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Subscribe to RSSThe war against al-Qaida is at a “critical moment” as the “much weaker” terrorist group looks to regroup in Africa, according to the author of a new report.
Valentina Soria, a counterterrorism research analyst at U.K. think-tank RUSI, told msnbc.com by telephone that the network had been damaged by the death of Osama bin Laden and other leading figures.
Her report, titled “Global Jihad Sustained Through Africa,” which was published at 7 p.m. ET Tuesday, said al-Qaida’s leadership was looking for partnerships with like-minded organizations in parts of Africa – such as al-Shabab and al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb -- to “regroup and re-energize itself.”
West 'unsighted' by shift
Soria told msnbc.com that the war on terror was at a key point, as while al-Qaida was weaker, Western counterterrorism officials had been “unsighted” by the apparent shift to Africa.
“I think it’s certainly an important junction, a critical moment because obviously counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan … and Yemen have been quite successful in decapitating the organization [al-Qaida], a lot of important figures have been removed,” Soria said.
“There is no doubt the organization is much weaker than it was a few years ago,” she added.
The report said that “despite greater co-operation, there seems to be an unresolved tension between transnational aims of al-Qaida-core and the local grievances of African partners.”
At an international one-day summit Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron said the world would "pay a price" if it fails to help Somalia overcome terrorism, piracy and starvation. ITV's Lee Comley reports.
It added it was unclear whether al-Qaida was making a “conscious effort” to regroup in the Horn of Africa and sub-Saharan Africa or if this was the result of “displacement” and cooperation on an “ad hoc basis.”
American hostage in Somalia rescued by US Navy SEALs
Islamist militant group al-Shabab, which operates in Somalia, has merged with al-Qaida’s core group, a move “officially endorsed” by al-Qaida’s leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in February of this year.
'Arc of regional instability'
The report noted that U.S. counterterrorism officials had been voicing concern about the prospect of al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, which is based in Algeria, using local instability and weak or absent government to expand its zone of influence.
“If correct, this assessment would raise the worrying prospect of an arc of regional instability encompassing the whole Sahara-Sahel strip and extending to east Africa, which the now weakened al-Qaida-core could well exploit to regroup, reorganize and reinvigorate its terrorist campaign in the West,” the report said.
UN: Ancient treasures of Timbuktu under threat in Mali unrest
In Mali, south of Algeria, Tuareg rebels on Sunday seized the ancient city of Timbuktu, following a coup that overthrew Mali's government last month.
“[Al-Qaida] appears to be adopting a strategy of ‘going native,’ which implies seizing upon and exploiting local grievances with the ultimate aim of securing a stable foothold in volatile countries,” the report said.
Al Qaida's leader announces his terror group is holding a 70-year-old American aid worker hostage in Pakistan. NBC's Richard Engel reports.
The report said that counterterrorism officials “privately acknowledge that they are unsighted” and are “working hard to understand how far the jihadist challenge may be migrating” to Somalia, Kenya, north Nigeria and parts of West Africa.
“From West to East Africa, across the Sub-Saharan region, we may well be witnessing a new phase of decisive developments that could trigger further turmoil,” the report said.
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Follow us on Twitter: @msnbc_world
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You could just bomb the crap out of Al Qaeda headquarters in Langley and that will take care of that Al Qaeda menace once and for all instead of chasing Al Qaeda's lower rank morans from continent to continent.
This is why our CIA is now more important than ever....and yet Obama has handicapped their capabilities with political correct BS.
The Bush Admin militarized the CIA and that is why they suck at spycraft now. Read something relevant.
Al-Qaida in Africa ... Kony2012 ... really??? Maybe Oil ... diamonds .... gold ... wake up
Money definitely makes the world go 'round. Always has, always will. It's unavoidable, for the foreseeable future anyway.
keith......is Kony running as a Democrap or Repuglican
The best thing we can do for Africa is to send lots and lots of birth control pills along with food.
Amen, brother. As long as it's not LOST or MIS-APPROPRIATED along the way.
Yes, the only way the people can get the food we have sent to them is through the black markets in the streets.
The war on terrorism, has been an ongoing war, with many battles. The specific targeted use of special unconventional warfare groups within the Navy (SEALS), were officially expanded beyond the UDT diver duties in 1961 even though they often performed similar duties in WWII, when J.F.K announced an additional $100 million to be invested in the expansion of America's unconventional warfare capabilities. He made it a point of preparing the Nation for battles of the future, not with clearly defined enemy lines, but against guerrillas, insurgents, and acts of terror. Obviously he was correct.
