121Contact

Hezbollah and al-Qaeda agree on something

 

Although they fight each other on the ground in Syria, Hezbollah’s latest forum posting is in agreement with al-Qaeda’s view that rulers of the “Gulf Arab countries were apostates and accused them of working with the United States and Israel in order to spread corruption and destroy Islam.” [SITE] This makes them takfir, and therefore legitimate targets.

Al-Qaeda and other Sunni terrorists have always labelled as takfir those Muslim rulers who cooperate with the America and Israel, including the rulers of authoritarian Arab regimes in the Gulf. “Shi'a Muslims, who themselves have been the target of Sunni declarations of takfir, have not applied the ruling. The popular sentiment expressed on Hezbollah's forum, however, indicates that many Shi'a most likely feel that such a ruling would be justified.” [SITE]

So, leaders in the Gulf who support anti-Assad forces in Syria are now legitimate targets of Hezbollah, and therefore, in open opposition to Iran’s influence in the region.

 October 16, 2013 by Bruce Wallace, 121Contact

The Iran-Iraq-Syria Connections: a devastating prospect for the innocent.

Now that the U.S. admits supplying arms to Syrian opposition forces, and despite Washington’s claim that Prime Minister Maliki had stopped funneling arms to Syria, Iraq’s airspace is once again being used to supply Iranian armament to Assad’s military. Iranian support for Assad is no secret, and Maliki’s Shiite government has great sympathy with its Iranian supporters.

As the world focuses on Syria, Iraq is becoming more unstable. Al-Qaeda linked terrorist violence is three times what it was at the beginning of the year. America’s support of President Maliki’s counterterrorism forces are used more for attacking Maliki’s opposition than for suppression of the increasingly sectarian violence that is ripping the country apart. One has to wonder if the US arms shipments to Syria will further inflame the internecine battles among competitive opposition forces.

Al-Qaeda and other Sunni factions, especially in Baghdad, are targeting Shiite civilians at a rate that probably will spark the Shiite militias to fight back with their own terrorist attacks against Sunni civilians. The violence in Iraq will probably increase with the approach of next year’s elections in Iraq.

Woe to the innocent caught in the middle.

September 12, 2013 by Bruce Wallace, 121Contact

Counterterrorism in Iraq (draft)

The broadest picture: Terrorism is not being controlled by the Maliki government. The past few months have seen a dramatic increase in deaths, mostly innocent civilians, from terrorist actions.

Last week’s video showing the execution of 3 truck drivers on the road to Syria illustrates the depth of the problem. The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) took responsibility and claimed the trucks contained supplies for Syria’s military.  With terrorist attacks killing people at rates not seen for over 6 years, Iraq is quite out of control. Counterterrorism, since the Americans left, has drastically degraded.

The 4,000 strong Iraqi Special Operations Forces (ISOF) has become a private army of Maliki and is comprised of mostly Shias. They seem to be mainly occupied with attacking Maliki’s rivals as well as Sunni factions within Iraq.

The focus of counterterrorism activity has shifted from attacking terrorist groups, like the ISIL, to Maliki’s personal interests:  preventing coups attempts, targeting Sunni groups, and controlling or eliminating political rivals. De-Ba‘athification, along with accusations of terrorism and corruption, have become convenient political tools to discredit and even remove opponents. The real terrorists are not the real targets of the ISOF. [UnderstandingWar]

This inattention is an important factor in the rise of terrorist activity within Iraq. It has also aided the al-Nusrah Front’s ascendance in neighboring Syria by easing the task of terrorist travel across the Syrian border.

August 30, 2013 by Bruce Wallace, 121Contact

U.S. prepares for attacks as Hezboulah takes note of the August 6 new moon

Days after Yemeni al-Qaeda leader Abu Sufyan al-Azdi was murdered by a U.S. drone strike al-Qaeda Core issued a call for revenge, referring generally to U.S. actions in Muslim states. Several Jihadist web sites have also been calling for retaliation. Ayman al-Zawahiri, the head of al-Qaeda core, explicitly called for attacks on U.S. interests. No specific date was mentioned, but the U.S. has responded by closing embassies, putting out travel alerts, and upping security for all inbound flights to America.

The U.S. intelligence services cite “high level intercepts” indicating imminent attacks. Other nations have also raised alert levels and Interpol has called on countries to increase vigilance.

Yesterday saw a posting on Hezboulah’s Facebook page noting the coming new moon ” …when it appears shook the ground…"

Is this a hint about the date of the attacks?

 

AreYouTalkin'taMe? Saudi style.

Our ally Saudi Arabia has banned Viber and Skype. Al-Akhbar reports they had previously complained that  Islamist militants were taking advantage of social media to foment unrest. Some see these bans as further restictions on free speech by an increasingly nervous government. Saudi Arabia is being criticized by human rights activists for its tight restrictions on free speech.

a shonda: U.S. Continues Support of Al-Qaeda

We helped build the Taliban in our effort to push Russia out of Afghanistan, and now we fight them.We chased  al-Qaeda after 9/11 and then we partnered with them in Libya to oust Gaddafi. Now we partner with al-Qaeda in Syria in our 'covert' attempt to get rid of Assad.

Is there no one we will not dance with even after they have killed our sons and daughters?

January 4, 2013 by Bruce Wallace, 121Contact

Egypt and Israeli Security: Poison Flowers Bloom in the Desert

Dan Ephron, back in August, reported on a growing Israeli concern about terrorists in the Sinai. Egypt reponded with air strikes at suspected jihadi groups. This was followed by a large force sweep of some 15,000 troops and a relative calm ensued.

Now al Qaeda linked groups, it is suspected, have started blooming in the desert.

