TERROR GOES ANALYTICAL --
AL QAEDA IS WATCHING
Same Hatred, New Approach, looking for Weakness, and No Apologies
March 26, 2004
By Toby Westerman
Copyright 2004 International News Analysis Today
www.inatoday.com
While the U.S. media is fixed upon the apology of U.S. security operative Richard Clarke, the terror network Al Qaeda is developing a new, coldly analytical strategy.
The terror network is carefully watching for reactions from individuals and nations to its attacks and threat of attacks, looking for signs of weakness and fear. Al Qaeda regards the "international system" of nations as a torn spider web, ready to be completely destroyed by the slightest wind, and that slight wind, the terrorists are convinced, is Al Qaeda.
Evidence of Al Qaeda's "new doctrine" emphasizing analysis over random atrocities came to light after the online version of the German newsmagazine Der Spiegel discovered an Islamic site with featured a 42 page instruction manual explaining the new approach. Der Spiegel Online referred the manual to security personnel who declared its authenticity.
The declaration of a common strategy appears to contradict the prevailing assumption that Al Qaeda is broken into small, separate, independent groups functioning independently of each other.
The terror manual also states that Al Qaeda is closely following the cost the United States is incurring in Iraq, and is attempting to raise those costs as much as possible, hoping to damage U.S. fighting capability and destroy America's will to fight.
Communist forces in Vietnam used similar tactics against the U.S. The Communists could not possibly defeat the U.S. in the field, but relied upon fatigue and discouragement, particularly at home, to undermine the will to carry on the fight.
Al Qaeda is aware of the controversy in Europe over U.S. actions in Iraq, and is seeking to further "drive a wedge" between the U.S. and its allies.
While still self-assured of their divine mission to destroy the perceived enemies of Islam, the manual makes clear that not all non-Muslims are enemies, and that cooperation is possible with certain non-Muslims.
Der Spiegel does not ask, however, who the non-Muslim candidates for cooperation with Al Qaeda would be.
This question has substantial implications. Observers note that Al Qaeda continues to exist, acquire money, and purchase weapons, despite the efforts of the world's intelligence services.
Al Qaeda does have non-Muslim friends, and those friends support the anti-Western regimes of the ilk of North Korea and Iran. Support for terror goes far deeper than is currently acknowledged.
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