The Hidden Enemy?
Have you ever wondered that if al-Qaeda is this super-organization, highly capable with sleeper cells around the world, global in scope, proficient in international drug and arms trade, then why don't they attack more often within U.S. soil? How difficult would it be for them to rain terror upon us in major U.S. cities on a weekly basis? How difficult would it be for them to randomly attack and cause death and destruction, even on a small level? Why is it that almost every attack since 9/11 that has been foiled comes out lame and improbable when much simpler means are available. It's only every now and then that something comes up from this group that porportedly brought us the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil. It's only every now and then that a video, a message, is brought to us.
But it's all the time we hear about them. It's all the time that we are told they are everywhere and blamed for terror overseas. They are in Iraq. They are in Somalia. Today air strikes in Somalia rained down, killing dozens of civilians. We are told that supposed al-Qaeda targets were among them. But let's slow down for a second. Let's open our eyes for second. Where did the term al-Qaeda come from? If you look it up, you will stumble across multiple, contradicting answers. One thing that you will certainly notice, however, is that Osama bin Laden does not use the term until after 9/11. Up to that point, his organization was referred to as "Islamic Jihaad." He, of course, claims they always called themselves al-Qaeda. He claims, since the word means "the base" or "the foundation" that the name referrs to an old training camp they had. Richad Clarke has a different story, claiming that it was name given to a database used by terrorist financiers by U.S. and international intelligence. These intelligence agencies named these groups as one "al-Qaeda" based on the name of the database they were using to communicate. Basically, if you connect the dots, it is most likely that al-Qaeda is an American created name, used to refer to numerous terrorist groups with similar goals. There is no one al-Qaeda in a cohesive sense of an organization. There are networks, many of them working locally in a specific region for a fundamentalist, Islamic cause. The name became convenient recently in the last few years because of its recognition. Osama bin Laden knew this and proudly adopted it as his own. This is my speculation. I could be wrong.
But if I'm right this means that this large super-organization in fact does not exist. This is a term of convenience to describe all recent militant Islamic groups with sympathies to the al-Zawahiri/bin Laden philosophy of Sharia fundamentalism, whether deemed resistance fighters, insurgents, or terrorists - unless of course they already have a well known name such as Hezbollah, Hamas, Abu Sayef, Laktab e-Taiber, etc. Some of these fighters move from cause to cause, fighting for the establishment of Sharia government, whether in Somalia, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, etc. If you trace Osama bin Laden's history, you will find in multiple places, such as Sudan and even possibly Bosnia, thought the Bosnia claim may be debated.
But what does this mean? This means that there are, of course, threats out there, but at the same time, the threats are generally localized. It is Osama bin Laden who seems to want to take the fight to U.S. soil. However, if that is the case, my question is, why doesn't this happen more often? Why is it that the only success was 9/11, which, in my opinion, happened with a lot of luck and with the undeniable help of other sovereign governments, most likely Pakistan or elements within the Pakistani ISI. The probability of success on any other day, considering the U.S. strategic air defense, would have most likely prevented those planes from hitting those targets. They got lucky. Perhaps suspiciously so. And I do not find it unpatriotic to question, though I admit I have no answers.
However, I am surprised at the backlash when one simply asks, "who the fuck are al-Qaeda anyway"? We have their name embedded on our brain. They are the boogey-men that go bump in the night. And perhaps there are many of them out there. But have you ever stopped and wondered, who controls them, who is in charge? And are all these groups that we hear about in the news al-Qaeda? Have you ever stopped and wondered about what a cluster-fuck the news reporting is regarding these groups? How reliable is the information we get anyway? Who really does know the truth?
Does anyone know the truth?
But it's all the time we hear about them. It's all the time that we are told they are everywhere and blamed for terror overseas. They are in Iraq. They are in Somalia. Today air strikes in Somalia rained down, killing dozens of civilians. We are told that supposed al-Qaeda targets were among them. But let's slow down for a second. Let's open our eyes for second. Where did the term al-Qaeda come from? If you look it up, you will stumble across multiple, contradicting answers. One thing that you will certainly notice, however, is that Osama bin Laden does not use the term until after 9/11. Up to that point, his organization was referred to as "Islamic Jihaad." He, of course, claims they always called themselves al-Qaeda. He claims, since the word means "the base" or "the foundation" that the name referrs to an old training camp they had. Richad Clarke has a different story, claiming that it was name given to a database used by terrorist financiers by U.S. and international intelligence. These intelligence agencies named these groups as one "al-Qaeda" based on the name of the database they were using to communicate. Basically, if you connect the dots, it is most likely that al-Qaeda is an American created name, used to refer to numerous terrorist groups with similar goals. There is no one al-Qaeda in a cohesive sense of an organization. There are networks, many of them working locally in a specific region for a fundamentalist, Islamic cause. The name became convenient recently in the last few years because of its recognition. Osama bin Laden knew this and proudly adopted it as his own. This is my speculation. I could be wrong.
But if I'm right this means that this large super-organization in fact does not exist. This is a term of convenience to describe all recent militant Islamic groups with sympathies to the al-Zawahiri/bin Laden philosophy of Sharia fundamentalism, whether deemed resistance fighters, insurgents, or terrorists - unless of course they already have a well known name such as Hezbollah, Hamas, Abu Sayef, Laktab e-Taiber, etc. Some of these fighters move from cause to cause, fighting for the establishment of Sharia government, whether in Somalia, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, etc. If you trace Osama bin Laden's history, you will find in multiple places, such as Sudan and even possibly Bosnia, thought the Bosnia claim may be debated.
But what does this mean? This means that there are, of course, threats out there, but at the same time, the threats are generally localized. It is Osama bin Laden who seems to want to take the fight to U.S. soil. However, if that is the case, my question is, why doesn't this happen more often? Why is it that the only success was 9/11, which, in my opinion, happened with a lot of luck and with the undeniable help of other sovereign governments, most likely Pakistan or elements within the Pakistani ISI. The probability of success on any other day, considering the U.S. strategic air defense, would have most likely prevented those planes from hitting those targets. They got lucky. Perhaps suspiciously so. And I do not find it unpatriotic to question, though I admit I have no answers.
However, I am surprised at the backlash when one simply asks, "who the fuck are al-Qaeda anyway"? We have their name embedded on our brain. They are the boogey-men that go bump in the night. And perhaps there are many of them out there. But have you ever stopped and wondered, who controls them, who is in charge? And are all these groups that we hear about in the news al-Qaeda? Have you ever stopped and wondered about what a cluster-fuck the news reporting is regarding these groups? How reliable is the information we get anyway? Who really does know the truth?
Does anyone know the truth?