, and to the team that took out Osama bin Laden. Standing in front of a model of bin Laden’s compound, the Navy SEAL who led that effort paid tribute to those who had been lost –- brothers and sisters in arms whose names are now written on bases where our troops stand guard overseas, and on headstones in quiet corners of our country where their memory will never be forgotten. This officer -- like so many others I’ve met on bases, in Baghdad and Bagram, and at Walter Reed and Bethesda Naval Hospital -– spoke with humility about how his unit worked together as one, depending on each other, and trusting one another, as a family might do in a time of peril.
That’s a lesson worth remembering -– that we are all a part of one American family. Though we have known disagreement and division, we are bound together by the creed that is written into our founding documents, and a conviction that the United States of America is a country that can achieve whatever it sets out to accomplish. Now, let us finish the work at hand. Let us responsibly end these wars, and reclaim the American Dream that is at the center of our story. With confidence in our cause, with faith in our fellow citizens, and with hope in our hearts, let us go about the work of extending the promise of America -– for this generation, and the next.
May God bless our troops. And may God bless the United States of America.
END 8:16 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. Nearly 10 years ago, America suffered the worst attack on our shores since Pearl Harbor. This mass murder was planned by Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda network in Afghanistan, and signaled a new threat to our security –- one in which the targets were no longer soldiers on a battlefield, but innocent men, women and children going about their daily lives.
In the days that followed, our nation was united as we struck at al Qaeda and routed the Taliban in Afghanistan. Then, our focus shifted. A second war was launched in Iraq, and we spent enormous blood and treasure to support a new government there. By the time I took office, the war in Afghanistan had entered its seventh year. But al Qaeda’s leaders had escaped into Pakistan and were plotting new attacks, while the Taliban had regrouped and gone on the offensive. Without a new strategy and decisive action, our military commanders warned that we could face a resurgent al Qaeda and a Taliban taking over large parts of Afghanistan.
For this reason, in one of the most difficult decisions that I’ve made as President, I ordered an additional 30,000 American troops into Afghanistan. When I announced this surge at West Point, we set clear objectives: to refocus on al Qaeda, to reverse the Taliban’s momentum, and train Afghan security forces to defend their own country. I also made it clear that our commitment would not be open-ended, and that we would begin to draw down our forces this July.
Tonight, I can tell you that we are fulfilling that commitment. Thanks to our extraordinary men and women in uniform, our civilian personnel, and our many coalition partners, we are meeting our goals. As a result, starting next month, we will be able to remove 10,000 of our troops from Afghanistan by the end of this year, and we will bring home a total of 33,000 troops by next summer, fully recovering the surge I announced at West Point. After this initial reduction, our troops will continue coming home at a steady pace as Afghan security forces move into the lead. Our mission will change from combat to support. By 2014, this process of transition will be complete, and the Afghan people will be responsible for their own security.
We’re starting this drawdown from a position of strength. Al Qaeda is under more pressure than at any time since 9/11. Together with the Pakistanis, we have taken out more than half of al Qaeda’s leadership. And thanks to our intelligence professionals and Special Forces, we killed Osama bin Laden, the only leader that al Qaeda had ever known. This was a victory for all who have served since 9/11. One soldier summed it up well. “The message,” he said, “is we don’t forget. You will be held accountable, no matter how long it takes.”
The information that we recovered from bin Laden’s compound shows al Qaeda under enormous strain. Bin Laden expressed concern that al Qaeda had been unable to effectively replace senior terrorists that had been killed, and that al Qaeda has failed in its effort to portray America as a nation at war with Islam -– thereby draining more widespread support. Al Qaeda remains dangerous, and we must be vigilant against attacks. But we have put al Qaeda on a path to defeat, and we will not relent until the job is done.
In Afghanistan, we’ve inflicted serious losses on the Taliban and taken a number of its strongholds. Along with our surge, our allies also increased their commitments, which helped stabilize more of the country. Afghan security forces have grown by over 100,000 troops, and in some provinces and municipalities we’ve already begun to transition responsibility for security to the Afghan people. In the face of violence and intimidation, Afghans are fighting and dying for their country, establishing local police forces, opening markets and schools, creating new opportunities for women and girls, and trying to turn the page on decades of war.
