[Andy from Beaverton]

It's funny how the Jews became the focus Al Qaeda more than a month after the attack on the World Trade Center.

[Shermy]

And note they never attacked Israeli targets, despite a little whining about jews before 9/11, and Saudi govt. attempts to explain 9/11 as due to the Palis. Now everyone is distracted to Israel with the recent increase in bombings. Arafat blamed them on "international forces."

Despite occassional interests in attacking Americans, Osama has fit in well with Saudi and Iranian agendas to destroy or deter competitive development of hydrocarbon resources in the Caucasus and Central Asia. His help in Kashmir probably payback for Paki help. Not that Osama didn't have his own Caliphate dreams, but Saudis seemed to have guided the efforts. Now the Saudis have recouped the Qaeda who have "retreated" into Iran for futher doings. The new targets may include Israel because the strife there, coupled with phony threats of embargo, have proven to be an effective way of raising oil prices unrelated to production and pipeline access. Check out this article:

Relocation of Islamic fundamentalists from the Caucasus to the Middle East (5/30)