thedrifter
06-21-07, 08:08 AM
Abizaid warns of underestimating al-Qaida
By Christopher P. Cavas - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Jun 21, 2007 5:00:50 EDT
Retired Army Gen. John Abizaid, the former head of the command overseeing the war in Iraq, warned Wednesday of the severe threat of al-Qaida to the United States.
“We are in a long war where ideological enemies have arisen,” he told an audience here at a forum sponsored by the U.S. Naval Institute and the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association.
“Bin Ladenism as an ideological threat to the nation should not be underestimated,” Abizaid said. He pointed to numerous statements by Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida on the Internet and warned against ignoring their threats, which he likened to Adolf Hitler’s 1920s book, “Mein Kampf.”
“If bin Laden does what he says,” Abizaid said, “he could plunge us into World War III.”
Speaking at a conference devoted to discussing transformational warfare, Abizaid noted “the enemy is more networked, more decentralized, than any 20th-century foe.”
“The enemy is more networked than we are,” he declared. “We must contest the virtual space,” Abizaid said, noting that “al-Qaida is a master” at using the Internet to persuade new recruits and show results of attacks to supporters.
Abizaid decried what he sees as a lack of awareness of the threat by Americans and questioned the perception of the war he’s seen since retiring May 1.
“We are not defeated in any tactical fight, yet there’s the perception at home that we are being defeated,” the former head of Central Command said.
Abizaid called on the media to do a better job reporting the threat represented by al-Qaida.
“We’ve got an educational problem about the enemy,” he said, noting that people in some western states — Abizaid now lives in Nevada — regard Sept. 11 “as a natural disaster” rather than a wartime act.
“My concern about the press,” he said, “is that the press hasn’t really looked at [the fact] that there’s an enemy out there.”
Abizaid repeated earlier statements that a true assessment of the current surge operations in Iraq won’t be possible by this September, when Democrats in Congress are asking for results, or even next year.
“It takes time,” he said. “It’s not going to be solved by the 2008 elections.”
Ellie
By Christopher P. Cavas - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Jun 21, 2007 5:00:50 EDT
Retired Army Gen. John Abizaid, the former head of the command overseeing the war in Iraq, warned Wednesday of the severe threat of al-Qaida to the United States.
“We are in a long war where ideological enemies have arisen,” he told an audience here at a forum sponsored by the U.S. Naval Institute and the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association.
“Bin Ladenism as an ideological threat to the nation should not be underestimated,” Abizaid said. He pointed to numerous statements by Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida on the Internet and warned against ignoring their threats, which he likened to Adolf Hitler’s 1920s book, “Mein Kampf.”
“If bin Laden does what he says,” Abizaid said, “he could plunge us into World War III.”
Speaking at a conference devoted to discussing transformational warfare, Abizaid noted “the enemy is more networked, more decentralized, than any 20th-century foe.”
“The enemy is more networked than we are,” he declared. “We must contest the virtual space,” Abizaid said, noting that “al-Qaida is a master” at using the Internet to persuade new recruits and show results of attacks to supporters.
Abizaid decried what he sees as a lack of awareness of the threat by Americans and questioned the perception of the war he’s seen since retiring May 1.
“We are not defeated in any tactical fight, yet there’s the perception at home that we are being defeated,” the former head of Central Command said.
Abizaid called on the media to do a better job reporting the threat represented by al-Qaida.
“We’ve got an educational problem about the enemy,” he said, noting that people in some western states — Abizaid now lives in Nevada — regard Sept. 11 “as a natural disaster” rather than a wartime act.
“My concern about the press,” he said, “is that the press hasn’t really looked at [the fact] that there’s an enemy out there.”
Abizaid repeated earlier statements that a true assessment of the current surge operations in Iraq won’t be possible by this September, when Democrats in Congress are asking for results, or even next year.
“It takes time,” he said. “It’s not going to be solved by the 2008 elections.”
Ellie