The operations and counter terror measures were not anything new to us when 9/11 occurred. It did make the public aware, that the hidden enemy was among us, and without certain intervention, there could be no protection. The war in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Iran are easier described as battles in a much longer war than we are familiar with. The term "terror" in its most recent usage is best defined by the 1937 League of Nations convention use of it as "All criminal acts directed against a State and intended or calculated to create a state of terror in the minds of particular persons or a group of persons or the general public."
As long as their is an objective to be gained. The 1929 Hebron Massacre was clearly another example of earlier use of terrorism in Middle East culture. Bombing with our ally Israel, occurred after WWII in 1946, and just two years later, Israel became founded with its Defense Force. Both Muslim and Jew have claimed each other as the antagonist, but regardless one thing is certain.........If terror groups are not kept in constant check, they have the ability to strike anytime and pretty much anywhere without warning.
Africa, is no different........As in most other nations, Islam is the largest and fastest growing religions with more converts every year. The problem is not necessarily Islam, it is "fanatical Islam" . While most Muslims are reasonably peaceful, thousands of extremist are not. Given the sheer population of Muslims, even 1% taking some interpretations of the Koran seriously, it can translate to a big problem. Especially for those countries who do not readily accept Sharia Law as their own (i.e. Israel) regardless of them not being founded as a nation of Islam. A quick look at the conflicts in Africa will show it has always been a region, torn by civil conflict. Because of this any who desire to install terror upon the people: be-they war lords, human traffic, pirates, drug pins, or in this case terrorists. This has always been, and will always be the same...........certainly in our lifetimes.
Just because something will be a constant factor, does not mean that it should be tolerated. The hate is still rel, as are the crimes. In order to preserve safety, they must be suppressed, which in their eyes is oppression. And thus the circle is complete, and it continues around again. Islam will always be here, and like with every religion, extremists will always be present. The only thing we can do, is to take those using terror tactics and give them #ell, and with great prejudice.
With terror, official conventional rules of war, do not apply. You must win by any means possible, before they do the same to you. It is not nice, it is not proper, but unfortunately it is necessary as long as we wave the Star Spangled Banner overhead.
"by any means possible"................too bad our elected representatives won't let us do that. sound familiar? And the beat goes on..............
The US is not Nazi Germany nor Imperial Japan, so it cannot go about invading defenseless countries and killing civilians by the thousands whilst at the same time lecturing the world about human rights and self rule by popular vote. Or, it can if its public is also corrupt and unwilling to demand decency and civilized exchange.
Anti-Patriotic insults and disrespectful name calling because someone disagrees with you, because of experience, when you have NONE, goes a long way into showing me your intellect.
Starting things off as an insult, completely counter-effects anything constructive you have to say. I was active duty Army, followed by Department of the State Contractor. Using the "M" word to describe a professional is ignorant, especially considering the circumstances. I was not a French Legionaire, however even if I were, it would be better than a sniveling coward hiding behind a screen speaking a lot of talk, but not contributing to a single person other than themselves and Al Qaeda.
How many innocent civilians did Al Qaeda kill again? The trade centers were civilian targets. Again, in itself cause to respond with force to those governments providing shelter for their regimes. Others take the death of our citizens seriously, I am sorry you do not and make a mockery of them.
The only thing I would have changed, would be to have dipped all of my munition in pig's blood prior to use. I have no apologies to make to anyone, especially someone abusing their freedoms on a computer, while others must fight for them to keep that right.
You being invovled in war of extreme corprate profits against a generic guerrilla or state military tactic- "terrorism"- does not make you brave or anyone a coward. You are not protecting anyone's freedom which is undeniably determined by codified laws limiting or permitting behavior. Stating such tripe as " protecting my freedom to type " is state worship propaganda on your part and American mythology. If you are doing the work of a gov't soldier and being paid by a private concern on the taxpayers dime operating outside the Geneva Conventions- you are a mercenary. You might be a savage considering your bloodlust statements and are unaware of your actual condition.
Al Qaida, is not the real threat in Africa, The bad leaders of Africa have been the downfall of the people for years.
Al Qaida will just make it worse for the people. It has been very hard for us to look the other way for all this time.
They saw an opening and are in the process of trying to take advantage of it.
