Al Qaeda and the Taliban threaten attacks on Canada...

[VictimOfScience]

From Stratfor's latest Terrorism Intelligence Report:

An al Qaeda strategist issued a statement over the weekend threatening that unless Canada withdraws its troops from Afghanistan, it will face terrorist attacks similar to 9/11 or the Madrid and London train bombings. Given al Qaeda's penchant for issuing threats, this statement by itself does not indicate a particularly heightened level of risk for Canadians, who have been in al Qaeda's crosshairs since the jihadist war with the West began. But then, al Qaeda is not known for making one-off threats.

In fact, the statement -- attributed to Hossam Abdul Raouf, a member of al Qaeda's information and strategy committee -- marked the second time in recent weeks that jihadists have singled out Canada for special mention over the prominent role it is playing in Afghanistan. In September, Ayman al-Zawahiri referred to the Canadian troops in Kandahar as "second-rate Crusaders." Along with these remarks has come a separate warning from the Taliban, threatening attacks on the soil of European countries that are part of the NATO offensive in Afghanistan.

That is worth saying again, with emphasis: The Taliban -- a nationalist religious movement -- threatened to carry out attacks against civilians on foreign soil, blurring the already fuzzy line between the Afghan group and its transnational militant counterpart, al Qaeda.

The timing of all of these statements centering on Afghanistan seems hardly accidental. In Canada, there is growing sentiment that Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservative government is putting the country at risk by aiding what is perceived as, in truth, Washington's war. Canadian forces were deployed to Afghanistan under a Liberal government, but the Harper administration extended the length of the mission and, critics say, changed the mandate from peacekeeping to insurgent-fighting. With recent news that Canada is preparing to send Leopard tanks and CF-18 fighter jets into the fray, the country's military capabilities will be fully represented in Afghanistan -- and there is no fallback position if it then fails to defeat the Taliban. Voters also are dissatisfied over the absence of milestones by which to chart progress or determine an end point for the mission, and they are worried about the possibility of terrorist strikes on their own soil.

The general tenor of discussion is not unlike that in the United States, where the tally of Iraq war casualties is now a daily drumbeat underlying news coverage of the congressional election campaigns. There are some crucial differences, however: Because Afghanistan was a sanctuary for al Qaeda for years, the military invasion has never excited the kinds of political controversies that surround the Iraq war effort. While the attention of Americans and much of the world remains riveted on Iraq, the campaign in Afghanistan continues to grind away. But the outcome of this campaign -- at least as much as that in Iraq, if not more so -- has direct implications for the "global war on terrorism." As such, it bears careful consideration.

Definitely strange to have the Taliban discussing terrorist operations on foreign soil given who they are. Why don't they leave it to AQ?

And Canada: glad to have you in the trenches with us, but I really wish no one had to be in those trenches...

 

[Ome_Vince]

I thought there's hardly such a thing as Al Qaeda anymore. Just imitator cells that got "inspired by 9/11".
Ah well, weird no bombs in my country yet :S and we're in Iraq + Afghanistan from the start :S I guess even Al Qaeda hates the cannucks

 

[CptStern]

canada is leading the charge in afghanistan .. they're the front lines in washington's dirty little war ..we shouldnt be there ...specifically we shouldnt be there under operation enduring freedom and if we must have a prescence lets go back to our UN peacekeeping role

threats against canada by al qaeda go back to 2003 this is nothing new ...however since Harper keeps getting us more entrenched the likelihood of an attack grows ever more real ..thanks bush/harper, way to endanger our lives

 

[Mechagodzilla]

Terrorists are the least scary shit ever.
Seriously, 3000 people in this continent in over 10 year's time?
That's well less than 300 people a year.
Automobiles are scarier than that - they're 42600 fatalities annually. 142 times as much.

Al Qaeda got beat by the horseless carriage and I'm supposed to be afraid of them?

 

[pvtbones]

peacekeeping is dead stern, it's been dying for a while. Nations are too interested in how they can weasel out for make a take advantage of the situation.

couple of examples of this are:
Rwanda: plenty of blame to go around.
Darfur, Sudan: the Sudanese government doesn't want us there and has openly threatened to attack anyone to attempts too. I don't think anyone here is considering the thought of invading Sudan are we?
Lebanon : very few wanted to go there after the month long war ended, they aren't going to stop weapon shipments getting into Lebanon and they won't try and remove Hezbollah so basically their sitting on their asses looking pretty.

peacekeeping was designed to stop fighting between two governments, not factions. you cannot punish a faction like you can a government. Peacekeeping has it's place but in these newer type of conflicts and civil disputes/wars it doesn't work.