Of course, huge challenges remain. This is the beginning -- but not the end –- of our effort to wind down this war. We’ll have to do the hard work of keeping the gains that we’ve made, while we draw down our forces and transition responsibility for security to the Afghan government. And next May, in Chicago, we will host a summit with our NATO allies and partners to shape the next phase of this transition.
We do know that peace cannot come to a land that has known so much war without a political settlement. So as we strengthen the Afghan government and security forces, America will join initiatives that reconcile the Afghan people, including the Taliban. Our position on these talks is clear: They must be led by the Afghan government, and those who want to be a part of a peaceful Afghanistan must break from al Qaeda, abandon violence, and abide by the Afghan constitution. But, in part because of our military effort, we have reason to believe that progress can be made.
The goal that we seek is achievable, and can be expressed simply: No safe haven from which al Qaeda or its affiliates can launch attacks against our homeland or our allies. We won't try to make Afghanistan a perfect place. We will not police its streets or patrol its mountains indefinitely. That is the responsibility of the Afghan government, which must step up its ability to protect its people, and move from an economy shaped by war to one that can sustain a lasting peace. What we can do, and will do, is build a partnership with the Afghan people that endures –- one that ensures that we will be able to continue targeting terrorists and supporting a sovereign Afghan government.
Of course, our efforts must also address terrorist safe havens in Pakistan. No country is more endangered by the presence of violent extremists, which is why we will continue to press Pakistan to expand its participation in securing a more peaceful future for this war-torn region. We'll work with the Pakistani government to root out the cancer of violent extremism, and we will insist that it keeps its commitments. For there should be no doubt that so long as I am President, the United States will never tolerate a safe haven for those who aim to kill us. They cannot elude us, nor escape the justice they deserve.
My fellow Americans, this has been a difficult decade for our country. We've learned anew the profound cost of war -- a cost that's been paid by the nearly 4,500 Americans who have given their lives in Iraq, and the over 1,500 who have done so in Afghanistan -– men and women who will not live to enjoy the freedom that they defended. Thousands more have been wounded. Some have lost limbs on the battlefield, and others still battle the demons that have followed them home.
Yet tonight, we take comfort in knowing that the tide of war is receding. Fewer of our sons and daughters are serving in harm’s way. We’ve ended our combat mission in Iraq, with 100,000 American troops already out of that country. And even as there will be dark days ahead in Afghanistan, the light of a secure peace can be seen in the distance. These long wars will come to a responsible end.
As they do, we must learn their lessons. Already this decade of war has caused many to question the nature of America’s engagement around the world. Some would have America retreat from our responsibility as an anchor of global security, and embrace an isolation that ignores the very real threats that we face. Others would have America over-extended, confronting every evil that can be found abroad.
We must chart a more centered course. Like generations before, we must embrace America’s singular role in the course of human events. But we must be as pragmatic as we are passionate; as strategic as we are resolute. When threatened, we must respond with force –- but when that force can be targeted, we need not deploy large armies overseas. When innocents are being slaughtered and global security endangered, we don’t have to choose between standing idly by or acting on our own. Instead, we must rally international action, which we’re doing in Libya, where we do not have a single soldier on the ground, but are supporting allies in protecting the Libyan people and giving them the chance to determine their own destiny.
In all that we do, we must remember that what sets America apart is not solely our power -– it is the principles upon which our union was founded. We’re a nation that brings our enemies to justice while adhering to the rule of law, and respecting the rights of all our citizens. We protect our own freedom and prosperity by extending it to others. We stand not for empire, but for self-determination. That is why we have a stake in the democratic aspirations that are now washing across the Arab world. We will support those revolutions with fidelity to our ideals, with the power of our example, and with an unwavering belief that all human beings deserve to live with freedom and dignity.
Above all, we are a nation whose strength abroad has been anchored in opportunity for our citizens here at home. Over the last decade, we have spent a trillion dollars on war, at a time of rising debt and hard economic times. Now, we must invest in America’s greatest resource –- our people. We must unleash innovation that creates new jobs and industries, while living within our means. We must rebuild our infrastructure and find new and clean sources of energy. And most of all, after a decade of passionate debate, we must recapture the common purpose that we shared at the beginning of this time of war. For our nation draws strength from our differences, and when our union is strong no hill is too steep, no horizon is beyond our reach.
America, it is time to focus on nation building here at home.
