To Those Who Believe That The War Against Al Qaeda Is Over

Can We Declare The War On Al Qaeda Over? -- Mary Habeck, Shadow Government/Foreign Policy

Peter Bergen has a new piece up on CNN's website that argues the United States can declare victory over al Qaeda and wind down the war against the group. Reading through his article, I found several places where I profoundly disagreed with his analysis and therefore with his overall conclusion that al Qaeda has been defeated.

First, Bergen begins with a false analogy by arguing that the current war is nothing like World War II, and that therefore there can be no culminating peace as was signed between the Allies and Nazi Germany. This argument implies that a definitive victory over al Qaeda, one on the model and scale of the victory over the Nazis, is impossible.

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My Comment: I have a mixed opinion on this subject. A part of me accepts the argument that Al Qaeda has been significantly degraded .... that many of the founders are now dead or in jail .... and the effectiveness of the organization to conduct serious attacks is now minor if not insignificant. Another part of me has a different point of view .... Al Qaeda enjoys the support of tens of millions of people, they operate with impunity in many failed states, and their ideology of spreading jihad and Islam has not been sufficiently countered.

Which point of view is right? If there are no major terror attacks (or attempts) in the next few years .... one can then make the argument that Al Qaeda as we know it is no more.