Nonsense. All we will ever hear about from the politically controlled main stream media is more reasons to go to war. This is the same media that told us that Collin Powel believed the trucks in Iraq contained biological warfare and that the "tubes" we "iranium enriched" for the purposes of a neuclear weapon. Another war monger story. I'll bet these "stories" are concocted by CIA/Spooks and promoted my media monkeys to brain wash the public. Who can trust anything regarding the middle east these days after the debacle that was Iraq in the first place. How stupid do they think the American public is? Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting the same result.
@John......I believe you meant uranium and not "iranium" unless of course you intentionally meant it to imply the documentary about the dangers of Iran becoming nuclear capable.
You posed the question about who Americans could trust? How about those who have been there, and seen first hand probably some of the things you do not believe exist. I suppose you also feel that a nuclear Iran is not a threat? Despite Iran's prior promise to use all weapons available against Israel and her allies. I guess since the obliteration of Israel is in their very Constitution, they must not be serious?
Will Rogers had wise words:
"We are the only nation in the world that waits till we get into a war before we start getting ready for it."
and John Stuart Mill summed things up as well:
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse."
If you believe Iran should have nukes, you obviously have little knowledge and/or experience with it. To allow Iran to possess a nuclear capable program is reckless and criminal. If it is not stopped, the possibility of Israel's annihilation is in jeopardy, and the ramifications of such are far greater than any reasonable person can deny. No country or culture should ever live in fear of complete extermination. The US handling it, would certainly be better than Israel attempting to handle it themselves, and risks of repercussion could be better minimized with civilian casualties kept to a minimum.
While I COMPLETELY disagree with the current Presidential leadership, I am very proud he decided to make an attempt to solve the situation peacefully through embargo, and financial pressures, but also said military action would be used if necessary to prevent it.
While it has been a long hard road, there are still many soldiers who would still put boot to @$$ and go through it all over again if necessary. The media has always played up to politics, nothing here is new. Social media has played just as much inaccuracy into the situation, mainly with people making comments without an appreciation for the whole scheme of things. The public is not brain washed, they are patriotic and take things to heart, and nothing is wrong with that.
let them regroup, they'll make a more concentrated target.
drones.
The whole world should feel Ashamed, for letting the people of Africa go downhill for so long. What is wrong with the UN?.
the UN is a prop scene with idealistic concerns and no muscle behind it. so pretty much everything is wrong with it. for the UN to work would actually imply common values and beliefs between countries and we are not there yet, and probably never will be, because our interests are conflicting.
The UN is where those with a shred of idealism are sent to keep them mostly out of the way while appearing to be doing the right thing while the Military Industrial Complex moves forward in its Plans, usually in the opposite direction of fixing things.
All at Great Profit$, of course. Trillion$ of Dollar$, in fact.
Sacrificing Dedicated Troops' or Innocent Civilians' Lives is a collateral inconvenience.
Peace
Supernorm....you must be very young....... everyone has been trying to feed and educate Africa for a minimum of near a half Century
Al Queda is running out of countries to sneak, hide, plan or build weapons. Iran is to busy wit supporting Assad of Syria. To get Assad out is a big defeat for Iran & it's dictator Mahmoud Ahmadinjad. Al Queda is losing it's world war on terrorism. I'm beginning to see the end of this jerks. Once the USA gets out & away Al Queda will only have itself to play with. The Arab countries are finally getting rid of dictators. I see peace just beyond the horizon over there. Long over due. The Arab states with dictators is coming to an end. The people of these countries have had enough lies & killings. The UN should do what ever it takes to keep Terrorism in the world in check. We don't need Nuclear bombs either.
Just to add an exception to your point, America does need nuclear capable technologies. Along with other super-powers, they help hold each other accountable . The presence of the LGM-30 type weapons able to fly at Mach 23 and carry huge destructive potential has certainly been a factor in our defense capabilities. Likewise the Soviet capabilities are extraordinarily powerful as well, as they posses nuclear ordinance technology that rivals our own, and have tested to 50 megaton in 1/2 scale tests of a 100megaton design. It should be noted these were supposedly never produced for use.
Some new developments may eliminate the need for such armament, such as the "Hypervelocity Rod Bundles" program, a derivative of the concepts of "Project Thor" from the cold war. There would be no fall-out radiation, or at least not anywhere close to a nuclear weapon. Despite being on iffy ground with one another, Russia can be trusted with such technology from what we have seen.
