StormWarning’s Counterterrorism

Many in the blogosphere crowd will be surprised by the answer to this question. But even the question and answer is raising the eyebrows of some people like Evan Kohlmann who know alot more about the al Qaeda mentality thant (I hate freakin’ typos!) almost everyone out there (including myself, of course).

In a commentary posted Monday on the extremist Web site al-Hesbah, which is closely linked to the terrorist group. It said the Arizona Republican would continue the “failing march of his predecessor,” President Bush.

The post apparently draws the conclusion that al Qaeda has successfully lured the U.S. into a trap that had “exhausted its resources and bankrupted its economy,” and goes on to suggest that a terrorist strike might swing the election to McCain and guarantee an expansion of U.S. military commitments in the Islamic world.

In Kohlmann’s post on Counterterrorism Blog, he points out that Randy Scheunemann and Jim Woolsey, McCain advisors quickly spoke to minimize the entry on al-Hesbah as a “blog entry.” Clearly, al-Hesbah is not just another blog site, nor is the propaganda in this particular post meaningless blog-blather.  Six months ago, on April 3, 2006, Al-Qaida’s Organization in Saudi Arabia issued an official communique regarding their relationship with Al-Hesbah: “We can only say good things about our brothers from the Al-Hesbah network…The brothers from Al-Hesbah have provided a superb service to the jihad and the mujahideen and everyone credits them for this.”

Of greatest importance to me and clearly supporting my views all along is Kohlmann’s conclusion that should be read and understood by each and every one of the blog-bursting citizen journalists who have exercised their freedom of speech to express their views to their minions who agree with them, even if the information posted there on their blogs has no real factual value (I’m not going to blockquote this section because it would de-emphasize the type face and I want it to be read):

“There is, of course, a degree of well-deserved irony in John McCain having to defend himself against charges of being a “terrorist enabler”. The McCain campaign has been unforgivably slow to condemn the vocal minority of their supporters at recent campaign rallies who have shouted out “Terrorist!” and “Kill him!” in response to hearing the name of Senator Barack Obama. The fact is, Al-Qaida’s real interest in the current American election cycle has nothing to do with choosing one candidate over the other — clearly, Al-Qaida doesn’t like either candidate. Rather, what Al-Qaida is hoping to witness this political season are internal recriminations, name-calling, racism, xenophobia, disunity, and America tearing at its own social fabric. The motivation is obviously not in crowning the victor, but in prolonging the game. Those foolish individuals who have shown up at political rallies carrying tasteless signs and threatening violence against their own fellow Americans are Al-Qaida’s real allies in this race. They are the ones who are responsible for providing a limitless bounty of propaganda fodder for our global adversaries — and there should be no tolerance in either campaign for such despicable behavior.”

Each every one of the amateurs should read that paragraph carefully, fully and then re-read it. In the search for what you believe is the truth, you have given al Qaeda and its followers, exactly what they wanted.

Is there an attack on the horizon? I don’t know and if I had that information, I wouldn’t be blogging. But contrary to the knee jerk reaction of Randy Scheunemann and Jim Woolsey from the McCain campaign, in my opinion, the meaningless “musings and bravado” has come from many of the conservative blogs that couldn’t focus on issues, and instead spent their time on name calling.

[This may be the best place for me to "get off the bus."]

Al Hesbah, Randy Scheunemann and Jim Woolsey

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Despite the relative calm and void of terrorist attacks on US soil, we are nonetheless a Nation at war. We all must remain vigilent and report anything, as a DHS agent said in a recent presentation that I attended, that “Doesn’t Look Right.” I some circles, a rumor of an attack on October 7 2008 had been spread. The concern is that the source of the initial analysis that was flawed, not that bloggers became the conduit of mis-information.

To think that a self-proclaimed homeland security expert (see this older post from Debbie Schlussel titled, UH-OH! Northeast “Intelligence” Network Steps In It: Fake “Terrorism Expert” Douglas Hagmann Admits Plagiarism, Fabricated Info), a “font of information” with a lack of credibility, and yet a large following (notably among only those who refuse to accept the fact that the National Intelligence Network - or NIN - and its self-proclaimed “experts” are not experts at all) actually knows more than any of our law enforcement agencies (DHS, FBI, NSA etc.) or know more than excessively credible counterterrorism websites and sources of information (one among the many being the Counterterrorism Blog), is what makes the “chicken little/sky is falling” hurricane of words, and bits and bytes, more distrubing. Ask the intelligent question, rather than relying on an unreliable source like NIN. Would none of these credible sources have written something to alert the citizenry if this supposed threat had any merit?

Of course, the argument will always be, “better right than sorry,” or “don’t worry about or be embarrassed for being wrong.” That’s all true. The problem is the source of the information, not the intention of the bloggers who spread the illicit rumor.

