KEY POINTS | Al Qaeda Following the New U.S. Strike.
This article was translated automatically and may contain differences from the original. For reference, read the original.
The recent death of Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, resulting from a missile strike by a U.S. drone against the terrorist leader, who was in a residence in Kabul, allows for the formulation of three key points.
- The United States’ pursuit of those who have attacked it, or plan to do so, will not cease with the passage of years or the emergence of new conflicts in other regions. The global campaign against terrorism recognizes no temporal limits, nor does it acknowledge geographical or jurisdictional boundaries. Either enemies are brought to justice, or justice is brought to them, as former President George W. Bush once warned, a sentiment echoed by President Barack Obama when announcing the death of Osama bin Laden in a special operations raid in May 2011 in Pakistan.
- Ayman al-Zawahiri, mentor and successor to Bin Laden at the helm of Al Qaeda, was not hiding in a cave in the mountains, but rather in an affluent neighborhood of Kabul, the Afghan capital. Thus, the already controversial Taliban regime is further discredited. It matters little that their spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, considers the attack a clear violation of international principles and the Doha agreements, which paved the way for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country nearly a year ago.
- After the Islamic State has overshadowed it due to its expansion and lethality, Al Qaeda once again faces a leadership problem and is increasingly prone to irrelevance, with its presence limited to secondary theaters.
Conclusion: When decisively combating terrorist groups, patience and perseverance are needed to achieve the proposed objectives, but also a resolute political will. “No matter how much time passes, or how much they try to hide. Those who threaten the United States must know that we will find them and eliminate them,” warned U.S. President Joe Biden. Ultimately, terrorism as a threat is difficult to deter, but for that very reason, it requires a sustained pursuit effort.
AthenaLab Team
August 2, 2022
