Posted on 05/15/2007 4:16:31 AM PDT by ASC2006
Iraq has become the new epicenter for al-Qaida cells waging "holy war" against the West, one of the world's pre-eminent terror experts said Tuesday.
If the U.S.-led coalition forces pulled out of Iraq now, attacks in Europe would increase and troops would have to go back in two to three years, said Rohan Gunaratna, the head of the International Center for Political Violence and Terrorism Research at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.
"The epicenter has shifted from Afghanistan to Iraq," he told a conference of business leaders on how to prepare for terror threats.
Abu Ayyub al-Masri, who replaced Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in the al-Qaida chain of command, has been building a support base in Europe, he said. Al-Masri, an Egyptian militant, was endorsed by Osama bin Laden after Zarqawi was killed in Iraq last June by a U.S. airstrike.
Al-Masri is believed to have joined the "jihad" or "holy war" in the 1980s and has close ties with Ayman al-Zawahri, al-Qaida's No. 2 leader. That means al-Qaida in Iraq is likely to be drawn closer to the mainstream al-Qaida leadership than under Zarqawi, a Jordanian who ran his operation in Iraq with great autonomy until his death.
Gunaratna warned that Iraq was on the way to becoming an al-Qaida "Disneyland," just like Afghanistan had been.
He said most Al-Qaida cells, including north African cells, had people in Iraq. The associated groups, who had got training, funding and ideology, as well as homegrown radicalized groups, presented a real risk, he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...
“The epicenter has shifted from Afghanistan to Iraq,”
Not sure about this. Considering the reports about heavy fights in Afghanistan, it looks as if the WOT is fought in both countries by all means.
Based on the actions of our own home grown dhimmicrat insurgents, I would say it’s Washington, D.C.
Certainly there is heavy fighting in Afghanistan, though the vast majority of it is native Taliban fighters vs the US and NATO.
If you are a young Saudi and you want to kill Americans you go to Iraq.
Flypaper works.
At least in Iraq they face our soldiers, not over here against defenseless women and children.
This can’t be so... The Democrats have told us that we are just in the middle of a civil war.
Is it possible that the Dems are wrong???
(better question - is it ever possible that the Dems are right?)
call it ‘the Crusade ‘ and fight the fight against islam.
it’s them or us , let’s make it them....
now or later , which shall it be ?
You are only partially right.
The Al Quaeda in Washington are a bit different in that they arent the type to commit to suicide bombings. No ,they are more like the Mullah’s who send out others to do the dirty work, while they, like slime, work behind the doors in the Capitol and slither under the doors and complain when someone questions their Patriotism.
They are just as deadly and just as dangerous to America as the others,but they always look out not to come to harm themselves.
Only a fool or a traitor would think otherwise... but we seem to have both in abundance.
spot on!
But westerners must know that jihadis live to die in jihad (it’s a works-based salvation scheme), which means if we leave, they will follow us, committing jihad when they can. We will be the target as long as we give them the wrong answer to their Three Demands: convert, submit or die.
I would prefer jihad take place in some distant place than in the Mall of America or the local elementary school. Dims who support a pull-out date have no idea of the damage the are doing to our safety here at home.
Don't get too comfortable tc, when the dhimmis get control of the White House in 08, A-Q Will Be Baaaaak!
The antiwar nuts can say what they want, but this was the intention all along. Fight them on their soil rather than ours.....
Good observation all. I fear our kid gloves catch and release program will not hasten their defeat however and makes the successes look few and far between.
call it ‘the Crusade ‘ and fight the fight against islam.
it’s them or us , let’s make it them....
now or later , which shall it be ?
Exactly! Unfortunately, it will be too late by the time people wake up.
We destroy terrorism in Iraq and not only Al Qaeda will be destroyed beyond repair but also both the terrorist regimes in Tehran and Damascus will fall within a year or two after their defeat in Iraq.
They are still blowing up more Mooselips than Americans.
Pray for W and Our Troops
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.