In this effort, we draw inspiration from our fellow Americans who have sacrificed so much on our behalf. To our troops, our veterans and their families, I speak for all Americans when I say that we will keep our sacred trust with you, and provide you with the care and benefits and opportunity that you deserve.
I met some of these patriotic Americans at Fort Campbell. A while back, I spoke to the 101st Airborne that has fought to turn the tide in Afghanistan, and to the team that took out Osama bin Laden. Standing in front of a model of bin Laden’s compound, the Navy SEAL who led that effort paid tribute to those who had been lost –- brothers and sisters in arms whose names are now written on bases where our troops stand guard overseas, and on headstones in quiet corners of our country where their memory will never be forgotten. This officer -- like so many others I’ve met on bases, in Baghdad and Bagram, and at Walter Reed and Bethesda Naval Hospital -– spoke with humility about how his unit worked together as one, depending on each other, and trusting one another, as a family might do in a time of peril.
That’s a lesson worth remembering -– that we are all a part of one American family. Though we have known disagreement and division, we are bound together by the creed that is written into our founding documents, and a conviction that the United States of America is a country that can achieve whatever it sets out to accomplish. Now, let us finish the work at hand. Let us responsibly end these wars, and reclaim the American Dream that is at the center of our story. With confidence in our cause, with faith in our fellow citizens, and with hope in our hearts, let us go about the work of extending the promise of America -– for this generation, and the next.
May God bless our troops. And may God bless the United States of America.
END 8:16 P.M. EDT
Friday, June 17, 2011
Official: Limping Al Qaeda Actually Moved Quickly on Zawahiri
While swift succession of power is crucial to democratic market societies don't be fooled by the length of time it took for the world's most notorious terror syndicate to name a new boss, a senior U.S. counterterrorism official tells me this morning.
Al Qaeda named Egyptian Amman al-Zawahiri as the next leader yesterday of the fractured terrorist organization nearly seven weeks after Seal Team 6 flew into Pakistan aboard (formerly) secret stealthy helicopters piloted by the Night Stalkers and eliminated Osama Bin Laden.
"Zawahiri in his fifth tape on the revolution in Egypt acknowledged for the first time that Al Qaeda's fight with the Americans meant that he could not react quickly to fast-moving events with speeches offering jihadists his enlightened guidance," the career official explained.
"It was a rare admission of weakness and the successful impact of CIA's drones campaign in Pakistan by Al Qaeda's leadership. Zawahiri actually was able to take the reins of Al Qaeda in six weeks -- much more quickly than I would have expected under the circumstances," the official added, agreeing to discuss the terror organization on the condition of anonymity.
The CIA's eye in the sky has been hunting Al Qaeda operatives from Pakistan to Yemen, two countries that have seen a stepped up drone attacks on known operatives in the terrorist organization. Zawahiri is a prime target.
Another Egyptian, Saif al-Adel, was a name that surfaced as a possible replacement for Bin Laden, but many U.S. officials were skeptical about that from the start.
Al Qaeda named Egyptian Amman al-Zawahiri as the next leader yesterday of the fractured terrorist organization nearly seven weeks after Seal Team 6 flew into Pakistan aboard (formerly) secret stealthy helicopters piloted by the Night Stalkers and eliminated Osama Bin Laden.
"Zawahiri in his fifth tape on the revolution in Egypt acknowledged for the first time that Al Qaeda's fight with the Americans meant that he could not react quickly to fast-moving events with speeches offering jihadists his enlightened guidance," the career official explained.
"It was a rare admission of weakness and the successful impact of CIA's drones campaign in Pakistan by Al Qaeda's leadership. Zawahiri actually was able to take the reins of Al Qaeda in six weeks -- much more quickly than I would have expected under the circumstances," the official added, agreeing to discuss the terror organization on the condition of anonymity.
The CIA's eye in the sky has been hunting Al Qaeda operatives from Pakistan to Yemen, two countries that have seen a stepped up drone attacks on known operatives in the terrorist organization. Zawahiri is a prime target.
Another Egyptian, Saif al-Adel, was a name that surfaced as a possible replacement for Bin Laden, but many U.S. officials were skeptical about that from the start.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Bin Laden Had History of Jumping on Bandwagon Late
The late Yasser Arafat, after years of work as a peacemaker, was unimpressed when Osama bin Laden began citing the plight of the Palestinians in his recorded rants. Arafat questioned where bin Laden had been during years of fighting for Palestinian freedom? The PLO leader was insulted by bin Laden's opportunistic overtures.
It was a taste of how Arab freedom fighters were not in tune with bin Laden. It was a sign Al Qaeda would not flourish as a movement.
Now, in his first recorded message since his death, bin Laden has embraced the Arab revolts, once again a late-comer to a wave that is bigger than he ever was. Did anyone remember freedom-seeking pro-democracy demonstrators in Tunisia, Egypt or Libya talking about bin Laden? Was his name chanted at Tahrir Square? No.
The 12-minute recorded audio message had obviously been in the works before bin Laden's demise, the BBC reports.
There is more high level speculation, meanwhile, in Washington that bin Laden had help from within the Pakistani military or security forces.
"Somebody knew," said Defense Secretary Robert Gates. “We don’t know whether it was retired people, whether it was low level — pure supposition on our part,” Mr. Gates said. “It’s hard to go to them with an accusation when we have no proof that anybody knew.”
U.S. authorities are combing through the evidence from the Abbottabad raid and are chasing down the leads, ABC News reports.
But spymaster Leon Panetta reminded company staff in Langley that loose lips sink ships, noting the bevy of leaks sprouting in the press, according to CNN.
A U.S. envoy has arrived in Islamabad, as questions remain over the $20.7 billion in U.S. aid to Pakistan over the past decade.
An update from Peter Bergen on the succession of power in Al Qaeda.
Some red meat regarding the aftermath of the Abbottabad raid. "When that day was over and they got up the next morning and said, '(Ayman) al-Zawahiri is No. 2. We have a special forces unit just for you,'" said Rep. Mike Rodgers (R-Mich), according to The Detroit News.
The looming threat from Islamic extremists and bin Laden followers.
The Associated Press appeals for reconsideration of its request for records regarding the bin Laden raid.
It was a taste of how Arab freedom fighters were not in tune with bin Laden. It was a sign Al Qaeda would not flourish as a movement.
Now, in his first recorded message since his death, bin Laden has embraced the Arab revolts, once again a late-comer to a wave that is bigger than he ever was. Did anyone remember freedom-seeking pro-democracy demonstrators in Tunisia, Egypt or Libya talking about bin Laden? Was his name chanted at Tahrir Square? No.
The 12-minute recorded audio message had obviously been in the works before bin Laden's demise, the BBC reports.
There is more high level speculation, meanwhile, in Washington that bin Laden had help from within the Pakistani military or security forces.
"Somebody knew," said Defense Secretary Robert Gates. “We don’t know whether it was retired people, whether it was low level — pure supposition on our part,” Mr. Gates said. “It’s hard to go to them with an accusation when we have no proof that anybody knew.”
U.S. authorities are combing through the evidence from the Abbottabad raid and are chasing down the leads, ABC News reports.
But spymaster Leon Panetta reminded company staff in Langley that loose lips sink ships, noting the bevy of leaks sprouting in the press, according to CNN.
A U.S. envoy has arrived in Islamabad, as questions remain over the $20.7 billion in U.S. aid to Pakistan over the past decade.
An update from Peter Bergen on the succession of power in Al Qaeda.
Some red meat regarding the aftermath of the Abbottabad raid. "When that day was over and they got up the next morning and said, '(Ayman) al-Zawahiri is No. 2. We have a special forces unit just for you,'" said Rep. Mike Rodgers (R-Mich), according to The Detroit News.
The looming threat from Islamic extremists and bin Laden followers.
The Associated Press appeals for reconsideration of its request for records regarding the bin Laden raid.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Osama's Journal, Other Docs Show He Was Still Terror Kingpin
More evidence that Osama Bin Laden remained active atop the Al Qaeda terror syndicate is trickling out in what increasingly looks like a concerted effort to play mind games with the fractured Islamist militant group.
Bin Laden's handwritten journal and other documents show the deceased terror leader was in contact with Al Qaeda cells or individuals not only in Middle East, but as far away as London, calling on them to strike at U.S. railroads on key dates and add Los Angeles to their list of targets.
No specific plots have been discovered, according to reports, but there is still renewed concern.
