These networks are still quite active, as shown in the Mumbai attacks of 26/11/2008. What they all have in common is that they are tolerated by - and frequently patronized by - Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, ISI having been the de fact governing authority in Pakistan since the late 1970s. Osama, it turns out, was "hiding" in an obviously militarized compound less than half a mile from the Kakul, the Pakistani equivalent of West Point or Sandhurst. So whether or not something exists that still operates under the AQ nom-de-guerre is beside the point. As long as ISI continues to run Pakistan, a network of terrorist organizations of this sort will also continue to exist, though the main targets will be India and, to a lesser extent, Bangladesh. But if by "AQ" we really mean "the sectors of this network that kill white folks", then we probably are talking about a node that won't be terribly active for awhile (although, who knows, Ayman al-Zawahiri may have some resources that I'm underestimating).
----- Original Message ---- From: Doug Henwood <dhenwood at panix.com> To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org Sent: Mon, May 2, 2011 7:41:16 AM Subject: Re: [lbo-talk] Obama got Osama
On May 2, 2011, at 2:27 AM, 123hop at comcast.net wrote:
> What, do they think that Al Queda will fall apart because Bin Laden is dead?
What is AQ these days? There's probably some truth to the claim that constant harassment by the CIA et al has "degraded" its capabilities, whatever those were. Most of the leadership is dead, behind bars, or on the run. Whatever structure it had is probably gone. But there are all these freelancers and affiliates around the world who can do plenty of mischief on their own. It doesn't take that many people to blow up an embassy.
Doug ___________________________________ http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk