Originally posted by alternateheaven
How long have we been "destroying" Al Quaeda now? First its "they are in shambles, running scare" then its "we must crush them" then back
again. Though it wouldnt suprise me if they 'turned up' ole Osama somewhere in Pakisatan right in the final weeks before the election, just enough
to dope up voters and the electoral college.
AH this might interest you,
26 Jan 2004
Al-Qaeda 70 Percent Gone But Next Generation a Threat
By Jeremy Zakis, ERRI Analyst
UNITED STATES: U.S. Department of State spokesman Cofer Black said that Al-Qaeda's days were numbered and they were being hunted down worldwide. He
went
so far as to say that based on U.S. intelligence community estimates that about 70 percent of the Al-Qaeda organization has been neutralized. But,
other analysts have a more sobering view on the situation.
During an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Black said the war on terror had made the most significant gains against Al-Qaeda
in the Middle East where a number of leaders have been arrested and training camps made inoperable.
Other U.S. intelligence official said that Al-Qaeda had lost much of its attack capabilities and was now relying on smaller Islamic groups based in
Southeast Asia and North Africa to carry out its operations.
Emergency Reponse and Research Institute (ERRI) CEO and Chief Analyst Clark Staten said that despite the promising news, it was unlikely Al-Qaeda
would be completely eliminated anytime in the near future.
"I do agree with Mr. Black that we are going to see (or already have seen) a 'next generation' of Al-Qaeda and they will be younger and less
experienced," Staten said.
"But, they will also be religious zealots, educated since birth for Jihad... we are making
progress, but are far from achieving the larger goals," he added.
The intelligence community believes that Al-Qaeda was at its strongest in mid-2001 with thousands of recruits trained in Afghanistan and were sent
abroad to act as agents and members of sleeper cells. Officials say Al-Qaeda will now continue as a much weaker organization and focus largely on
Saudi Arabia, the Horn of Africa and seek to consolidate terrorist cells in Iran.
www.emergency.com...