American Foreign Policy Post bin Laden

Post the death of Al-Qaida's most recognized leader, Osama bin Laden, the United States has had to adjust its mission in the War on Terror, recognizing that the threat is indeed broad and the enemy is persistent. Reports suggesting that the number of suspected terrorists has doubled within the last twelve months, that either suggests that the intelligence community has improved it reconnaissance on suspects or the TSA has been very busy. The reality is that terrorism without action, just like before 9/11, exists. Everyday, facilitators recruiting future suicide attackers and raising funds for terror operations exist and are hoping to develop the next big plot against our way of life.


Reports from the hearing on Capitol Hill yesterday suggested that America's most prominent adversary lays in the leadership of Iran. With reports suggesting that despite continued embargoes, Iran is willing and developing plots to attack American interests, both domestic and abroad (as evidenced by the willingness to attempt an assassination of the Saudi ambassador in a Washington D.C. restaurant) should alarm people. Iran's capabilities are unrivaled globally through its use of proxy networks. The question is how capable are its once strong partners, such as with Hizbullah, to instruct and coordinate an attack on American interests?


The reality is that Iran has long positioned itself within the Middle East region to be the most operational terror outfit. Its arsenal, recruitment numbers, and statements speak for itself. Despite setbacks in its leadership in Lebanon (which should raise concern of a splinter within the group that could develop into regional factions similar to Al-Qaida) the group has some of the most dedicated and persistent warriors within its ranks.


With the continued unrest in Syria, the certainty of one of Iran's closest partners in the Sunni-Shia divide is at stake and an opportunity to distract the international community is one of the most practical possibilities in this saga. Iran is in a difficult situation economically and is constantly looking for a way out, as evidenced by the previous reports of it seeking to increase oil exports and other strategic partnerships globally. It has laid a stake in various parts of Africa as well as in South America, particularly in Venezuela.


Strategically, without a unified voice to denounce the killings of protestors on the streets inside Syria, Bashar al-Assad will remain in power. The risks are too high for not only his regime, but also within the Iranian leadership which has aided Assad for years. The religious leadership of Iran, led by its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomenei, views every struggle as part of a religious commitment to fulfill the coming of the Mahdi and bringing about the end of the world. This delusion/ambition destroys the probability of reasoning with the real deciders, Iran's Supreme Council, is null.


Iran is a ticking time bomb that poses a grave threat to Israel, the U.S. and its Western allies as well as the entire Middle East region. The capabilities of Iran, combined with its undeclared nuclear program and its global network of terrorists place an emphasis on U.S. foreign policy and its need to deal and address the issue now rather than procrastinate and allow further development. Iran's leadership is religiously motivated and dependent on the apocalyptic theology and the necessity to bring this scenario about.


With the death of Osama bin Laden, the War on Terror developed into a new phase that determined that the enemy is no longer just one man who we sought to bring to justice, but rather a collection of groups seeking to destroy the fundamental rights of humanity. The reality is Iran utilizes its networks for terrorism, as well as being complicit and involved in actions killing U.S. soldiers inside Afghanistan and within Iraq in the past. U.S. policy must address the lapses in its inability to adequately confront and halt Iran in its quest for what is assuredly for nuclear weapons. Consistently, the largest threat against the U.S. has been Hizbullah. Due to its global networking and capabilities, combined with its complacency in criminal enterprises such as drug trafficking, this group will remain the most extensive enemy against the West.

Examining Al-Qaida on the Arabian Peninsula

Since the failed attempt on Christmas day to bring down a Northwest Airlines flight, Yemen has continued to make mention in nearly every story of the incident and the country's links to terror are making headlines. It has been well-known that Al-Qaida has significant support and links inside the country, however the U.S. has not received a great deal of cooperation from the government which opts to let the already fragile security situation continue to deteriorate. President Saleh's sphere of influence reaches as far out as the capital, after that the country is filled with autonomous tribes and a government that is largely sympathetic to the jihadist sentiment that makes up Al-Qaida.


To those who have followed the development of Al-Qaida since the 2001 Afghanistan it is well-known that there are two major havens for the group now in which it can recruit and train freely - Northern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Both locations have reportedly witnessed an influx of Westerners who have received training, raising the concerns of intelligence. The advantages of both locations being they offer delicate governments who can not use the resources to fight the terrorists in their countries, which is conveniently where the U.S. steps in more times than none. Some countries take the fight seriously, such as President Bouteflika of Algeria. Others, like President Saleh in Yemen refuse to confront the jihadist threat coming from their country.


