Nov 14 2008
Bush Leaves Office With Bin Laden And al-Qaeda Severely Wounded
The democrats are lucky. All they need to do is make sure they continue to stabilize Iraq and Afghanistan and help Pakistan clear out the last remaining Islamo Fascists hold up in their northern tribal regions – then plan the victory parades. They will arrogantly claim they ended the Iraq war (hopefully in victory if they can show some self restraint), and be the laughing stock of people who know who stayed the course to victory.
Bin Laden was the future of Islam after 9-11. It was assumed to be de facto reality that the Muslim world would rally behind him and al-Qaeda and start a global military conflict against The West and America using a stealth fighting force of terrorists. If things went well for Bin Laden, those stealth terrorists would be armed with a variety of Weapons of Mass Destruction.
Today Bin Laden and al-Qaeda and any related groups are the enemy of Muslims in Iraq. Today Bin Laden and the Taliban and al-Qaeda are hunted down in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Bin Laden is not the universal future of Islam, in most of the Arab Muslim communities he is the enemy.
And we have George W Bush, Ambassador Ryan Crocker, General David Petraeus and Senator John McCain to thank for this turn of events, among many others. And we have our military and civilian forces who fought this war in the trenches, and paid the sacrifices for all of us, to thank as well. Today we have allies in Afghanistan, not uncountable al-Qaeda training camps and a diseased version of Taliban Islam. Today we have allies in Iraq, not a power mad dictator with direct connections to the top al-Qaeda leaders and various related organizations. Today Qatar, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain all are much stronger allies than they were after Gulf War I – illustrating how far we turned the situation around since 9-11.
Here are some interesting news stories from the last few days for folks to read and look back on 11/11/01, two months after 9-11, and think about how things have changed.
First is a story of an Iraqi town defying al-Qaeda, it is at this grass roots level where al-Qaeda has been the most damaged, crippling its support network and recruiting:
Dulaim is an Iraqi village transformed. Where masked gunmen from Al Qaeda in Iraq once imposed their will with killings and even stole irrigation pumps, today numerous Iraqi Army, police, and local Sunni militia checkpoints attest to new levels of security.
The change has been dramatic. It is the result of this farming hamlet deciding last January to change sides, reluctantly turning away from Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) and toward US and Iraqi forces.
But despite recently paying a high price for that shift, this village is determined not to turn back.
AQI struck in late September, killing 22 in the most lethal attack in a year in troubled eastern Diyala Province.
Instead of fear or failure, however, the unexpected response has been a recommitment to fight.
This decision to fight al-Qaeda by Arab Muslims is usually a line that cannot be uncrossed. But al-Qaeda, by enlisting thugs and criminals with simple minds and insatiable blood lust, earned the hate of the Arab Muslims.
And make no mistake, this rejection of al-Qaeda is not limited to Iraq, but is now spreading in the tribal lands of Pakistan:
 During their first meeting after suicide attack on Salarzai tribal Jirga, the elders of the tribe on Tuesday vowed to continue armed campaign against militants in the Bajaur Agency but appealed to the government to send in the law-enforcement agencies to take control of Salarzai Tehsil.
Also, the Afghan refugees started leaving the area after the expiry of the deadline to vacate the troubled tribal region.Â
On the other hand, after weeks of silence and reports of his death, banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesman Maulvi Omar suddenly came out of hibernation, offering a truce to the government on condition of halt to the military operation, while seven militants lost their lives in air strikes.
After their secret meeting at an undisclosed location for security concerns, the Salarzai elders nominated Malik Abdul Hakim as chief of Salarzai Lashkar and another elder, Malik Manasib Khan, as head of the Jirga.
Abdul Hakim is the younger brother of former Lashkar chief, late Haji Fazal Karim Khan, who along with 23 other tribal elders died in a suicide attack on Jirga in Salarzai on Thursday. The Salarzai tribal Jirga, comprising 60-70 chieftains, on Tuesday morning held a meeting with senior government officials at Khar, headquarters of Bajaur, in which they resolved to continue their armed campaign against militants in their territory.
It is a huge step for a Muslim to not protect ‘guests’ and instead call on outside military force to remove a threat. There is a matter of tribal pride on the line at not being able to protect the people from enemies. The fact is the remnants of the extreme Taliban and al-Qaeda now held up in an ever shrinking region of Norther Pakistan, pinned downed by US, NATO and Afghan forces to the north along the Pak-Afghan border, is not wanted by the locals. Afghanistan is not rising up to fight the democratically elected government or taking on the US/NATO allies in any threatening wave (yes there are dead enders attacking here and there – always will be).
Another interesting story out today is that Bin Laden may be cut off from these remnant forces surrounded and getting pounded.
