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originally posted in:Sapphire
Edited by Mags:
3/14/2014 5:02:54 AM
55
Al-Qaeda/Terrorism Thread
In this thread, I would like to offer you all news about various happenings, developments, and situations regarding terrorism around the world. I will admit that my main focus and areas of knowledge falls in Islamic terrorism and the Middle East, al-Qaeda and their network in particular.
I think it is important for the general public to be aware of these happenings as non-state actors have become extremely, extremely important in the late 20th Century and now into the second decade of the 21st Century. Specifically speaking, transnational advocacy networks (TANs) like al-Qaeda, are very instrumental in how state-actors develop and implement various aspects of their foreign policy. With the War on Terror approaching it's 13th year, threats of terrorism emanating from al-Qaeda is as prevalent as ever (although it could be argued their capabilities to conduct a large-scale attack on the United States is diminished).
One reason I believe this war has dragged on for so long is a lack of understanding of what the group is, what they want, and how they operate. In this thread, along with various pieces of news, I will layout these three things. I also wish to destroy the notion that al-Qaeda is "on the path to defeat". It will become quite evident in this thread that is simply not the case. I abide by the "expansionist" viewpoint on al-Qaeda; this means I believe the network comprises of much more than just publicly recognized affiliates.
Feel free to ask questions, debate, comment on any piece of news/articles, and/or debate what I have said in the OP. I wish to present an environment for a public debate on the network as I feel that is one way to finally reach a consensus on what this group actually is.
I also wish to provide you with information and sources on various general terrorism-related topics; these can also be discussed and/or debated and I encourage this to happen.
Thanks.
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Sapphire more like GAYphire amirite? lmao
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34 RepliesEdited by Mags: 3/14/2014 4:05:30 AMArabian Peninsula stuff will be stored in this sub-thread. [spoiler]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Qaeda_in_the_Arabian_Peninsula [url=http://www.cfr.org/yemen/al-qaeda-arabian-peninsula-aqap/p9369]Also known as "Ansar al-Sharia"[/url] [url=http://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2008/04/11/trying-to-cut-off-terrorists-money-supplies]Terrorism financing in the Gulf[/url][/spoiler]
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4 RepliesInformation on US Drone Strikes will be stored in this sub-thread. Drone Strikes in Yemen Chart: [url=http://www.longwarjournal.org/yemen-strikes.php]Here[/url] Drone Strikes in Pakistan Chart: [url=http://www.longwarjournal.org/pakistan-strikes.php]here[/url]
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19 RepliesEdited by Mags: 3/14/2014 4:21:09 AMIraq related stuff will be stored in this sub-thread. [spoiler]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansar_Al_Islam http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Groups_(Iraq) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Promised_Day_Brigades http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kata%27ib_Hezbollah http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asa%27ib_Ahl_al-Haq http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liwa_Abu_al-Fadhal_al-Abbas[/spoiler]
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3 RepliesUkraine related stuff will be stored in this sub-thread. I'm adding a Ukrainian sub-thread because the actions of pro-Russian activists, regardless of being instigated by Russia, amounts to political violence.
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89 RepliesEdited by Mags: 3/14/2014 4:22:11 AMSyria/Lebanon-related stuff will be stored in this sub-thread. This sub-thread will also deal with spillover from the Syrian Civil War. [spoiler]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Civil_War http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jabhat_al-Nusra http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_Syria http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaish_al-Muhajireen_wal-Ansar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahrar_ash-Sham http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatah_al-Islam http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullah_Azzam_Brigades http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jund_al-Sham http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hezbollah[/spoiler]
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57 RepliesEdited by Mags: 3/14/2014 3:31:33 AMAfrica-related stuff will be stored in this sub-thread. [spoiler]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Qaeda_in_the_Islamic_Maghreb http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Shabaab_(militant_group) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boko_Haram http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansaru http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansar_Dine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Movement_for_Oneness_and_Jihad_in_West_Africa http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Mourabitoun_(jihadist_group) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansar_al-Sharia_(Benghazi) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansar_al-Sharia_(Tunisia) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansar_al-Sharia_(Derna,_Libya) http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2013/10/215171.htm (Muhammad Jamal Network)[/spoiler]
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3 RepliesSoutheast Asia related stuff will be stored in this sub-thread.
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1 ReplyI feel like this would be a good place to ask people's opinions on Ukraine right now.
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24 RepliesEdited by Mags: 3/14/2014 3:32:34 AMAfghanistan-Pakistan related stuff will be stored in this sub-thread.