"The latest trove of intelligence should be a wake-up call to Americans that this threat has always been real," Michael Downing, commanding officer of the Los Angeles Police Department's counter-terrorism and special operations bureau, told The Los Angeles Times.
Bin Laden saved his communications on small, easy-to-circulate flash drives that couriers would get in the hands of Al Qaeda members. The Navy Seals who raided his Abbottabad compound snatched handfuls of the thumb-sized drives. Arab language experts and intelligence officials are now combing over the information cache.
"In one particularly macabre bit of mathematics, bin Laden’s writings show him musing over just how many Americans he must kill to force the U.S. to withdraw from the Arab world," the Associated Press reported.
"He concludes that the smaller, scattered attacks since the 9/11 attacks had not been enough. He tells his disciples that only a body count of thousands, something on the scale of 9/11, would shift U.S. policy," AP reported.
The unprecedented leak of what routinely would be considered classified information is part of what has become an almost daily distribution of information meant to inform the free world of Bin Laden's thoughts and plans and the potential threats they posed.
There is also a degree of psychological warfare at play. The leaks might be getting into the heads of Al Qaeda operatives, some of whom have to be wondering if bin Laden included enough details in his records to put terrorist-hunters on their trail. Counterterrorism experts think it could cause Al Qaeda to slip up.
Bin Laden's handwritten journal and other documents show the deceased terror leader was in contact with Al Qaeda cells or individuals not only in Middle East, but as far away as London, calling on them to strike at U.S. railroads on key dates and add Los Angeles to their list of targets.
No specific plots have been discovered, according to reports, but there is still renewed concern.
"The latest trove of intelligence should be a wake-up call to Americans that this threat has always been real," Michael Downing, commanding officer of the Los Angeles Police Department's counter-terrorism and special operations bureau, told The Los Angeles Times.
Bin Laden saved his communications on small, easy-to-circulate flash drives that couriers would get in the hands of Al Qaeda members. The Navy Seals who raided his Abbottabad compound snatched handfuls of the thumb-sized drives. Arab language experts and intelligence officials are now combing over the information cache.
"In one particularly macabre bit of mathematics, bin Laden’s writings show him musing over just how many Americans he must kill to force the U.S. to withdraw from the Arab world," the Associated Press reported.
"He concludes that the smaller, scattered attacks since the 9/11 attacks had not been enough. He tells his disciples that only a body count of thousands, something on the scale of 9/11, would shift U.S. policy," AP reported.
The unprecedented leak of what routinely would be considered classified information is part of what has become an almost daily distribution of information meant to inform the free world of Bin Laden's thoughts and plans and the potential threats they posed.
There is also a degree of psychological warfare at play. The leaks might be getting into the heads of Al Qaeda operatives, some of whom have to be wondering if bin Laden included enough details in his records to put terrorist-hunters on their trail. Counterterrorism experts think it could cause Al Qaeda to slip up.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
White House: 'No Question' Osama's Death Was Lawful
The White House said today that it "acted in the nation's self-defense" and insisted Osama Bin Laden would have been taken into custody if it had been "feasible," answering questions over the disclosure the Al Qaeda leader was unarmed when Navy SEALS confronted him Sunday in his sprawling compound in Pakistan.
White House press secretary Jay Carney suggested Bin Laden did not acquiesce to rules "consistent with the laws of war."
"The team had the authority to kill Osama bin Laden unless he offered to surrender, in which case the team was required to accept his surrender if the team could do so safely. The operation was conducted in a manner fully consistent with the laws of war. The operation was planned so that the team was prepared and had the means to take bin Laden into custody," Carney said reading from his notes.
"There is simply no question that this operation was lawful. Bin Laden was the head of al Qaeda, the organization that conducted the attacks of September 11, 2001. And al Qaeda and bin Laden himself had continued to plot attacks against the United States. We acted in the nation's self-defense. The operation was conducted in a way designed to minimize and avoid all together, if possible, civilian casualties. And if I might add, that was done at great risk to Americans. Furthermore, consistent with the laws of war, bin Laden's surrender would have been accepted, if feasible. That's my response," Carney added.
White House press secretary Jay Carney suggested Bin Laden did not acquiesce to rules "consistent with the laws of war."
