Al Qaeda is not the real threat!

We need to reassess AL Qaeda. The rundown:
1. Much of their muscle, and most of their camps were destroyed in the war on Afghanistan. The ones that exist are now located in Syria and the triborder region mostly. The triborder region is relatively easy to attack, diplomacy-wise. We will be at war with Syria soon anyway.

2. Al Qaeda has serious cash flow problems. Not cash problems, cash flow. Their decentralized system of cells and their exiled leader makes it difficult for them to move funds around. Since most of their known funds are now tagged and watched, getting money to cells is difficult at best.

3. Many of their cells are compromised. The US government in all likelihood knows of Al Qaeda cells currently active in the US, and is doing nothing, probably in an attempt to catch more fish. I forget when, and ill get info, but there were some cells in new york and kansas that were routed, i think

4. They are becoming to famous. Their notoreity makes them popular around the arab world, but makes other islamic-friendly countries leary of dealing with them.(see Malaysia)

What do we need to do? We need to watch the other, quieter players. For the life of me I can't understand why we continue to ignore Imad Mughniyah, the man behind the 1983 US marine barracks bombings, a man who after capturing a CIA director tortured him to death on video and sent the tape to his wife. His hatred of America is very real, and he has high friends and excellent financial connections to make the most of his hatred.

We need to continue to observe islamic asia. So much recruiting for terrorist organizations is done there, the environment is much like that of the middle east when terrorism began its growth.

Please post any other comments you have. I have more info I will post later. We still need to treat Al Qaeda as an incredible danger, but we must remember that many hate us.

I'm sure Syria's borders are being monitored. Everyone knows what they've got going on in their country.

True Syria is closely monitored, but they are in a position we can not attck for now, and much of the information we have can not be presented for fear of compromising sources

Since most of technology has been compromised I'm pretty sure our intelligence services know what's up.

Satellite, cell-phone, finances, its all there.

Underestimating our ability to snoop has been happening since orwell wrote 1984.

They are a real threat. At least to the "western world, and christianity". They hate us. It all stems back to religion, but they hate us and are a threat.

If you're a person like myself, you don't think al Qaeda had anything to do with the attacks in the first place.

Originally posted by heelstone
If you're a person like myself, you don't think al Qaeda had anything to do with the attacks in the first place.

Agreed. September 11 storyline is like out of a fairy book.

I strongly believe that 9/11 was an independent action by a singular terrorsit group.I also believe that the government has been waiting for a mass-casualty strike like this for years in order to do what is being done now.

And I of all people do not underestimate our snooping ability

Al Qaeda are a threat because of the way it is organised.
It is not just one terrorist group. Think of it much like a sort of hydra. It has many different independant organisations operating under it's umbrella. The attack in Bali was carried out by an Indonesian extremist group that had ties with Al Qaeda and claimed the bombing in it's name.
It doesn't matter if the group has notoriety, the way it's cells are set up means that it's individuals only know what they need to know and therefore capture yields poor intelligence unless our intelligence sources get lucky and trap a high ranker.
As for funds? There are plenty of governements in the Middle East and plenty of organisations which covertly supply them with cash.
Training camp wise their individuals aren't necessarily trained by Al Qaeda themselves. The terrorists who operated in Bali trained in the jungles of their own land. The Far East is just as much a hotbed of extremism and although these groups are mainly fighting their own governements if they see a soft Western target they will take it.

Complacency when dealing with such a shadowy enemy is very dangerous.

I believe that I mentioned that the far east was a trouble spot to watch. I am also interested in the phrase "connected to Al Qaeda". This is a dangerously misleading phrase. It makes it seem like most terrorist networks are managed by AL Qaeda, or at least operated by them, this is not true. It gives the impression that taking down Osama will destroy all of the other "connected" terrorist groups. This is not true.

By the way, I think, Osama is not the real threat would have been a better header, in retrospect

they really are a threat. they hate christians and americans. we should definitely be aware of them and they really are a threat

i agree with manoverboard. they are definitely a threat.

Al Qeada is there to take our attention away from the real matter, and I have to admit, it's working quite well.