tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34302342.post5951483291734321045..comments2023-10-02T03:00:43.399-05:00Comments on Politics & Soccer: Break radio silenceAdrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05953649845499754508noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34302342.post-23786887529501583812008-08-01T06:06:00.000-05:002008-08-01T06:06:00.000-05:00Also for another critique of that same NYTimes art...Also for another critique of that same NYTimes article, check out grandmasta splash's <A HREF="http://arabicsource.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/stop-hyping-al-qaeda/" REL="nofollow">post on it</A> over at the Arab Media Shack.Adrianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05953649845499754508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34302342.post-25190760588669577712008-08-01T06:04:00.000-05:002008-08-01T06:04:00.000-05:00I think Keenan recognizes that there is a terroris...I think Keenan recognizes that there is a terrorism problem up in northern Algeria, but he is deeply skeptical that there is a terrorism problem once you get away from Algiers, Kabylie, and the north in general. I disagree with his belief that the US intelligence services are behind events there simply because I don't think there's the necessary interest/expertise in the US intel community to pull anything like the El Para operation off, but I don't think we can rule out Algerian mukhabarat involvement (but it's far from case closed). So yes there is a terrorism problem in the Sahara but it's not nearly as big as the NYTimes article makes it seem to be.<BR/><BR/>I think that New York Times article over-reached a lot. AQIM was not on deaths door only to be ressurected by Zarqawi and bin Ladin like the article tries to portray it. In fact the decision to ally with Al Qaeda was a deeply divisive one among the GSPC and may have in fact been the result of a power struggle between Droukdel and others in the organization. Also I don't think they had an "outlaw" status among other Muslim groups as a result of slaughtering Muslim civilians in the 1990s, because they in fact did not do that. The civilian massacres were carried out by the GIA (and possibly by Algerian security service personnel that had penetrated the GIA), and Hattab formed the GSPC to get away from unpopular measures like massacring villages.<BR/><BR/>There is no evidence that the attack on French tourists in Mauritania was anything other than a bunch of thugs looking for cash. The Mauritanian government is not above crying "Al Qaeda" in hopes of scoring assistance from the United States.<BR/><BR/>Basically it seems to me like the New York Times article accepted everything people said at face value, even though basically everyone involved has an interest in overplaying the threat - AQIM so they seem like big guys, the local authorities so they get more assistance, and the Pentagon people involved with the Trans Saharan Counter Terrorism Partnership so that they get more funding. So I was pretty disappointed with the article.Adrianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05953649845499754508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34302342.post-14713201877680948722008-07-31T07:28:00.000-05:002008-07-31T07:28:00.000-05:00I have been researching the Tuareg for personal in...I have been researching the Tuareg for personal interest and enjoyed your thesis. You exhausted a lot of resources, which are not easy to find, to learn the history of the Tuareg Rebellions and to then explain them succinctly. I noted that you contacted Dr. Jeremy Keenan for some of your research. He clearly does not believe there is a terror problem in North Africa, despite continued attacks by AQIM in Algeria. I think the New York Times article "A Threat Renewed: Ragtag Insurgency Gains a Lifeline from Al Qaeda" (July 1, 2008 http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/01/world/africa/01algeria.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin#)shows there is indeed a terror threat in the Maghreb and that AQIM will continue to grow unchecked in this region if measures are not taken against them. Having done the research yourself and talking with experts on the subject matter, I am curious to hear your opinion about terrorism in the Maghreb.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34302342.post-27927653057661953902008-07-27T08:23:00.000-05:002008-07-27T08:23:00.000-05:00Congrats Adrian!Congrats Adrian!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34302342.post-34064664028175992702008-07-22T16:16:00.000-05:002008-07-22T16:16:00.000-05:00Yeah F-15s (I think) from Elmendorf flew past the ...Yeah F-15s (I think) from Elmendorf flew past the window of our hotel room every day, they were pretty close too.Adrianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05953649845499754508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34302342.post-87719104254880836862008-07-20T18:48:00.000-05:002008-07-20T18:48:00.000-05:00Congrats!Elmendorf AFB in Alaska is #4 on my dream...Congrats!<BR/><BR/>Elmendorf AFB in Alaska is #4 on my dream sheet of bases to be assigned to, behind two Italian bases and one in the U.K.Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10122811314990661743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34302342.post-38760340783565525952008-07-19T16:04:00.000-05:002008-07-19T16:04:00.000-05:00congratulations on all accounts. Alaska is on my "...congratulations on all accounts. Alaska is on my "must visit" short list.Jay@Soobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12208597218366281778noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34302342.post-58564879122954557302008-07-18T10:15:00.000-05:002008-07-18T10:15:00.000-05:00welcome back. awww such a cute catwelcome back. awww such a cute catRobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00641884458900484501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34302342.post-33186739966160754932008-07-18T08:33:00.000-05:002008-07-18T08:33:00.000-05:00Niger1.com here,yeah this is cereal Rhissa Ag Bou...Niger1.com here,yeah this is cereal Rhissa Ag Boula is now a wanted manNIGER1.COMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13540461934372335083noreply@blogger.com