"The team had the authority to kill Osama bin Laden unless he offered to surrender, in which case the team was required to accept his surrender if the team could do so safely. The operation was conducted in a manner fully consistent with the laws of war. The operation was planned so that the team was prepared and had the means to take bin Laden into custody," Carney said reading from his notes.
"There is simply no question that this operation was lawful. Bin Laden was the head of al Qaeda, the organization that conducted the attacks of September 11, 2001. And al Qaeda and bin Laden himself had continued to plot attacks against the United States. We acted in the nation's self-defense. The operation was conducted in a way designed to minimize and avoid all together, if possible, civilian casualties. And if I might add, that was done at great risk to Americans. Furthermore, consistent with the laws of war, bin Laden's surrender would have been accepted, if feasible. That's my response," Carney added.
SEAL Team Six Adds to Legend With Bin Laden Kill
SEAL Team Six is one of those invisible entities that many people like to know is there, but would prefer not to have to think too deeply about how they exist in a free society's parallel world of black ops -- until now.
It isn't even the commando unit's real name, but SEAL Team Six, as they are known, are the rock stars of the U.S. military: They are the guys who got Osama bin Laden.
"When the U.S. Navy sends their elite, they send the SEALS. When the SEALS send their elite, they send SEAL Team Six, the Navy's equivalent to the Army's Delta force -- tasked with counterterrorism and counterinsurgency, and occasionally working with the CIA," Howard Wasdin writes in his new book, "SEAL Team Six: Memoirs of an Elite Navy SEAL Sniper."
SEAL Team Six officially is called the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, or DevGru, and its members call themselves "the quiet professionals," according The Guardian of London.
Richard Sisk, a decorated Marine veteran who served in Vietnam and is longtime Pentagon reporter and war correspondent, affectionately calls the SEALs "the snake-eaters," while another ex-Marine officer who served in Vietnam describes them as "guys who like to travel light so they can go in fast and get out even faster."
The unit trained hard and was well-prepared for any contingencies, as the loss of one of their helicopters in the mission demonstrated, the Deseret News notes. They reportedly cheered when they heard it was Bin Laden who they were going after.
SEAL Team Six has hunted several “high-value targets” in Afghanistan (there are around 40 SEALS believed to be in Afghanistan right now) and Iraq, but the fruits of their labor in the Abbottabad mission may well extend beyond the death of the Al Qaeda leader. The intelligence obtained during the 40 minutes the SEALS spent on the ground could offer more opportunities to destroy the remnants of Al Qaeda's evil overloads, an idea The Chicago Tribune likes.
A team member snapped a photo of Bin Laden after he was dead and uploaded it to commanders for facial recognition and confirmation, The New York Times said.
SEAL Team Six operates clandestinely just along the border of polite modern warfare, as The Nation sharply reminds. The ninja-like existence of SEAL Team Six provides the United States with a lighting quick strike force, along with plausible deniability for its overseers, who sometimes prefer to look the other way.
SEAL Team Six operates clandestinely just along the border of polite modern warfare, as The Nation sharply reminds. The ninja-like existence of SEAL Team Six provides the United States with a lighting quick strike force, along with plausible deniability for its overseers, who sometimes prefer to look the other way.
SEAL Team Six is based out of Virginia Beach, according to The Washington Post. No one can apply to join, reports the The Telegraph of London. They have evolved into the elite unit, The Week details. The weapons and the means by which they deploy are diverse, ABC News reports.
Military scholars and strategists have learned much about deploying commandos like the SEALS and the Army's Delta Force since the failed raid in the desert to rescue the Iran hostages some 30 years ago, the Christian Science Monitor notes.
SEAL Team Six is made up of athletes, quick-thinkers, patient, disciplined and results-oriented sailors. They are trained in the use of multiple weapons, hand-to-hand combat and the art of interrogation, on the latter, both how to give and how to receive. They swim out of submarines, zip along in rubber landing craft, jump out of planes at both low and high altitudes and they repel or storm out of near-silent helicopters.
They like for folks not to know when they are around, because when they are around, the plan usually calls for them to extract or shoot someone. SEAL Team Six is who the U.S. calls in when the fight is with the bogeyman.
"The guys behind this mission [to capture or kill bin Laden] have never given anyone a reason to doubt that they are trustworthy and very focused," Brandon Tyler Webb, a former SEAL who ran the sniper program at the Navy Special Warfare Command, told CNN. "They are the best of the best."