The head of the CIA has claimed that almost all terrorist threats facing the US now originate in lawless Pakistani tribal areas, adding that Osama bin Laden is becoming increasingly isolated from the day-to-day running of al-Qaeda.
As 12 people were killed by another suspected cross-border American raid targeting Pakistan-based militants, Michael Hayden, the CIA director, told a Washington think tank last night that terror threats against America could invariably be traced back to the Pakistani tribal regions bordering Afghanistan.
Hours after he spoke, another suspected US missile attack killed 12 people in Pakistan, including five foreigners. US missile strikes are hugely controversial in Pakistan, with Islamabad claiming they fuel anti-American extremist groups.
More here on that latest missile strike. Bin Laden and his al-Qaeda movement have been severely wounded since 9-11, and are heading to the path of historic oblivion here soon – if the dems don’t go all wobbly and greedy for military money. 9-11 was a wake up call that required America to make up for years of poor decisions trying to keep status quo dictators in place, giving rise to Bin Laden and al-Qaeda. Policies pushed by an ever impotent UN and liberals who never understand the term ‘peace through strength’.
While I am very optimistic just about any fool should be able to take the current situation to a brilliant and successful end, the ship of fools running the Democrat Congress are more than capable of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. And with al-Qaeda penned in and backed into a corner, there will be one last effort to lash out and cause the US to hesitate, to give al-Qaeda one last chance to escape and survive to fight another day.
McCain would not have allowed that to happen. Obama better not allow it to happen.
Great post AJ.
I could only add that I believe we have been safe from attack on our soil these past seven years because Bush’s actions in Afghanistan and Iraq served to restore the respect that appeasement policies had squandered. Our enemy stayed away not because we had somehow shut down their capabilities through the interdiction efforts, but because they were cowered.
If this is true, then Obama setting up an obvious return to appeasement policies is truly ominous. We shall see.
I think it’s mind boggling that we know so little about what Obama would do to protect this nation, a nation that is fighting extremists all over the world. He will be pulled in a thousand different directions, it will be interesting to see which direction he chooses. In the past we have demanded that elected officials run on a cohesive, logical platform of ideas that we could hold them accountable for. In 2006 and 2008 we accept “hope and change”, holy cow!
Debka-Net-Weekly have issued their security briefing for the week.
The salient points are two. Though they are not reproducible because
of copyright claim:
Firstly that Al-Qaeda claims to now be on active attack against the USA
with WMD events planned for New York, DC, and Chicago. Time frame
is immediately after “Obama” takes over (if he takes over).
Chicago? – Because that’s where “Obama” comes from.
“Obama” ? Al-Qaeda brand him a “murtad”. The lowest form of life
in the islamic view, far lower than mere infidels. A murtad is a muslim
who has renounced his faith. A traitor to islam. As such AL-Qaeda says
killing him is their absolute imperative. They add, for those interested
in such stuff, that nothing about his ethnicity makes any difference.
Funny Al-Qaeda say he is/was a muslim, when none of our famous
media can even be bothered to investigate it.
Oh well.
Debka-Net-Weekly is one of the best intelligence briefings I know of
available to us mere citizens for an affordable cost. I say it is worth
subscribing to.
I take Debka with a shaker of salt…but there is no doubt in my mind that SOMEBODY is going to do something nasty by the end of 2009.
Consider what’s coming up…
First, we have Al Quaeda. Damaged, but not broken. And desperate for a bloody attack so they can claim to have driven the United States out of Iraq.
Second, we have Hamas taking pot-shots at Israeli towns even as I write this. Sooner or later, the Israelis will tire of it and retaliate.
Third, we have Iran trying to get nuclear weapons. Their first has a Tel Aviv delivery address. The second? Quite possibly 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The only way to stop this appears to be preemptive strikes…which may precipitate a general war in the Middle East.
Fourth, we have Pakistan. I’m not as sanguine as AJ about the Islamic fundamentalists in Pakistan being contained. And Pakistan has nuclear weapons…which means that if there is any possibility at all of them falling into hostile hands, the United States, India, and Israel will be in a race to see who can seize or destroy them first.
Fifth, we have Russia. Putin and his front-men are busy trying to reestablish the Soviet Empire. Which will bring them into conflict with America’s new allies in Eastern Europe…and likely drag us into it.
Finally, we have China. With the world economy strained, I would not be surprised if China decided to divert attention away from their internal problems by attacking someone. Which would precipitate a confrontation with the United States.
Just heard a Hillary guy say that Hillary as Sec. of State would restore the warm feeling we had in the 90’s from world leaders. I guess 911 really didn’t happen, who knew?
Chinese and Russian presidents to visit Cuba. Talk about own back yard.
Great news from Baghdad too:
From Instapundit.
“Debka-Net-Weekly …”
If Debka printed it, I know it must be false. Not a SINGLE “Debka Exclusive” has ever turned out to be true that I am aware of. Not once. Never. Nada. Zilch.