The problem occurs when someone which cannot be trusted due to their desire to use them, on their enemy (in this case the US and Israel primarily). We have seen other nuclear weapons constructed that are man portable and some what easily concealed (M-28 & 29 Davy Crockett). Their use though can easily result in operator death, but to zealots who believe dying in a BOOM with as many innocents as possible, this possibility would not be a concern for them.
Like Santorium?
War on Terrorism is big business with unlimited profit growth potential. The war mongers and profiteers would want us to believe the Terrorists are now everywhere. In the Middle East, Far East, Africa and even in America.
Terrorism is like WMD, invent it if you need to invade a nation. Hundreds of Iraqi died at the hands of the American war mongers who claimed Saddam had WMD. When no WMD were found, the pretext changed to hunting and pre-empting terrorism. Hundreds of Afghans died at the hands of American war lovers who claimed the Taliban harbored Osama bin Laden. US Navy Commandos invaded Pakistan and assassinated Osama. With Osama buried at sea, the American war makers changed its Afghan mission to eliminating Afghan and Pakistani terrorists even if the new mission required the enlargement of the war into Pakistan. After all, the bigger the wars, the more excitement the war mongers relish and the more profit the war profiteers harvest.
Even before with drawing all the troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, American war lovers are planning the next war in Africa. Conveniently, the "Experts" now publish a report that finds Al Queda joining other radical African groups in terrorism. It won't be long before US will kill tens of thousands of Africans through direct combat or by proxy via some African nation.
@ FatCat""...........I am NOT sorry, and I do not feel bad for Saddam, Bin Laden, or any of the other participants in terror groups which met their demise. Your post clearly states your love for the Islam extremists we hunted down, and as such you have ousted yourself as nothing more than a sympathizer to such activity.
Your post is full of insult to America, her brave men and women, and to all who have dies at the hand of Al Qaeda. You are the reason soldiers have trouble transitioning back into society. In short, you are an insult to many. The only reason you sleep peaceably at night, is because thousands of brave men, are not afraid to do the right thing in the name of freedom and safety. You should thank a soldier, not criticize them. Considering your stance it is obvious you have not served anyone but yourself.
Since you support them so greatly, and they are so much better than us, why don't you move there, since you have no respect for the US, you obviously do not deserve it.
Worship of Wall Street corp-gov war and 8th grade militant patriotism is not the law of the land.
You have no respect for those trying to serve YOU, why would I expect you to know anything about obeying the law of the land.
Let me guess, you are the 99%???? Well, occupy an education, get a good job, and you too can be the 1%. If you do not aspire to anything, you will become nothing. In as much, I am afraid you already have.
You appear to believe in unfallibilty of the central state and its power to take by force or unlawfully force compliance or obedience through threat or actual physical harm. You are defending what Jefferson warned of- standing armies and the modern day version of King Geo. III's hated Hessian mercenaries.
Sounds good to me. Get started ASAP!
Have Obama lead the troops!
Please?
Interpolation of Blind Patriotism over Constitutional Checks and Balances.
Question Treachery, Demand Transparencey, but expect little to change. Just Wave Your Flag and through out unsubstaniated inferences, insults and jingoistic platitudes instead.
Enjoy your money, American Dad!
Keep on stamping out those cluster bombs and the Agent Orange.
oops...throw
TrustVerify -
Let the "Truth" be known...!!!
Follow the monies. War for profit...!!! Cronyism propaganda...!!!
911 - Towers was inside job. Excuse to go to war...!!! At whatever cost. The amount of monies is
too great to pass up. Sheeple wake-up...!!! Our rights are being stripped from us. Deceitfully and silently.
WORLD WAR III is around the corner ...!!! All for the "LOVE" of money...??? And "N.W.O." ...!!!
Nailed it!
Famine will kill Al Qaeda in Africa. Al needs to go back home to Afghanistan.
Price Check On Tin Foil Aisle #3!!!!
At least you are consistent.
;-)))
Al Qaeda? Oh, you mean the "rebels" that we helped in Libya? So why are they now on our sh!t-list? Are they not handing over that Libyan oil like they promised to?
A person too ignorant to recognize what Al Qaeda did wrong, is highly suspect to being accountable to their own actions as well..........Let me guess, blame everything and everyone else and call it Liberalism.
Strawman argument.
He is consistent!
I'm just sitting here wondering...where is all the oil Bush2 stole from Iraq?
Everybody that did not know The Horn of Africa was unstable raise your hand. Where would one put an Al kyduh. Djibouti is wonderful this time of year.
Obummer!
