[PINR] 01 December 2004: Do Al-Qaeda's East Africa Operations Pose a Thre

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Power and Interest News Report (PINR)
http://www.pinr.com
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01 December 2004
For a detailed analysis about the objectives of al-Qaeda, visit the following article:

"The Threat of Al-Qaeda and the Islamic Revolutionary Movement"

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Do Al-Qaeda's East Africa Operations Pose a Threat to U.S. Interests?
Drafted By: Erich Marquardt
http://www.pinr.com
East Africa is no stranger to Islamic militancy. The region has been the victim of a series of al-Qaeda related attacks against predominately U.S. interests. Due to the large population of Muslims in many of the region's states, it has the potential to become fertile breeding ground to al-Qaeda's religious rhetoric. Through the argument of conducting a "defensive jihad" against the United States, al-Qaeda has been able to recruit East Africans in missions aimed at endangering U.S. interests in the region.

A History of Al-Qaeda Related Militancy in East Africa

Islamist activity targeted at U.S. interests is a relatively new phenomenon in East Africa. While the region's recent history has been plagued with inter-religious violence, the objectives of such violence have been for state or regional control, and not an attempt to weaken the power and influence of foreign powers.
Al-Qaeda, however, has had some success in recruiting East African Muslims to conductguerrilla operations with transnational objectives. These operations have primarily been to attack U.S. interests.
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Washington's Counter-Terrorism Efforts

The Bush administration has recognized the potential threat that East Africa poses to U.S. interests. To counter this threat, an agreement was reached with the East African state of Djibouti, approving the establishment of a U.S. military base at Camp Lemonier, a former French military barracks. Since May 2003, from this base, approximately 1,500 U.S. troops have been engaged in humanitarian and counter-terrorism efforts, such as using the base as a launching point for unmanned Predator drone aircraft that are often utilized to monitor and attack al-Qaeda related militants in the region.
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Is Al-Qaeda a Minor Threat to U.S. Interests in East Africa?

Generally speaking, al-Qaeda is a minor threat to U.S. interests in East Africa. The populations in East African countries remain largely tied to their ethnic and tribal associations, rather than strictly to their religious ones. Because of this, they are much more likely to engage in national resistance struggles, rather than transnational ones. Nevertheless, al-Qaeda's attractive ideology of the need for a "defensive jihad" against U.S. forces has the potential of converting many East African Muslims to al-Qaeda's creed.
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Conclusion

Creating fear is perhaps the biggest threat that al-Qaeda poses to U.S. interests in East Africa. East Africa's large Muslim population, in addition to its many weak governments, gives al-Qaeda the opportunity to recruit and train Muslim militants for attacks against U.S. interests. While attacks on these interests within East Africa pose little real security or direct economic risk to the U.S., they have the potential of causing widespread fear and uncertainty, a horrible mix in investment-dependent economies.
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complete report at http://www.pinr.com


Report Drafted By:
Erich Marquardt
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The Power and Interest News Report (PINR) is an analysis-based publication that seeks to, as objectively as possible, provide insight into various conflicts, regions and points of interest around the globe. PINR approaches a subject based upon the powers and interests involved, leaving the moral judgments to the reader. This report may not be reproduced, reprinted or broadcast without the written permission of [e-mail]. All comments should be directed to [e-mail].

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