Masopher's Mind

Interesting read about one of the wildcards in Afghanistan.

You can read this and more here at The Jamestown Foundation

“THE WAY OF WAR IS NOT PAVED WITH FLOWERS” – SIRAJUDDIN HAQQANI ON THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN
Thirty-year-old Sirajuddin Haqqani controls a powerful insurgent group known as the Haqqani Network along Afghanistan’s southeastern border with the Tribal Areas of north-west Pakistan, particularly in the provinces of Khost, Paktika and Paktia (Al-Balagh Media Center, April 13).  Operating with apparent autonomy under the broader structure of the “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan” (the Taliban-dominated political structure of the Islamic resistance), Sirajuddin’s network has earned a reputation for deadly efficiency in its attacks on local and international forces in the region.

Sirajuddin recently answered questions from forum members on a jihadi website, part of an effort to create a public profile for the once reclusive mujahid (ansar1.info; see also Terrorism Monitor, January 28).

On the impact of attacks by CIA-directed unmanned aerial vehicles, Sirajuddin did not hesitate to acknowledge their effectiveness, but warned setbacks are part of the longer struggle:

“While you sometimes hear some news on the martyrdom of some mujahideen by an unmanned aerial vehicle, you should also know that the mujahideen do weaken their enemies and make them suffer heavy casualties and financial losses. In addition, you should know that the way of war is not paved with flowers. Hardships and sacrifices are what bring victory.”

With regard to the devastating Khost suicide bombing that targeted CIA personnel last December, Sirajuddin claimed this operation had helped reduce the CIA’s operational accuracy by 60%. He noted elite personnel and the “smartest CIA officers” had been killed, while spies (such as Khost bomber Humam Khalil Abu Mulal al-Balawi) became mistrusted, leading to a disruption of CIA intelligence gathering and delays in the process of recruiting new spies.

When asked about February’s joint NATO/Afghan Operation Moshtarak in the Marjah region of Helmand province, Sirajuddin described it as nothing more than “a media stunt… The enemies were defeated in Marjah. They achieved nothing.”

The mujahideen commander sees the hand of Israel behind Coalition activities in Afghanistan:

“The Crusaders’ assaults against Afghanistan aim primarily to establish Greater Israel. The current Crusade plan, which is designed by Greater Israel, aims to remove the obstacles that hinder the establishment of Greater Israel. We believe that defeating the United States in Afghanistan will help to hinder this Crusade against the Muslim world. In addition, we believe that their defeat will pave our way for liberating Jerusalem.”

Elsewhere, the mujahideen commander claimed the United States and its agents were encouraging the production of opium, while the mujahideen had no connection with the crop and did not use it for financial support. Sirajuddin also denied reports the Taliban were burning girls’ schools, claiming, “This is a blatant lie. It is a weird game played by the Crusaders. They build schools for girls to win over the public and then burn them to harm the reputation of the mujahidin of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.” He added that peace talks would be impossible so long as the occupation continued.

Gaddafi is a complete retard (IF) he is calling an international jihad just because his insane son can’t beat up hotel staff.  I’m being flippant because it is deeper than that.

Switzerland owes a lot of its wealth to Muslim oilmen. If even a few rich Muslims end relationships with the Swiss, then we are talking about millions of Euros in profit sucked out of the secretive Swiss banking system. This very secretive nature is how terrorists, dictators and shady politicians can transfer large amounts of money around the world without being stopped much less detected.

The West has made very strong moves to regulate this shadowy banking world.  The Swiss banking system has benefited for many decades on these transaction and cannot take too much of attacks on its system. Switzerland is under great pressure from the EU, USA and the UK (who recently winked and nodded with the Colonel) so, this seemingly asinine argument only serves to damage a system which many want to bring down anyway.

The news say that Gaddafi is being a silly ass (and he probably could be), but a conspiratorial mind could suspect that DC, Paris and London could be stroking the devil to save the righteous. Libya itself has a strong role in counter terrorism (and inevitable terrorism too) so even if the European and American intelligence agencies somehow defied precedent and didn’t dirty their hands, Gaddafi and his intelligence goons could be going renegade to bring down a genuinely bad system.

The Swiss system helped several Nazis escape to live splendidly in sunny countries and it has helped fund several bloody African and Asian coups and massacres, not to mention a lot of backhanders and corporate crimes. Even if it weren’t for the terrorist organizations that use its vaults and the silly dressed guardsmen at the Vatican the Swiss system is not as benign as they pretend to be.

Is it about minaretes? Is it about a notorious son named Hannibal? That’s what the newspapers say…and we all know what newspapers are for.

This is badly done but a statement none the less. Africa is where Al Qaeda is at. It’s where Al Qaeda was always at. Yeah, there is a lot of talk about Arabs and Afghanistan but in all truth, Al Qaeda is inspired by Egyptians, fomented by a Yemeni in Sudan (where Al Qaeda really started rolling) and is kept running by Libyans, Egyptians, Algerians and Somalis. Mogadishu, Somalia is where America got its first modern black eye. Al Qaeda got another hit at the USA with embassy bombings in Kenya. The sea between Yemen and Somalia is a pirate haven. Is it a shock that another terrorist (from Africa) tried to blow up an airplane? No. Airplanes are Al Qaeda’s MO, with roots in the Libyan sponsored Lockerbie bombing. With Arabs and Easterners focused on national issues, al Qaeda going back to its origins by relying on Somalis to attack Dutch authors and Nigerians to set their selves on fire in airplanes.

I’m pushing a really racist boundary today, but I want to be clear that I am not talking about Aethiopia or, for the less educated, Sub Saharan Africa. I am talking about Northern Africa. It just seems that when you mix Muslims and the desert you get a really fucked up brand of violence that has nothing to do with the Muslims in the greener parts of the Turk/Arab/Persian/Asian world. The Nexus of Al Qaeda starts in Saudi Arabia, Stretches south to Somalia and then West to Algeria. It is not the countries south of the former Soviet empire but the countries south of Europe that breeds al Qaeda.

Lebanon was a really progressive country, Iraq was almost secular, Iran is pretty moderate, Afghanistan never had “Taliban” until the 90s, even Pakistan was pretty moderate by today’s standards. But in the sands of Egypt, Somalia, Yemen, Sudan Libya, Algeria and Saudi Arabia trouble was just stirring up and was happily exported to Afghanistan to die under Soviet guns. A sizable amount did not die and hardened in battle returned home to start struggles/troubles of their own.

Sudan murders its own and is at war with Chad, Somalia is at war with itself far beyond failed in statehood. Libya after sponsoring terrorism for many years is finally on its long way back to being recognized, buying its way back into international recognition and imprisoning thousands of seasoned al Qaeda fighters. Algeria struggles daily with its own brand of Al Qaeda and the AQIM (Al Qaeda in Islamic Magreb) grows stronger forging ties with Narco terrorists in South America even “peaceful” Egypt must turn a massive amount of its citizens into military and paramilitary units just in hope of stopping the tide of terrorists coming from all sides. The Jews to the north are perhaps Egypt’s firmest allies.

Africa (not the Aethiopian part of Africa) is not the cradle of civilization but the snake in the cradle of civilization. Al Qaeda operatives believe they are caught up in a cosmic battle or carrying out a great clash of civilizations but in truth just Al Qaeda is like the Sahara desert or Kalahari, it can only destroys civilization.