Al Qaeda's Strategy

DEFIANT ONES In Quetta and elsewhere in Pakistan, the Taliban, recognizable by their black and white turbans, operate openly.

Al-Qaeda Said to Use Regional Strife to Tighten
Grip in Pakistan -- Washington Post

Al-Qaeda has exploited recent political turmoil in Pakistan to strengthen its foothold along the country's border with Afghanistan, a top U.S. counterterrorism official said yesterday in an assessment that also warned of a heightened risk of attack during the upcoming U.S. election season.

Despite the loss of key leaders to U.S. strikes, Osama bin Laden continues to enjoy a haven in the border region and has managed to deepen alliances with a wide range of Islamist groups from South Asia to the Middle East, said Ted Gistaro, the national intelligence officer for transnational threats and an al-Qaeda expert. With the help of such allies, al-Qaeda is seeking to position terrorist operatives in the United States and other Western countries, Gistaro said.

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My Comment: The sad part of this news report is that they are succeeding. Pakistan is in turmoil, with its elected leadership more concerned about fighting political battles with their political opponents than those opponents who advocate terrorism and taliban/sharia law.

Al Qaeda has their safe haven in the world, and are prepared to do anything to keep it. The fact that Pakistan's priorities are elsewhere is infuriating for us, and destructive in the long term for them.