Following the 2000 bombing of the U.S.S. Cole in the Port of Aden, the government in Yemen refused to respond and even had Parliament members call for jihad against the West as FBI investigators were arriving in the country. It has been reported that when agents requested to talk to any Yemenis believed to be involved in the attack, President Saleh's government denied any access. One of those individuals reportedly was a member of the President's family and a colonel in the Political Security Organization (PSO). There has been no justice inside Yemen against those who perpetrated the Cole bombing.

Nearly all of the individuals charged in Yemen have experienced their sentences being commuted from death to a matter of years, and the heaviest sentence delivered was fifteen years for the group's leader, Jamal Muhammad al-Badawi, who had his death sentence commuted. He managed to escape prison for the second time in 2006 along with 17 other accused terrorists and remains at large. Jaber Elbaneh, a Yemeni-American accused of being involved in the 2001 "Lackawanna Six" plot, has been living in Yemen and living under the protection of President Saleh while avoiding justice in the United States despite a $5 million reward.

Inside Yemen, Al-Qaida has a great deal of support from within the Saleh government and in the general public. The country is filled with anti-Western sentiment, fueled by the U.S. military action in Iraq. As the media looks at "Al-Qaida's new haven" inside his country, President Saleh is capitalizing off of this title to appeal and secure Western funds. He apparently will allow action in the tribal areas, but when it comes to the wanted terrorists like Elbaneh there is no cooperation. Terrorism is a business in Yemen, and it is unlikely that the U.S. will be able to work cooperatively in the long-term to stop Al-Qaida's influence in the country.

What should be noted about the failed Christmas Day attack

As the media continues into day three of its coverage of trying to find somebody to blame for the Christmas Day attempt on the Northwest Airlines flight, this finally has showed us how vulnerable we still are. This is not something that was a result of a new administration over the next twelve months, but rather an exploitation of where our Homeland Security Department is lacking. Had the bomb worked and passengers not been able to bring down Abdulmutallab, this attack would have been successful. Nowhere in that equation did the Homeland Security Department factor into stopping it until the pilot landed the plane.


What should be shown is just like with the Fort Hood shootings, the databases that we have are not serving any real purchase by placing suspect individuals into three categories. Major Hasan was disqualified because he exceeded the age parameters set by DHS that is based from the 20-30 year-old age range of the 9/11 attackers. In the case of Abdulmutallab, he was in one of the databases for possibly having suspect contacts, but apparently was not investigated further.


Ironically the highest threat level category is for those who travel to Pakistan or other countries where they could potentially receive training. In the age of Youtube and self-indoctrination, our classification system with these databases is outdated and as with all of our security measures, created as a reaction and not a preemptive intervention. If these are two individuals who can slip past our intelligence, how many more are out there?


The other factor in this attack is how Abdulmutallab was treated at the airport. With DHS money flowing to big cities like New York and Los Angeles, smaller cities are sometimes the last to receive advanced training and funding in DHS programs. Abdulmutallab had significant aspects of concern that should have been recognized beginning at the ticket counter. Why should a person making a nearly 8,000 mile trip travel with only a carry-on bag? The TSA has trained individuals who are meant to blend in at airports and spot potential red flags, however this did not factor in at all with this international flight.


Furthermore, the suspect's father voluntarily came into the U.S. embassy to warn that his son had been out of touch with him and he feared his connections. Apparently, this information did not get used to further investigate Abdulmutallab's travels and contacts and discern whether he was indeed a threat. Ultimately, his visa status was never questioned and he obviously was allowed to get on a plane to enter the U.S.


What the media is finally beginning to discuss is Abdulmutallab's background. The son of a wealthy Nigerian family, he lived a very privileged life. He had generous aspects to him, reportedly giving money to an orphanage rather than buy souvenirs on a class field trip to London. This incident verifies that economic status does not drive someone to jihad. It is their hatred for a way of life that the West believes in, where there are freedoms afforded in every aspect of life.


The enemy we are fighting should be taken seriously, it is not a group of insane schizophrenics. They are skilled fighters who train similar to militaries and are prepared to fight for their religion. The Islam they fight for they have perverted and it is essential that we understand that Muslims are not violent, but there are those present who seek to do harm. Examining a person with suspect ties is not a crime, and we need to be more aggressive in pushing the DHS out of the era of political correctness. Whenever anyone comes forward with information regarding terrorism, they should be taken seriously just as any local police force would take involving a criminal investigation. Greater standards need to be in place to categorize the individuals inside the present database system and make sure that information is continuously collected to either exonerate or elevate a person's presence on such a list.