Waziristan, Pakistan
Osama bin Laden has trained a new generation of al Qaida leaders at his camps in Pakistan, The New York Times reported this week. According to unnamed U.S. intelligence officials, al Qaida has rebounded in the lawless, tribal areas of Pakistan, after being routed out of Afghanistan by the 2001 U.S.-led invasion. The group has apparently learned some lessons from that experience: It is now operating more diffusely, from several hubs, including the offshoot called al Qaida in Iraq. Iraq, in fact, is the arena that could produce the most dangerous militants, experts said. “The jihadis returning from Iraq are far more capable than the mujahedeen who fought the Soviets ever were,” said Robert Richer, a former CIA associate director. “They have been fighting the best military in the world, with the best technology and tactics.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
Today's political cartoons - May 19, 2024Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - 2024 votes, AI woes, and more
-
5 high rating cartoons about Biden's low poll numbersCartoons Artists take on checklists, ice creams, and more
-
A gastronomic tour of the Costa de la LuzThe Week Recommends This Spanish spot has fantastic restaurants "rooted in the region's distinctive produce"