“Debka-Net-Weekly is one of the best intelligence briefings I know of”
If you consider “best” to be simply validating your own point of view, fine. As for accuracy, they rank somewhere close to zero. I think they literally make the stuff up as they are typing.
The only useful measure of a blog is if they accurately help to predict
world events in the near future. I don’t reckon “instapundit” for much,
and I think Debka has about a 75% rating in getting it right.
Better than AOL election predictions, or, for that matter, election predictions here.
Ouch.
See ya laters agitators.
“While I am very optimistic just about any fool should be able to take the current situation to a brilliant and successful end, the ship of fools running the Democrat Congress are more than capable of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.”
It can’t help matters for America to have just elected its first black-white Christian American of Muslim descent who, according to his own assertions, not only consciously and self-willingly rejected his Muslim heritage in favor of Western Christianity, but also disdains the use of his Muslim name to the point of denouncing people who refer to it, especially when they refer to it as Muslim.
It can’t help matters that the MSM of the world were over the moon about the first “black American” president, while clearly ignoring his known Muslim heritage, not to mention his white ancestry.
It’s amazing how “cosmopolitan” America has become through such an open-minded, tolerant, and accepting new would-be president, who assiduously insists he’s anything you want him to be, so long as it’s not “all-of-the-above”.
I’m not sure the Dems will need to “snatch” defeat from the jaws of victory. When they’ve gone this far out of their way to elect a Muslim turncoat to office, they’ve as much as double-dog dared it to come to them, and so to America. No doubt H.’s stance on his own Muslim heritage will stand Him and America in good stead as He tries to “just talk” to Muslim nations “without pre-conditions”.
Then again, no doubt H. will be just as adept at proclaiming His “regrets” and displaying His remorsefully mascara teared rhetoric about His poor judgment as He was at renouncing Wright, Ayers, Rezko, and the lot. Or will he aver behind closed doors that he only did so as political expedient but that fundamentally he’s really on their side?
“Yeah-but-no-but-yeah-but-…..!”
One thing I have noticed in Iraq is that al-Sadr has started running his mouth again since Obama was elected. He is now jabbering again about attacking US troops, etc. That is generally an indication that he perceives the election of Obama as a general weakening of the US and has emboldened him again. He is possibly figuring Obama won’t have the stomach to put the slapdown on him and if he stirs up enough havoc, Obama will run away. This would be particularly true if Obama fills his government with Clinton retreads who had a pretty good history of running away and lobbing a few bombs and rockets here and there.
dave m, can you give me an instance where anything reported exclusively by Debka turned out to be true? I am not talking about information broken by another news agency that they are talking about, but original stuff that Debka has produced? I don’t know of any. Ever.
[…] an interesting addendum to my post below on how far President Bush was able to change the world after 9-11 there is a new poll out from […]
crosspatch:
There is a post at Hot Air about a possible deal between the US and Iraq. It might be that Maliki decided he was better off making that deal with Bush than hoping Obama won’t run away.
But I wonder if Sadr is really that much of a force anymore. Is he even in Iraq?
Maliki signed off on deal.
As many of you have noticed, Islam has a narrow way of looking at things. In the eyes of Islam, if your father was Muslim, you are Muslim. Thus President-elect Obama’s statement that he is Christian makes him an Apostate. (Murtad?)
Islamic law is clear and ‘authentic’ in this case. The penalty is not only death, but fighting Apostates qualifies as jihad. (Along with fighting infidels) In jihad, you qualify for booty in this world, paradise in the next.
Al-Qaeda also officially claims the US embassy attack of September (surprise, surprise). “Qaeda says 7 ‘martyred’ in attack on US embassy in Yemen,” from AFP, November 15:
11/10/2008 Iraq, Baqubah 7dead 12wounded al-Qaeda sends a 13-year-old female suicide bomber to a gathering where seven people are killed.
Joe Six Pack: Your My Hero of The Day! You study Islam! Good for you.
Al Qaeda is just fine. They tend to move to friendlier climates, such as Somalia.
It would have been so easy for the host of this site to have studied Islam. As easy as getting Islam: What The West Needs To Know, on DVD, no reading required! Or Obsession, or Fitna, again, no reading required!
But for those into reading, Robert Spencer’s new book: Stealth Jihad is a must. Under $19.00 at Amazon, spend $6.70 more, get free shipping, as I did.
Cross, I can tell you something that Debka reported that was absolutely true. This was in the brazilian jungles 5 years ago when BatBoy met with Adolph Hitler’s clone to plan the coming world financial crisis. Our only hope is that Elvis, who is on a secret mission to the alien homeworld to find support through the power of music, will return in time with their fleet of interplanetary star cruisers to set things right.
Believe it!!!