Within the last month or so we note:

• Sheikh Ayman Al-Zawahiri called for concluding the revolutions in Egypt and Syria with the institution of shari’a. The liberation of Jerusalem and Palestine, he adds, begins in Egypt and Syria.
• Ansar Bet Al-Maqdes, a mostly Bedouin Salafi-jihadist group active in the Sinai Peninsula, took responsibility for a September 20th terrorist attack on the Egypt-Israel border in which an Israeli soldier was killed. The jihadists reported it as a retaliation for the "bloody jewish massacre of peaceful Muslim in the Palestine Province of Gaza". They called the attackers "courageous Mujahideen."
• A new Islamic group, Jihadist Islamic Da’wa, is established in Egypt. It is headed by prominent Salafi-jihadist Sheikh Muhammad Al-Zawahiri, brother of Al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri.

I can't find U.S. Terrorism List references to either Ansar Bet Al-Maqdes or Jihadist Islamic Da’wa, but it sounds like they might be coming to a front page near you.

December 15, 2012 by Bruce Wallace, 121Contact

 

 

 

Syria, the Obama Doctrine, and storms ahead for Israel

Syria, the Obama Doctrine, and storms ahead for Israel
December 14, 2012 by Bruce Wallace, 121Contact

The Obama Doctrine is simple: Wait for a conflict and, if you can see an American advantage, choose a side. Get in rapidly and get out fast to avoid ground war and long occupations.

The United States has no vital interest in Bashar Hafez al Assad's Syria. True, it is a close ally of Iran and the friend of my enemy is my enemy. But that's hardly enough reason to involve the American military.

The State Department has declared Syria a state sponsor of terrorism. While it is true that Syria is funneling Iranian money and arms to the Lebanese Hezbollah, attacking the funnel probably wouldn't stop the Iran-Hezbollah linkage.

Our friends in the region are against Assad's Syria. Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Jordan, Qatar, the mostly Sunni Gulf countries all would like to see the Shiite-Alawite regime of Assad fall. This follows the ancient Sunni-Shi'ia divide. This is not so much a religious fracture as a power competition and has been such since the rival clans in Muhammad's tribe, the Quraysh, fought over succession some 1300 years ago.

So if we had no compelling reason to overthrow Assad why are we so concerned now (when it is far too late to intervene directly)? An unstable Syria will lead to an unstable region.

Storms for Israel are on the horizon as the more militant terrorist groups gain hold in Syria. The outcroppings of al Qaeda affiliates and al Qaeda-like militias are already coming to the fore and their numbers have increased significantly. In December 2011 al Nusra comprised about 1% of the opposition fighters; now they are about 10%, and they are gaining quickly even as they add suicide and car bombing to the mix.

Should have, would have, could have...it's too late now to implement the Obama Doctrine. And that's a good thing, given that there was no way on Earth that we could have prevailed without a repeat of the Iraq scenario. And we all know how that turned out. We'll just have to wait and see the outcome and then handle it as best we can.

Bullets and Bombs: a failed strategy for Al Qaeda, Isreal, Palestine, Mali...

Bullets and Bombs: a failed strategy for Al Qaeda, Israel, Palestine, Mali...
December 7, 2012 by Bruce Wallace, 121Contact

 "Al Qaeda was born in the torture cells of the Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak; festered under Saudi dictators; took root in the US-supported jihad against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan; grew in Iraq only after the US intervention; appeared in Pakistan when the US invaded Afghanistan; then spread across North Africa under a reign of dictatorships." [PJRC]

Like hitting raindrops with a hammer our bullets and bombs only result in the fragmentation and spread of the current wave of terrorism unleashed from the Middle East. The lastest implantation is in Mali and the Obama administration is once again being sucked into the maelstrom of international policing.

Until we field an effective non-violent response to terrorism we will be constantly putting out small fires as embers flare up again in widespread places.

The money and lives we spend on drones, targeted assassinations, occupations, and terrorizing people with our violence only adds to the rolls of those willing to become terrorists to exact revenge against us.

 

Close Guantanamo Prison and Weaken Al Qaeda

Close Guantanamo Prison and Weaken Al Qaeda
November 27, 2012 by Bruce Wallace, 121Contact

Today's NYTimes editorial (Close Guantanamo Prison) makes a good case for the Rule of Law aspects involved in the very existence of Guantanamo. It  also refers to President Obama's concern that closing Guantanamo would make him look 'soft on terrorism.' The opposite is true.

Guantanamo is a boon to Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations that seek to justify thier violent behaviour with reference to the injustice inherent in the prison.

Ayman Al-Zawahiri refers to Guantanamo often. Osama bin Laden did the same. Their literature is replete with references.

Their claims about Guantanamo are often false, but they were originally written in Arabic and disseminated to Muslims around the world. We cannot ignore the kernels of truth that lie within these propaganda statements of Al Qaeda:

• the U.N. ignores the way prisoners are treated there, without "human rights-in fact, how about just even animal rights?!"
• Guantanamo prisoners are sent to "Egypt and Jordan, where they are tortured"
• to the prisoners they write, "We have not forgotten you...we will continue to deliver blows to America...until we shatter your shackles."
• [America] "your response to terrorism to is issue harsher laws. What happens in Guantanamo is a historical embarrassment to America and its values"
• They write about prisoners being tortured with acid and electric drills and then, "Read...the humanitarian reports that enumerate the horrors [committed] in the Abu Ghraid, Guantanamo, and Baghram prisons"
• "O Allah! Give comfort to our brothers held hostage in the tyrants' prisons, in America, Guantanamo"

The recruitment of new members of terrorist organizations requires a strong denunciation of 'the enemy' and its actions and morality. Guantanamo Prison give Al Qaeda a powerful weapon and should be dismantled as quickly as possible.

 

[Note: The translations of Al Qaeda's remarks are by Raymond Ibrahim.]