{{
`${userDetail.user.displayName}${userDetail.user.cachedBungieGlobalDisplayNameCode ? `#${standardizeBungieGlobalCode(userDetail.user.cachedBungieGlobalDisplayNameCode)}` : ""}`}}
{{getUserClans()}}
originally posted in:Sapphire
View Entire Topic
Edited by Mags:
3/14/2014 5:02:54 AM
55
Al-Qaeda/Terrorism Thread
In this thread, I would like to offer you all news about various happenings, developments, and situations regarding terrorism around the world. I will admit that my main focus and areas of knowledge falls in Islamic terrorism and the Middle East, al-Qaeda and their network in particular.
I think it is important for the general public to be aware of these happenings as non-state actors have become extremely, extremely important in the late 20th Century and now into the second decade of the 21st Century. Specifically speaking, transnational advocacy networks (TANs) like al-Qaeda, are very instrumental in how state-actors develop and implement various aspects of their foreign policy. With the War on Terror approaching it's 13th year, threats of terrorism emanating from al-Qaeda is as prevalent as ever (although it could be argued their capabilities to conduct a large-scale attack on the United States is diminished).
One reason I believe this war has dragged on for so long is a lack of understanding of what the group is, what they want, and how they operate. In this thread, along with various pieces of news, I will layout these three things. I also wish to destroy the notion that al-Qaeda is "on the path to defeat". It will become quite evident in this thread that is simply not the case. I abide by the "expansionist" viewpoint on al-Qaeda; this means I believe the network comprises of much more than just publicly recognized affiliates.
Feel free to ask questions, debate, comment on any piece of news/articles, and/or debate what I have said in the OP. I wish to present an environment for a public debate on the network as I feel that is one way to finally reach a consensus on what this group actually is.
I also wish to provide you with information and sources on various general terrorism-related topics; these can also be discussed and/or debated and I encourage this to happen.
Thanks.
-
17 RepliesThe war has dragged on because any terrorist group with Islamic roots claims connection to al-Qaida for notoriety, and al-Qaida central command supports that claim because it makes the organization look global. The actual control that Ayman al-Zawahiri exerts over other al-Qaida groups (like far-flung AQIM, for example) is very limited. But they are still "al-Qaida" in name and thus an adversary in Mr. Bush's and now Mr. Obama's War on Terror. A good indication of the lack of control that Mr. Zawahiri exerts can be seen with the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham. Prior to 2014, it was generally considered to be tied to al-Qaida's command in Pakistan (particularly as it began as AQI fighting American troops in Iraq). But Mr. Zawahiri announced in early 2014 that he and Baghdadi, the ISIS leader, have no ties and that ISIS blatantly ignored Mr. Zawahiri's order that ISIS leave Syria last April. The "War on Terror" will likely continue indefinitely, but it should be very well noted that the original al-Qaida leadership has been devastated and that its regional offshoots are not closely integrated with it.
