NYT: Al Qaeda Chiefs Are Seen to Regain Power

[jefferson_dem]

Al Qaeda Chiefs Are Seen to Regain Power
By MARK MAZZETTI and DAVID ROHDE

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 — Senior leaders of Al Qaeda operating from Pakistan have re-established significant control over their once battered worldwide terror network and over the past year have set up a band of training camps in the tribal regions near the Afghan border, according to American intelligence and counterterrorism officials.

American officials said there was mounting evidence that Osama bin Laden and his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, had been steadily building an operations hub in the mountainous Pakistani tribal area of North Waziristan. Until recently, the Bush administration had described Mr. bin Laden and Mr. Zawahri as detached from their followers and cut off from operational control of Al Qaeda.

<SNIP>

American analysts said recent intelligence showed that the compounds functioned under a loose command structure and were operated by groups of Arab, Pakistani and Afghan militants allied with Al Qaeda. They receive guidance from their commanders and Mr. Zawahri, the analysts said. Mr. bin Laden, who has long played less of an operational role, appears to have little direct involvement.

<SNIP>

The new warnings are different from those made in recent months by intelligence officials and terrorism experts, who have spoken about the growing abilities of Taliban forces and Pakistani militants to launch attacks into Afghanistan. American officials say that the new intelligence is focused on Al Qaeda and point to the prospect that the terrorist network is gaining in strength despite more than five years of a sustained American-led campaign to weaken it.

<SNIP>

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/19/world/asia/19intel.html?pagewanted=print

[muntrv]

1. The Iraq war is emboldening Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.

[CJCRANE]

4. Yes

and the latest development is that the Taliban is increasingly seen as a nationalist resistance rather than the strictly religious force that they were before (according to a BBC report I heard).

[journalist3072]

2. If Bush was really serious about this so-called "war on terror"

Al Qaeda would not even be an issue today. They would have been destroyed.

Instead, Bush took his eye off the people responsible for attacking us on 9/11, and turned his attention to someone who had nothing to do w/ 9/11.

I know I'm preaching to the choir on this point, but I think we need to continue to shout this from every rooftop.

Has any self-respecting "journalist" ever asked Bushie why Al Qaeda is even still around almost 6 years after 9/11?

[Cobalt-60]

3. The Republicons need Al Qaeda in shape for 2008

Otherwise they'll have to plant their own election year bombs.

[salin]

5. no because they would have to write about wha a failure he

has been on national security. And for some reason (gee, what could that be), folks just don't dare to paint bushjr in such a light.

Remember the press fury when Howard Dean stated, at the time of Saddam's capture, that he didn't think that the capture made our country any more secure?

[Chris77]

6. And furthermore . . .

Check this story out--

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/opinion/16722388.htm

[RedEarth]

7. George, remember Osama?