AL
QAEDA COMEBACK IN AFGHANISTAN
Al Qaeda’s Afghanistan leader is laying
the groundwork to relaunch his war-shattered organization once the United
States and international forces withdraw from the country, as they have warned
they will do without a security agreement from the Afghan government, according
to the US official statement. Al Qaeda has been cementing local ties and
bringing in small numbers of experienced militants to train a new generation of
fighters, and US military and intelligence. They have stepped up drone and jet
missile strikes against him and his followers in the mountainous eastern
provinces of Kunar and Nuristan.
The objective is to keep him from
restarting the large training camps that once drew hundreds of followers before
the US-led invasion began. The Obama administration agreed to keep any troops
in Afghanistan after this year – could be jeopardized by the possibility of a
total pullout.
The number of Al Qaeda members in Afghanistan has risen, but not much higher
than as many as the several hundred or
so the US as identified in the past.
After taking to Afghan President the US
president ordered the Pentagon to begin planning for the so-called zero option.
US military and intelligence officials says unless they can continue to fly
drones and jets from at least one air base in Afghanistan either Bagram ini the
north or Jalalabad in the east. The US could eventually wind down
counter-terrorism operations like drone strikes in the region after reducing
the Al Qaeda network, leaving local forces in Afghanistan and Pakistan to
control the remnants.
But Al Qaeda is not weakened enough yet,
and the US has testified that the inexperienced Afghan forces aren’t ready to
take over the task unaided. The United States will take the steps necessary to
combat terrorism and protect interests. Al Qaeda in Afghanistan is less of a
threat than when the occupation begin; it is estimated to be as many as several
hundred forced to shelter in the remotest part of the country.