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
The Take-Away Thus Far From a Mission Accomplished
Benchmarks and clear progress have been hard to come by -- and even harder to convey to the public -- in our ongoing military engagements in the Middle East. That all changed barely less than two days ago, when we could finally claim a tremendous and irrefutable breakthrough.
"The CIA first started trying to kill Bin Laden when Michael Scheuer set up Alec Station in 1995," said a career U.S. counterterror official. "They finally found a President gutsy enough and focused enough to finish the job."
Details about how the mission in Abottabad unfolded are still emerging. But based on the information we have already, a few points are already clear.
Unilateral was the way to go: It was a moment for fundamental rugged individualism, so as it has been said before, if you're going to do something, do it yourself, and loose lips sink ships. The call to share mission details on a truly need-to-know-basis, along with keeping the Pakistani government in the dark, was a no-brainer -- it was the only way to go.
Raising the batting average: The image of the Central Intelligence Agency had been taking a beating since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, a point repeatedly emphasized in this blog. But there is no doubt that the CIA got this one right. The spy agency's steps along the way were bountiful, from the raw tip that led to bin Laden's courier, to watching the intelligence incubator develop increasingly significant "targeted intelligence" that eventually led to the go/no decision on Friday of "actionable intelligence."
Nobody does it better: As for the military arm of the mission, the SEALS just keep adding to the mystique that defines their existence. The American military has been getting specific missions right for a while. The surge in Iraq and Africa Command's leadership at the start of the air campaign against Moammar Gadhafi are examples of well-executed specific missions.
Getting to know all about you: It is time to re-evaluate our relationship with Pakistan. There is no credible terrorist hunter right now who thinks Bin Laden could have been two hours by car from Islamabad without someone in the Pakistani military or ISI, the Inter-Services Intelligence Agency, knowing he was there. His compound in Abbottabad occupied the biggest lot in the neighborhood, close to Pakistan's military academy (a third world equivalent of our West Point), and many retired Pakistani military officers. Somebody should have asked a question or two, no? At the least, this revelation requires that Pakistan now conduct a transparent internal investigation as the first step in a rehabilitation aimed at a forthright effort to join the world community. Any co-conspirators who are uncovered must be handed over to the U.S. And if no one knew, explain how that could happen.
I like you as a friend: Nations committed to fighting terrorism need to be wedded to the concept. It is an all-in proposition. It requires reigning in and in some cases weeding out those who are complicit or complacent. Either Pakistan plays by these rules or somebody is going to have think about a mission to grab Pakistan's nuclear warheads. Even the Russians and Chinese understand that much without letting anachronistic ideological doubts and posturing get in the way.
Waterboarding still isn't cool: For those of us who believe in management by results, it is admittedly a bit more difficult today for us to make the argument (that I for one held) that the terror prison at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base was too much of a global eyesore and recruiting tool for Al Qaeda. There are reports that 9/11 mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, provided information that led to the courier who hid bin Laden in the Abbottabad compound. But just because some of the intelligence used for the mission came from GITMO, the United States is not absolved from its obligation to abide by rules governing how we obtain information. KSM would have given the info up with a feather tickler.
Why even ask that question?: We know the answer to the question, Did Bin Laden deserve a burial in the Islamic tradition? Of course he did. The reasons are obvious, starting with the American value system, and ending with not giving the dark disciples of Bin Laden any opportunity to exploit the situation for their political gain.
IPhones beat Al Qaeda any day: The Muslim world now boasts new, young secular heroes who wield big ideas, smart phones and twitter campaigns to press for a life of freedom, and the ability to choose who leads their nations. An extremist who hijacks a religion and brainwashes followers into believing that killing will open the gates of heaven does not stand a chance against the opportunities that democracy can provide in a free society. Bin Laden is a dark figure who never led a movement, just a cult based on killing and repression.
It was all about him and the theft of Islam: Al Qaeda's charismatic leader sent his recruits to their death, ordered others to live and fight in caves and subjected many followers to a life as wanted international criminals. Cast as a leader hidden among people, bin Laden for years resided out of sight, but comfortably with family in a fortified (albeit not well-guarded) $1 million compound built in 2005. The truly larger-than-life image of a bin Laden who fired automatic weapons and walked on the front lines folded in death, hiding behind a wife who was shot in the leg when she went charging at a SEAL. He hijacked the Quran for his own selfish reasons, desecrating a religion in the most unholy of ways. Osama was a fraud.
