Monday, September 29, 2008

Winning on the Al-Qaeda front


Muslims Reject al-Qaeda and Bin Laden -Simon Scott Plummer

Professor Audrey Cronin [pictured above] encourages Western nations to focus on the "plentiful weaknesses" of al-Qaeda.

Bin Laden has been weakened by allied military action in Afghanistan and tighter surveillance of international money transfers. More significant in the longer term is the criticism voiced within Islamic circles about the morality of what he is doing. Cronin argues that the best counter-terrorist policies are "those consciously synergistic with a group's natural tendency to implode."

A government's top priority should be "not to win people's hearts and minds, but rather to amplify the natural tendency of violent groups to lose them."

The eclipse of al-Qaeda does not mean that it is no longer a threat. Nevertheless, the Islamic world is turning against it.
(Telegraph-UK)

3 comments:

LHwrites said...

We have not really seen evidence yet that Bin Laden or Al-Qaeda is weakened. This was a nice enough article that does not seem to say much that we know of as fact. Also, the suggestion in it that Israel attacking Iran could reignite this supposed fading Al_Qaeda makes it tough for Israel to protect itself because then any terrorist act committed on America will be blamed on Israel. Possibly, because terrorist acts kill so many Muslims and fellow countrymen, some Arabs are finally getting tired of it, but I would not count on it.

Genie said...

"poignant reflections by people who understand the complexities of the Middle East"

LOL!

Bruce said...

Dear Genie,

Glad to make you laugh...your own site: Global Intifada Connection seems to indicate that we come from very divergent perspectives.

History will utimately prove the rejectionist Palestinian narrative wrong. I pray a more moderate narrative can find its way...

Bruce