Al Qaeda wants to regroup in Africa? COuld this be a prep for even more military involvement thousands of miles from home. Just divert the "eventual" pullout from Afghanistan to Africa and continue fighting without missing a beat.
Maybe our borders will protect itself with "hopey for changey."
The west will never be free from radical terrorists threatening us, until we get out of their countries. Its that simple. Its an endless war that will never end, until we end it by leaving them be. One only has to imagine what we as a people would do, if the roles were reversed. And you have your answers. If we are not going to leave them be, it would be more merciful, and less costly to just nuke'em all. Because killing them all is what it will take. Same as they would have to kill all of us, before we would give up.
There is nothing to gain from any of this, except more death and cost.
That's a pretty convoluted answer to the problem. I'd liked to have had to face you every debate back in university.
"just nuke 'em all"!
"nothing to gain from any of this, except more death and cost"!
With logic like that you should be in the present Administration! Maybe Secretary of Defense or Chief of the CIA!
Its an accurate assessment of the situation. There's nothing to debate.
And no you would not like to debate me in university. I dont lose debates, because I dont debate losing positions.
Just as I figured, even you know u r a loser.
You are not a very good troll either lol
Name calling is junior grade trolling. Works with kids, thats about it.
There never was a thing called "war on terror." That's one foolish idea.
Terror is a tactic used be terrorists. If there really was a "war on terror" then why not go after ALL groups who use it, not just one group? Al Qaeda was more-or-less wiped out by President Obama increasing the drone attacks over and above what Dubya did and not telling "our ally" eg: Pakistan.
If Obama starts another war in Africa, I suggest he don the Kevlar and lead the troops himself. That way he'll be the first casuality. Only fitting since he is a Kenyan by family lineage.
please be specific...which part of "Africa"...Africa is not a country but a continent
I dont think Geography is Newmans strong point. lol
We already have boots on the ground in six countries in Africa, and our core base of operations is in Kenya. Obama's end game and hidden agenda all along has been to get us into Africa, and, he will. So, get used to it, because this is only a preview of the next four years.
please any time u write an article try to specify which part of Africa..cos you make it seem the whole Africa is involved.i live in Ghana which is in West Africa,we live here peacefully and i doubt people here even know something like this is going on somewhere..
You can fool some of the people some of the time,
you can fool some of the people ALL of the time with this War On Terror crap.
Gad! Trying to wake zombies is soooo futile.
Feeding the Military/Industrial/Congressional Complex is the real War On Terror. We label someone terrorists when it is in the interest of the Complex, we DON'T label someone terrorist when it meets our agenda. Example of terrorists unlabeled: The State Of Israel, MEK (though MEK is on our terrorist organization list we will NEVER attack them, we let them come and go untouched, we let them sit in Iraq for years untouched even while we occupied Iraq, we are silent when The State Of Israel supports these terrorists with arms and training)...
Well said. Thank God there are still some intelligent people left.
J.P. - Ask the young person that lost a mother, or father on 9-11 if the war on terror is crap. You need to wake the f up.
THANK YOU J.P. You took the words right out of my Big Mouth.This whole article is just another Lame Ass excuse of Propaganda to feed to the all the Gullible little peons who want to buy into it,and fill their goody bags with this War on Terror Bull Crap!
You see the peons want to keep believing in Peter Pan and Captn.Hook,that is spoon fed to them.If they knew the real truth behind this Terrorist bull @!$%#,they'd keel over and die!
No EWUSNRET,you need to wake the f up! You've been under an illusion for to long.By the way this BS has nothing what so ever to do with 9/11.Again Wakey Wakey you've been asleep to long!
It has EVERYTHING to do with 9-11. We were ATTACKED!!! Take your liberal truther crap and stick it where the sun don't shine.
I love how the biggest mouths about 9/11 are also the ones who have never had to deploy in support of blatant teabagger/republican chicken-hawkery.
You want the "war on terror"? Go fight it and then get back to me on what it's like. It's easy to run your mouth from behind a computer screen while living off mommy and/or daddy's dime or collecting a social security check every month (which is another form of welfare, you just don't hear teabaggers raging against it because the majority of them are collecting it).
It's amazing how many are still drinking the bush/cheney kool-aid. Hopefully there isn't another republican/teabagger elected to POTUS before I'm done with my time on Earth.
Becareful drinking that Bush/Cheney propaganda Tea there EWUSNRET! Yes we were attacked but not in the context you're putting it in.