PS: The UN has supported the actions in Afghanistan for a a few years now and I believe one of the higher ups in UN has said standard peacekeeping won't work in Afghanistan although I can't find a link at the moment so this point is until otherwise not credible.

*edit*
I don't think anyone is taking this threat very seriously, any attempts made on Canada so far have failed. I think this is nothing but hot air.

 

[VictimOfScience]

threats against canada by al qaeda go back to 2003 this is nothing new

Indeed, but threats by the Taliban? Surely that's news to most...

 

[CptStern]

peacekeeping is dead stern, it's been dying for a while. Nations are too interested in how they can weasel out for make a take advantage of the situation.

couple of examples of this are:
Rwanda: plenty of blame to go around.
Darfur, Sudan: the Sudanese government doesn't want us there and has openly threatened to attack anyone to attempts too. I don't think anyone here is considering the thought of invading Sudan are we?
Lebanon : very few wanted to go there after the month long war ended, they aren't going to stop weapon shipments getting into Lebanon and they won't try and remove Hezbollah so basically their sitting on their asses looking pretty.

peacekeeping was designed to stop fighting between two governments, not factions. you cannot punish a faction like you can a government. Peacekeeping has it's place but in these newer type of conflicts and civil disputes/wars it doesn't work.

PS: The UN has supported the actions in Afghanistan for a a few years now and I believe one of the higher ups in UN has said standard peacekeeping won't work in Afghanistan although I can't find a link at the moment so this point is until otherwise not credible.

regardless playing errand boy to the US isnt making us a lot of friends ..how many canadians have died since we stepped combat in iraq? how many have died in the decades we've been peacekeepers? We have no business in afghanistan .especially if it's under the wing of the americans

Indeed, but threats by the Taliban? Surely that's news to most...

not really ..that's all we've been fighting in afghanistan ..taleban and various warlords

 

[pvtbones]

regardless playing errand boy to the US isnt making us a lot of friends ..how many canadians have died since we stepped combat in iraq?how many have died in the decades we've been peacekeepers? We have no business in afghanistan .especially if it's under the wing of the americans




not really ..that's all we've been fighting in afghanistan ..taleban and various warlords

we are not in Iraq stern with the exception of some soldiers in a exchange program between Canada and the United States. Actually quite a few canadian soldiers have died in Peacekeeping operations (but you never heard the media report them)
A list.

are you vouching for Isolationism Stern? appears you don't want us to have any sort of interaction with the world because of the chance an American might be involved. or maybe you don't think the people of Afghanistan deserve a chance to have what we have? human rights and equality is all well and good for Canada but not Afghanistan?

 

[CptStern]

we are not in Iraq stern with the exception of some soldier in a exchange program between Canada and the United States.

yes I realize that ..it was an error, I meant afghanistan .. Operation Enduring Freedom is typically seen as the mission in afghanistan

Actually quite a few canadian soldiers have died in Peacekeeping operations (but you never heard the media report them)
A list.

that's over a 50 year period ..almost as many have died in 3 short years as in 50

are you vouching for Isolationism Stern? appears you don't want us to have any sort of interaction with the world because of the chance an American might be involved

ya that must be it, pull assumptions out your wazoo why dontcha?

. or maybe you don't think the people of Afghanistan deserve a chance to have what we have? human rights and equality is all well and good for Canada but not Afghanistan?

funny how you're so concerned about the rights of afghanis now ..what about before 9/11? canada didnt seem to give a shit then? and what about darfur and every other hotspot around the world ..why dont they deserve the same lvel of international intervention that the afghanis enjoy? and what exactly are you giving the afganis by being there? afghanistan is worse now than before the invasion ..and even they wouldnt have been in power in the first place if the US hadnt put them there

The Soviet forces are pitted against an extraordinary people who, in their determination to preserve the character of their ancient land, have organized an effective and still spreading country-wide resistance. The resistance of the Afghan freedom fighters is an example to all the world of the invincibility of the ideals we in this country hold most dear, the ideals of freedom and independence.

It is, therefore, incumbent upon us as Americans to reflect on the events in Afghanistan, to think about the agony which these brave people bear, and to maintain our condemnation of the continuing Soviet occupation. Our observance again this year of Afghanistan Day on March 21, the Afghan New Year, will recall for all the world America's unflagging sympathy for a determined people, its support for their refugees and commitment to achieving a political settlement for Afghanistan which will free that country from tyranny's yoke.

http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/45/278.html

what a load of crap ..they flip flop when it suits them


and what's this about invading whatever country that doesnt have the same rights as canada? well the US doesnt allow same sex marriages ...saddle up boys we're headed to the white house to overthrow bush!