In my opinion, spreading an unsubstantiated rumor from a less than credible source, is exactly what the terrorists want. The more often the populace is in any way alerted to an impending terrorist attack, the more desensitized the populace will become, and the less likely they are as a broad population to be ready to respond and react when the real terrorist alert comes. Since I am passed the point of caring, the simple point is that bloggers who choose to spread information from less than credible sources, then “bicycle the blog articles around to other bloggers” do this country a huge disservice. I’m not calling these citizen journalists anything like “unpatriotic.” Quite the opposite, they are doing what they feel is the right and patriotic thing to do (albeit perhaps they are quite naive). But in spreading misinformation and bad intelligence from a less than “intelligent” source, they are not serving the public good. Thousands of people, maybe hundreds of thousands people, walked around the last few weeks thinking that we were going to be attacked yesterday, and yet, we were not attacked.

In my entire circle of friends and associates, many of whom are in the business of counterterrorism and law enforcement and national security, none ever even mentioned the rumored attacks of October 7th, 2008. That is not to say that another attack on US soil is not coming. Someday, regettably, I believe that we will be attacked, and perhaps that attack will happen sooner than later. Perhaps, even, that attack will come from within, from a US based terrorist group, maybe not even one connected to the jihad.

One thing is certain to me (and I care not about any flack I might take for writing this entry or for what I am about to say).

Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

October 7, terrorism

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All together now. “The Taliban is dead and defeated.” “Afghanistan has never been better.” At least sixty people died in the massive truck bombing at the Marriott in Islamabad. There are some who think that President Zardari was the target. It is being called “Pakistan’s 9/11.”

New reports now suggest that the Danish Intelligence (maybe not CIA) was the target. Some of the “smart money” is that the real targets were CIA officers staying at the hotel. It actually matters little to the now nearly 100 people killed. Was it the CIA or the Danish Intelligence forces? We may not know for a while, if ever. One thing is certain. It is imperative to know that al Qaeda is not dead or defunct, and just because they have not struck in the United States in seven years does not mean that they will not at some point, and that they will continue to strike elsewhere with near impunity.

Pakistan is about to fall apart. Afghanistan is on the way. And the Taliban is alive and well. And oh! The line between the Taliban and al Qaeda is about as thin as a “cat’s hair.”

CIA, Islamabad bombing, Taliban, Zardari

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Obama…Palin, ad nauseum. I have written about it for months. Maybe now, as Pakistan devolves and Afghanistan unravels, perhaps, people will see.

Pakistan has warned the US that if our troops cross the border in pursuit of al Qaeda/Taliban, it will open fire.

Pakistan’s military has ordered its forces to open fire if U.S. troops launch another air or ground raid across the Afghan border, an army spokesman said Tuesday.

The orders, which come in response to a highly unusual Sept. 3 ground attack by U.S. commandos, are certain to heighten tensions between Washington and a key ally against terrorism. Although the ground attack was rare, there have been repeated reports of U.S. drone aircraft striking militant targets, most recently on Sept. 12.

Try to forget who is running for VP right now. Focus on the top spot. Oh sure. John is old(er). But who is wiser?

Head of the JCoS, Admiral Mullen has assured Pakistan that the US will respect Pakistan’s sovereignty.

Are you watching? Or are “you” so caught up in a debate comparing the qualifications of a candidate for Vice President to those of a candidate for President, that you are distracted and not seeing World events, perhaps more important, unfold?

Admiral Mullen

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I want to speak with the “bloggers” who think that Afghanistan is out of the woods! or that the Taliban is dead and gone! Two more SEALs (members of what used to be called SEAL Team 6) died earlier this week in Afganistan on a super secret mission. Leaving behind a wife and daughter each were Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator John Wayne Marcum, 34, and Chief (select) Special Warfare Operator Jason Richard Freiwald, 30.

Two G.I.s were slain in Afghanistan Wednesday, bringing the total to 113, plus 101 other foreign troops who have died. Last year’s U.S. death toll was 111.

For any of you people who blindly wave a flag and think that it makes you patriotic, recognize the following:

Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Congress Tuesday: “I’m not convinced we’re winning in Afghanistan.”

Hat-tip to CTB (again) for the top notch posts.

Killed last week were Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator John Wayne Marcum, 34, and Chief (select) Special Warfare Operator Jason Richard Freiwald, 30, the Navy said. Each man had served in Iraq and Afghanistan and was a highly decorated SEAL. Before Harris, no DEVGRU SEAL had fallen in Afghanistan since March 2002, according to a review of Operation Enduring Freedom deaths at iCasualties.org.

This War on Terror is far from over. Anyone who thinks that a few positive press releases makes a victory is simply ignorant.

Chief (select) Special Warfare Operator Jason Richard Freiwald, SEAL Team 6, Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator John Wayne Marcum

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