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18 RepliesEdited by Mags: 3/14/2014 4:17:01 AMAl-Qaeda in General [spoiler][url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_qaeda]al-Qaeda General Command[/url] [b][u]The following make-up a syndicate for AQ in AfPak[/b][/u]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Turkestan_Islamic_Movement http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haqqani_network http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taliban http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lashkar-e-Taiba http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaish-e-Mohammed http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Movement_of_Uzbekistan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Jihad_Union http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harakat-ul-Jihad-ul-Islami http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lashkar-e-Jhangvi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tehrik-i-Taliban_Pakistan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sipah-e-Sahaba_Pakistan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tehreek-e-Nafaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hezb-e_Islami_Gulbuddin [url=http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2014/02/pakistani_jihadists.php]Ahrar-ul-Hind[/url] Among many others. [b][u]The following are a part of the al-Qaeda network[/b][/u]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caucasus_Emirate http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jemaah_Islamiyah http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Sayyaf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajah_Sulaiman_movement [/spoiler]
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25 RepliesTerrorism in general
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3 RepliesYou certainly know your stuff I'll give you that
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17 RepliesThe war has dragged on because any terrorist group with Islamic roots claims connection to al-Qaida for notoriety, and al-Qaida central command supports that claim because it makes the organization look global. The actual control that Ayman al-Zawahiri exerts over other al-Qaida groups (like far-flung AQIM, for example) is very limited. But they are still "al-Qaida" in name and thus an adversary in Mr. Bush's and now Mr. Obama's War on Terror. A good indication of the lack of control that Mr. Zawahiri exerts can be seen with the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham. Prior to 2014, it was generally considered to be tied to al-Qaida's command in Pakistan (particularly as it began as AQI fighting American troops in Iraq). But Mr. Zawahiri announced in early 2014 that he and Baghdadi, the ISIS leader, have no ties and that ISIS blatantly ignored Mr. Zawahiri's order that ISIS leave Syria last April. The "War on Terror" will likely continue indefinitely, but it should be very well noted that the original al-Qaida leadership has been devastated and that its regional offshoots are not closely integrated with it.
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9 RepliesEdited by Mags: 3/19/2014 4:30:46 AMCaucasus related stuff will be stored in this sub-thread [spoiler][url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caucasus_Emirate]Caucasus Emirate[/url] Groups that make up the Emirate: [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilayat_Galgaycho]Ingush Jamaat[/url] [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilayat_Dagestan]Shariat Jamaat[/url] [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilayat_KBK]Yarmuk Jamaat[/url] [url=http://www.tracterrorism.org/group/riyad-us-saliheyn-martyrs-brigade]Riyad us-Saliheyn Martyrs Brigade[/url] I could link you to the Kavkaz Center's article on all the jamaats, but the site is ran by a terrorist organization. I don't think that would fly. [/spoiler]
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6 RepliesRegarding Syria, How do you see it ending? There seems to be a very divided opposition and a hardpressed but no less determined and desperate regime. How would you like to see it ending? Or which group would do the least damage if they won? Should the west intervene? I know it will never happen, the opposition to it is overwhelming after Iraq and Afghanistan. The UK's parliament has made a simple 'No' which will be difficult to defeat without the tories losing face if they lose the vote again. How should the west intervene? (Theoretical) Should the UN be involved? (Or are they already?) As a broad statement, would you say that Islam and the middle east is going through the equivalent of the dark ages in europe? Or is it not easy to draw that parallel? That should be a ton of stuff for you to digest and answer at your leisure :P I won't be able to reply to your response as my knockout tablets will have taken effect soon, but I shall be looking forward to the reply in the morning. Once again, sterling thread.
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17 RepliesEdited by Mags: 3/14/2014 3:31:48 AMIsraeli/Palestine/Sinai related stuff will be stored in this sub-thread. [spoiler]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansar_Bayt_al-Maqdis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Jihad_Movement_in_Palestine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Quds_Brigades http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Qassam_Brigades http://www.trackingterrorism.org/group/mujahidin-shura-council-environs-jerusalem-msc http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popular_Front_for_the_Liberation_of_Palestine-General_Command http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popular_Resistance_Committees http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Aqsa_Martyrs%27_Brigades[/spoiler]
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1 ReplySo, I'll pose a question. Will you ever be able to eradicate terrorism?
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1 ReplyStupid Russians.
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3 RepliesTurkey related stuff will be stored in this sub-thread.
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3 RepliesThis thread is the reason I don't sleep - I spent too much time reading.
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4 RepliesYou're the only person posting. Please make this private.
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10 RepliesEdited by Guardian6011: 4/4/2014 4:44:49 AM
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Hey don't make fun of 9/11! That is just plane wrong. Anne Frankly I'm tired of all of the holocaust jokes as well. [spoiler]I am so burning in hell.[/spoiler]
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1 ReplyMust say you are doing a great job by putting all the news into one thread, really cleans the place up. Been reading a bit here and there but too much to read right now.
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1 ReplyEdited by HurtfulTurkey: 3/15/2014 5:09:55 AMbin Laden himself said that the ultimate goal of Al Qaeda was to see the complete withdrawal from the Middle East, and presumably the exodus of all Muslim Americans. The notion that we can bomb our way to victory is just crazy; I'm definitely not one to promote isolationism, but at some point we have to just realize when something's a lost cause. It's sad to see, especially since that area was trending towards democracy and equality before the Soviets started using them as puppet states. [spoiler]I've been drinking quite a bit so if this comes off as stupid...sorry.[/spoiler]
