Month

Archives: al-Qaeda

9/11 after 15 years: We’re Still in the Middle of a guerrilla Air War

By Tom Engelhardt | (Tomdispatch.com) | - - On the morning of September 11, 2001, al-Qaeda launched its four-plane air force against the United States. On board were its precision weapons: 19…

Top Five Ways to tell if a Terrorist is still al-Qaeda despite name Change

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - The leftist Beirut newspaper al-Safir comments scathingly on the name-change of the Syrian al-Qaeda affiliate, the Nusra Front led by Abu Muhammad al-Julani,…

Top 5 things that Make Bangladesh a natural Target for Extremists

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - Bangladesh has been plagued by extremist violence for years, but the violence and hostage-taking in Dhaka on Friday and on Saturday morning was…

Al-Qaeda Speaks The Language Of Syrian Sectarianism

By Sam Heller | ( RFE/RL) | - - As the extremist group Islamic State (IS) and its rival Al-Qaeda have captured pieces of Iraq, Syria, and other countries in the region,…

Al-Qaeda’s Al-Zawahri, 9/11 Mastermind, Plays Syrian Politics

Al-Qaeda’s Al-Zawahiri, 9/11 Mastermind, Plays Syrian Politics

By Sam Heller | ( RFE/RL ) | - - When the self-proclaimed Islamic State declared the establishment of a global Muslim “caliphate” in 2014, the move accelerated a race for legitimacy…

Al-Zawahiri Supports Syrian al-Qaeda, calls for more global Volunteers

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - Al-Qaeda central leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, a mastermind of the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington, DC, has issued a new audio tape.…

Al-Qaeda Everywhere: US support for Oppressive Gov’t’s undermined victory against Bin Laden

Al-Qaeda Everywhere: US support for Oppressive Gov’t’s made Bin Laden’s Killing Moot

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - The US government has never understood insurgency for the most part. Smart USG officials with whom I've interacted have had a firm belief…

Inclusive Governing key to preventing 5th Wave of Violent Radicalism

By Carl Bildt | (Project Syndicate) | - - STOCKHOLM – Muscular language has become increasingly prevalent in the debate about how to counter the threat of jihadist terrorism. Television talk-show hosts…

Saudis warn they will withdraw $750 Bn. from US economy if 9/11 Bill Passes

TeleSur | - - The Saudis threatened selling off almost a trillion dollars in U.S. assets if Congress makes it legal to hold Saudi citizens accountable for 9/11. Saudi Arabia has threatened…

Syria: More US Weaponry goes to al-Qaeda

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - al-Akhbar (Beirut) reports that al-Qaeda in the Lands of the Levant, also known as the Support Front (jabhat al-Nusra), repeated scenarios it had…

Do Drug Profits actually drive Terrorism in the Muslim World?

Robert Rotberg | (The Conversation) | - - Terrorists are in it as much for the loot as for the ideology. . . . ISIS, could hardly exist, whatever its Islamist fervor,…

Daesh/ ISIL hasn’t weakened al-Qaeda– Its Affiliates are Stronger than Ever

By Ari Heistein | (Informed Comment) | - - Experts predicted that the rise of the Caliphate declared by Daesh (ISIS, ISIL) would be disastrous for al-Qaeda(AQ). One report that concluded “The…

How Turkish President Erdogan went Wrong: Dividing and Not Ruling

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - Receb Tayyip Erdogan, the president of Turkey, was once seen as a political breath of fresh air and a beacon of change in…

Why did Turkey dare shoot down a Russian Plane? The Proxy War in Syria

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - The Turkish government decision to down a Russian jet operating in the north of the Syrian province of Latakia is breathtaking in its…

Syria: On eve of Vienna Summit, Has Russia changed the facts on the Ground?

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - Writing in al-Hayat [Life] this week, columnist Walid Choucair outlined the successes he sees Russia to have had in its Syria campaign, and…

American Hypocrisy: Against Muslim Sharia law at home, Calls it “Moderate” in Syria

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - I just watched the 5 pm news hour on CNN anchored by Wolf Blitzer, and the editors had clearly decided that the lead…

Al-Qaeda in Syria Leader: Kill Alawite Minority, Russians; Christians fear West Backs Him

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - The leader of al-Qaeda in Syria, Abu Muhammad al-Julani, has called for an escalation in attacks on the population centers of the Alawite…

ISIL, al-Qaeda in Syria call for Holy War against Russia

By Joanna Paraszczuk | ( RFE/ RL Both the [so-called] Islamic State (IS) group and Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, the Al-Nusra Front, this week called for attacks against Russia, as Russian air strikes…

US-trained Syria rebels gave weapons to al-Nusra Islamists, Pentagon confirms

US-trained Syria rebels gave weapons to al-Qaeda Pentagon confirms

RT | - - "The U.S. military has revealed that American -trained Syrian rebels surrendered equipment to an Al Qaeda-linked terrorist group in exchange for safe passage. They handed over pick-up trucks…

14 Years after 9/11, US, Israel Tempted to ally with Al-Qaeda in Syria

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - The Jabhat al-Nusra or Support Front is one of the major rebel groups in Syria, holding extensive territory in the hinterland of cities…