"The CIA first started trying to kill Bin Laden when Michael Scheuer set up Alec Station in 1995," said a career U.S. counterterror official. "They finally found a President gutsy enough and focused enough to finish the job."
Details about how the mission in Abottabad unfolded are still emerging. But based on the information we have already, a few points are already clear.
Unilateral was the way to go: It was a moment for fundamental rugged individualism, so as it has been said before, if you're going to do something, do it yourself, and loose lips sink ships. The call to share mission details on a truly need-to-know-basis, along with keeping the Pakistani government in the dark, was a no-brainer -- it was the only way to go.
Raising the batting average: The image of the Central Intelligence Agency had been taking a beating since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, a point repeatedly emphasized in this blog. But there is no doubt that the CIA got this one right. The spy agency's steps along the way were bountiful, from the raw tip that led to bin Laden's courier, to watching the intelligence incubator develop increasingly significant "targeted intelligence" that eventually led to the go/no decision on Friday of "actionable intelligence."
Nobody does it better: As for the military arm of the mission, the SEALS just keep adding to the mystique that defines their existence. The American military has been getting specific missions right for a while. The surge in Iraq and Africa Command's leadership at the start of the air campaign against Moammar Gadhafi are examples of well-executed specific missions.
Getting to know all about you: It is time to re-evaluate our relationship with Pakistan. There is no credible terrorist hunter right now who thinks Bin Laden could have been two hours by car from Islamabad without someone in the Pakistani military or ISI, the Inter-Services Intelligence Agency, knowing he was there. His compound in Abbottabad occupied the biggest lot in the neighborhood, close to Pakistan's military academy (a third world equivalent of our West Point), and many retired Pakistani military officers. Somebody should have asked a question or two, no? At the least, this revelation requires that Pakistan now conduct a transparent internal investigation as the first step in a rehabilitation aimed at a forthright effort to join the world community. Any co-conspirators who are uncovered must be handed over to the U.S. And if no one knew, explain how that could happen.
I like you as a friend: Nations committed to fighting terrorism need to be wedded to the concept. It is an all-in proposition. It requires reigning in and in some cases weeding out those who are complicit or complacent. Either Pakistan plays by these rules or somebody is going to have think about a mission to grab Pakistan's nuclear warheads. Even the Russians and Chinese understand that much without letting anachronistic ideological doubts and posturing get in the way.
Waterboarding still isn't cool: For those of us who believe in management by results, it is admittedly a bit more difficult today for us to make the argument (that I for one held) that the terror prison at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base was too much of a global eyesore and recruiting tool for Al Qaeda. There are reports that 9/11 mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, provided information that led to the courier who hid bin Laden in the Abbottabad compound. But just because some of the intelligence used for the mission came from GITMO, the United States is not absolved from its obligation to abide by rules governing how we obtain information. KSM would have given the info up with a feather tickler.
Why even ask that question?: We know the answer to the question, Did Bin Laden deserve a burial in the Islamic tradition? Of course he did. The reasons are obvious, starting with the American value system, and ending with not giving the dark disciples of Bin Laden any opportunity to exploit the situation for their political gain.
IPhones beat Al Qaeda any day: The Muslim world now boasts new, young secular heroes who wield big ideas, smart phones and twitter campaigns to press for a life of freedom, and the ability to choose who leads their nations. An extremist who hijacks a religion and brainwashes followers into believing that killing will open the gates of heaven does not stand a chance against the opportunities that democracy can provide in a free society. Bin Laden is a dark figure who never led a movement, just a cult based on killing and repression.
It was all about him and the theft of Islam: Al Qaeda's charismatic leader sent his recruits to their death, ordered others to live and fight in caves and subjected many followers to a life as wanted international criminals. Cast as a leader hidden among people, bin Laden for years resided out of sight, but comfortably with family in a fortified (albeit not well-guarded) $1 million compound built in 2005. The truly larger-than-life image of a bin Laden who fired automatic weapons and walked on the front lines folded in death, hiding behind a wife who was shot in the leg when she went charging at a SEAL. He hijacked the Quran for his own selfish reasons, desecrating a religion in the most unholy of ways. Osama was a fraud.
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