Think again. al Qaeda
From the august Foreign Policy magazine. Read the whole article, it’s one of the best I’ve seen.
The mere mention of al Qaeda conjures images of an efficient terrorist network guided by a powerful criminal mastermind. Yet al Qaeda is more lethal as an ideology than as an organization. “Al Qaedaism” will continue to attract supporters in the years to come—whether Osama bin Laden is around to lead them or not.
The major points of the article are:
Al Qaeda Is a global terrorist organization. No
Capturing or killing Bin Laden will deal a severe blow to Al Qaeda. Wrong.
The militants seek to destroy the West so They Can Impose a global Islamic state. False
The militants reject modern ideas in favor of traditional Muslim theology. No
Since the rise of Al Qaeda, Islamic moderates have been marginalized. Incorrect.
The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Is central to the militants’ cause. Wrong
Sort Out Saudi Arabia and the whole problem will disappear. No
It is only a matter of time before Islamic militants use weapons of mass destruction. Calm down.
The West is winning the war on terror. Unfortunately, no.