AN AL QAEDA PRIMER

The Council on Foreign Relations has posted a primer called Terrorism: Questons & Answers. In the wake of the London bombings and the claim of responsibility, still not authenticated, it’s worth reading if only as a reminder of some essentials, i.e.: “What is al-Qaeda?” (The words are Arabic for “the base”), “What are al-Qaeda’s origins?” (the Services Office, a clearinghouse for the international Muslim brigade opposed to the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan), and “Is al-Qaeda connected to other terrorist organizations?” (Nine are listed.).
The CFR primer also asks and answers the following questions in generally helpful (but sometimes dopey) terms:
• What major attacks has al-Qaeda been responsible for?
• How is al-Qaeda connected to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing?
• How is al-Qaeda funded?
• How does al-Qaeda operate in the United States?
• Are there still al-Qaeda operatives at large in the United States?
• Before September 11, had al-Qaeda attacked U.S. interests?
• Is al-Qaeda the same as the Taliban?
• Does al-Qaeda engage in forms of violence other than terrorism?
• Does al-Qaeda have a charter or manifesto?
• Does al-Qaeda have an operations manual?
• How does al-Qaeda find new members?
• Other than Afghanistan, which countries have had ties with al-Qaeda?
• Did Iraq have ties with al-Qaeda?
• Does al-Qaeda have biological or chemical weapons?
• Does al-Qaeda have nuclear or radiological weapons?
• Can al-Qaeda outlive bin Laden?
Although regarded as liberal, the Council on Foreign Affairs is a mainstream think tank that defines itself as a “nonpartisan center for scholars” which produces and disseminates ideas on foreign policy to dues-paying members (individual and corporate), and to policymakers, journalists and others. Key words here are “mainstream” and “corporate,” which pretty much contradicts “nonpartisan” (and, depending on your point of view, even “liberal”). So keep that in mind.
Also in the wake of the London bombings, it’s worth reading an article prepared beforehand by Robert S. Leiken, “Europe’s Angry Muslims,” which the council has posted from the current issue of Foreign Affairs, the journal it publishes. Leiken is Director of the Immigration and National Security Program at the Nixon Center in Washington, D.C., and a non-resident Fellow at the Brookings Institution. So keep that in mind, too.

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