Al-Qaeda May Be Starting Its Own Surge

Terrorist Attack On the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad

From The Daily Star:

In the past week followers of Al-Qaeda have launched vicious attacks despite Ramadan on key fronts - Pakistan, Yemen, and Mauritania. These events occurred just after intelligence officials said that the Al-Qaeda threat remains despite reports of "imploding" and US President George W. Bush's announcements concerning a renewed focus on Afghanistan and Pakistan. Al-Qaeda may be starting its own surge; strikes in Europe and the US cannot be ruled out as a strategic distraction may be taken place from West Africa to South Asia.

Despite a spate of articles concerning Al-Qaeda's demise due to ideological disputes, criticism from key Sunni clerics, and the loss of public sympathy, the movement is not waning. It was almost exactly 20 years ago this month that Al-Qaeda was born in Afghanistan as a movement of violent jihadis that was prepared to fight and die to protect the Islamic umma, or community, from foreign assault. To this day the movement still discusses defensive jihad, puritanical interpretations of religious doctrine, and the use of various tactics, techniques and procedures to achieve goals. Now Al-Qaeda affiliates may be applying strategic chaos to destabilize various countries and create new battle fronts.

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My Comment: Al Qaeda may have had a number of setbacks in Iraq, but its support in Muslim communities across the world is huge. There will always be a reservoir of supporters to continue the fight for extreme Islam.