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Why Moslem Countries Cooperate Against al Qaeda
Strategy Page ^ | September 24, 2005 | Strategy Page

Posted on 09/24/2005 8:01:42 AM PDT by mdittmar

Yemen, despite having an ongoing civil war with Islamic conservative Shia tribes on the Saudi border, plus many Sunni Arab Yemenis being big fans of al Qaeda, has made progress crippling terrorist operations in their territory. The recent arrest of al Qaedas senior man in Yemen, Mubkhit Salih al Kuabi was a major operation. More attacks on American ships were planned by al Qaeda, and al Kuabi was sent to make it happen. Apparently, the intelligence efforts of several Arab countries, including Jordan and Saudi Arabia, were used to identify and locate al Kuabi (who was working for Iraqi al Qaeda leader al-Zarqawi.)

Al Kuabi turned out to be a very senior guy, very well connected, and very useful once interrogators got to work on him. Yemen plays down this cooperation with other Arab countries, mainly because the Sunni Arab leaders of those nations fear the popular appeal of al Qaeda and their suicide bomber “martyrs.”

Sunni Arabs don’t like the idea of democracy in Iraq, and would really like the Sunni Arab minority there to be back in power. Al Qaeda wants that as well, but they want a Sunni Arab religious leader running the show. Al Qaeda also wants to take all the current Arab leaders and behead them. This is part of al Qaeda’s appeal to the average Arab. This is also the reason for the energetic efforts by Arab governments to wipe out al Qaeda.

Bahrain, however, publicly admitted that they had signed a deal with Yemen to share information on terrorism, and organized crime. That’s another problem in the area. Criminal gangs have long benefited by lax law enforcement in the region, especially if the gang boss developed friends in government, and was a big tipper. Controlling organized crime is right up there with suppressing Islamic terrorism, for Gulf Arab governments.

But it’s not just Arab leaders who have serious problems with terrorists and gangsters. Bosnia and Albania, with their large Moslem populations, are finding more evidence of al Qaeda cells operating in their territory. West European counter-terrorism agencies keep coming up with leads that are traced back to Bosnia and Albania. Both nations also suffer from a surplus of criminal gangs, and it’s believed that some of the gangsters are knowingly working with al Qaeda. Local officials insist there are no terrorists in their back yards. There have been no attacks in the area, but that is thought to be the result of al Qaeda realizing they have more to gain by keeping their heads down and avoiding detection, so they can maintain bases close to all those juicy European targets. So far, their strategy seems to be working.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: allies; alqaeda; gwot; jointexercises; muslims

1 posted on 09/24/2005 8:01:42 AM PDT by mdittmar
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To: mdittmar
"very useful once interrogators got to work on him."

We need to use the same sort of techniques on the bad guys we get our hands on, but the liberals won't let us.
2 posted on 09/24/2005 8:30:59 AM PDT by Chicha Kazembe (Dickinson, TX (Now in Kerrville, TX, just west of San Antonio))
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To: mdittmar
Al Kuabi turned out to be a very senior guy, very well connected, and very useful once interrogators got to work on him.

..anyone wanna bet the international red cross,amnesty international,and Al Jerzerra Durban weren't there for the interrogations?

Doogle

3 posted on 09/24/2005 8:32:20 AM PDT by Doogle (8th AF...4077thTFW....408thMMS....Ubon Thailand "69"..Night Line Delivery ..AMMO)
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To: Chicha Kazembe

Do you mean the same techniques used at ABU GHRAIB?
Torture is a means of obtaining information is unreliable.
The false information obtained through these means could prove to be more dangerous than having no information.
Psychological techniques are more effective and doesn't leave us appearing to be as vicious as the people we are trying to extract information from.
What if they don't have any usefull information?
At what point do the interrogators conclude that individual
posseses no usefull informations and the torture ceases?
At what point in the interrogation process do people start fabricating information and simply agreeing to admit guilt for any "crime" they might be accused of?
I have looked at the photos of ABU GHRAIB again. And can't help but notice that the perpetrators...some of whom are now doing time in Federal Prison ....appear to be having a good time.
Sweeping through a Mideast town, And gathering up every individual with a penus and a trigger finger to be tormented by HILLBILLIES(as in ABU GHRAIN) might give some individuals satisfaction........but only reinforce the negative perceptions that the general population has of US.
This is not good.
They won't necessarily strap on a backpack of explosives and attack armored vehicles but they might let insurgents use thier alley for escape route and keep mum about it.
Gathering up the "usual suspects" and hauling them to dreaded prison to be tortured is not a wise policy.


4 posted on 09/24/2005 9:36:17 AM PDT by antmanbee
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To: antmanbee
"Do you mean the same techniques used at ABU GHRAIB?"

No, I mean tough methods.

Are you against tough methods because you do not believe they work or because you think they are not nice?

History has shown that tough methods do work and get results, contrary to your theoretical objections. Your objections are just a smokescreen meant to keep us from doing the job that has to be done.
5 posted on 09/24/2005 3:03:02 PM PDT by Chicha Kazembe (Dickinson, TX (Now in Kerrville, TX, just west of San Antonio))
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To: Sinestro; Balkans
But it’s not just Arab leaders who have serious problems with terrorists and gangsters. Bosnia and Albania, with their large Moslem populations, are finding more evidence of al Qaeda cells operating in their territory. West European counter-terrorism agencies keep coming up with leads that are traced back to Bosnia and Albania. Both nations also suffer from a surplus of criminal gangs, and it’s believed that some of the gangsters are knowingly working with al Qaeda. Local officials insist there are no terrorists in their back yards. There have been no attacks in the area, but that is thought to be the result of al Qaeda realizing they have more to gain by keeping their heads down and avoiding detection, so they can maintain bases close to all those juicy European targets. So far, their strategy seems to be working.

6 posted on 09/26/2005 2:46:01 PM PDT by joan
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