Does al-qaeda have satelites?
The days of a Pearl Harbor type surprise are over.
Even if al-qaeda could see it was coming what are they going to do about it.
They don't have a fleet of battleships to go out and meet it.
It's not as though we are going to surprise their fleet in port somewhere unless tipped off by the smoke.
If they find out we are heading to some hot spot they are in and they leave then we won without firing a shot.
The Red Chinese do and they swap spit with the NKs who sell to the Palis and anyone else with cash.