 

[pvtbones]

yes I realize that ..it was an error, I meant afghanistan .. Operation Enduring Freedom is typically seen as the mission in afghanistan



that's over a 50 year period ..almost as many have died in 3 short years as in 50



ya that must be it, pull assumptions out your wazoo why dontcha?




funny how you're so concerned about the rights of afghanis now ..what about before 9/11? canada didnt seem to give a shit then? and what about darfur and every other hotspot around the world ..why dont they deserve the same lvel of international intervention that the afghanis enjoy? and what exactly are you giving the afganis by being there? afghanistan is worse now than before the invasion ..and even they wouldnt have been in power in the first place if the US hadnt put them there



http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/45/278.html

what a load of crap ..they flip flop when it suits them


and what's this about invading whatever country that doesnt have the same rights as canada? well the US doesnt allow same sex marriages ...saddle up boys we're headed to the white house to overthrow bush!

116 deaths (plus the 516 deaths in Korea) is not the same as 42. no matter how you slice it.

again you mention Darfur, maybe you should read one of my previous posts. I accept my part in not giving a crap about a lot of these hot spots and I wish to change that. we have to start somewhere and it we go to too many places at once we will fail before we even start. we have to go one at a time. I fine it funny you have no problem unilaterally invading Sudan but not Afghanistan.

What about heart surgery? they often have to kill you before they can operate. but after the surgery is over your in a much better position for survival no? should we stop all surgeries where they have to legally kill you?

you right the western world let the taliban get in power and now we have a chance to correct that mistake, I'd think you of all people would want to correct such an error.

every country flip flops, hell I'm sure you even flip flopped once or twice in your life. it's human nature to do whats convient for themselves.

hey, if your willing to lead the charge stern I'm sure many would follow. but don't you think we should go for the big things first?

*edit* you also made no mention of Operation Enduring Freedom in your post so how was I to know? :|

 

[VictimOfScience]

not really ..that's all we've been fighting in afghanistan ..taleban and various warlords

Of course, but the fact that Taliban are talking about killing civilians outside of their country is the interesting part and its not something that traditionally they do.

 

[CptStern]

116 deaths (plus the 516 deaths in Korea) is not the same as 42. no matter how you slice it.

it took more than 50 years ..and korea we had 10 x the number of troops we have in afghanistan

again you mention Darfur, maybe you should read one of my previous posts.

I have

I accept my part in not giving a crap about a lot of these hot spots and I wish to change that. we have to start somewhere and it we go to too many places at once we will fail before we even start. we have to go one at a time. I fine it funny you have no problem unilaterally invading Sudan but not Afghanistan.

who said anything about invasion? peacekeeping is not the same as invading

What about heart surgery? they often have to kill you before they can operate. but after the surgery is over your in a much better position for survival no? should we stop all surgeries where they have to legally kill you?

that's not really a good comparison because in many cases there is no choice with heart surgery ..it's the only avenue

you right the western world let the taliban get in power

not "let" but rather "put" ..they put them into power ...huge difference ..for example ..the CIA has something they call blowback

every country flip flops, hell I'm sure you even flip flopped once or twice in your life. it's human nature to do whats convient for themselves.

I am not a nation

it's hard to play the victem when you engineer it in the first place

hey, if your willing to lead the charge stern I'm sure many would follow. but don't you think we should go for the big things first?

how? by escalating the very thing you're supposed to be fighting? Iraq (and to a lesser extent afghanistan) is a breeding groud for terrorism ..the world much less safe than before the invasion of iraq

*edit* you also made no mention of Operation Enduring Freedom in your post so how was I to know? :|

yes I did, in the first post you replied to

 

[dream431ca]

Al Qaeda can go fist themselves. I don't care what they say, I just see them as assholes.

 

[pomegranate]

Al Qaeda can go fist themselves. I don't care what they say, I just see them as assholes.

That's a good point. Amazing political insight, I must say.

 

[Solaris]

****ign canada.

 

[kirovman]

Is it just me or is Solaris worse than usual?

 

[pvtbones]

worse than usual.

Stern: Also forgive me for my lack of postage, been a couple hectic days that have left me little time to formulate a post required a discussion such as this.

 

[Solaris]

Your sins are forgiven

 

[Nemesis6]

Don't **** with Canada, or they'll send Terrance and Phillip after you!