A work of genius! How could these learned analysts have possibly discovered such a thing! This is on a par with their other brilliant discoveries: poverty causes terrorism, Islam is a Religion of Peace that has been Hijacked By A Tiny Minority of Extremists, etc. etc.
"Report says Al-Qaeda still aims to use weapons of mass destruction against U.S.," by Joby Warrick for the Washington Post, January 26 (thanks to James):
When al-Qaeda's No. 2 leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, called off a planned chemical attack on New York's subway system in 2003, he offered a chilling explanation: The plot to unleash poison gas on New Yorkers was being dropped for "something better," Zawahiri said in a message intercepted by U.S. eavesdroppers.The meaning of Zawahiri's cryptic threat remains unclear more than six years later, but a new report warns that al-Qaeda has not abandoned its goal of attacking the United States with a chemical, biological or even nuclear weapon.
The report, by a former senior CIA official who led the agency's hunt for weapons of mass destruction, portrays al-Qaeda's leaders as determined and patient, willing to wait for years to acquire the kind of weapons that could inflict widespread casualties.
The former official, Rolf Mowatt-Larssen, draws on his knowledge of classified case files to argue that al-Qaeda has been far more sophisticated in its pursuit of weapons of mass destruction than is commonly believed, pursuing parallel paths to acquiring weapons and forging alliances with groups that can offer resources and expertise.
"If Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants had been interested in . . . small-scale attacks, there is little doubt they could have done so now," Mowatt-Larssen writes in a report released Monday by the Harvard Kennedy School of Government's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.
The report comes as a panel on weapons of mass destruction appointed by Congress prepares to release a new assessment of the federal government's preparedness for such an attack. The review by the bipartisan Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism is particularly critical of the Obama administration's actions so far in hardening the country's defenses against bioterrorism, according to two former government officials who have seen drafts of the report.
The commission's initial report in December 2008 warned that a terrorist attack using weapons of mass destruction was likely by 2013....
Blindingly brilliant!
This falls into the "No shit, Sherlock" category.
Totally irresponsible of our Govt. whose primary responsibility is to protect its people (guess nobody told them) - not accommodate UN elites and foreign Muslim desires.
The median age of male Somalians is 17 to 18 ( perfect for violent crime or jihad). They are mostly illiterate and their birth rate is over three times ours. What's in it for us? Crime, community disruptions, job loss, more welfare expenditures - but, they will supply future voters for the Democratic party!
the pak needs to be taken down before the taliban gets a hold of their nukes. maybe India and Israel can do a double strike on iran and the pak.
Muslims? Weapons of Mass Destruction! No! How can this be? Isn't Islam the "religion of peace"?
Here's the inimitable Joby Warrick, who writes about the intelligence community for The Post’s National desk. He previously spent eight years as a member of the investigative unit, specializing in coverage of WMD proliferation and weapons trafficking. Here are examples of his brilliant work:
Officials fear toxic ingredient in Botox could become terrorist tool (January 25, 2010)
In Afghanistan attack, CIA fell victim to series of miscalculations about informant (January 16, 2010)
Man who bombed CIA post provided useful intelligence about al-Qaeda (January 6, 2010)
Suicide bomber who attacked CIA post in Afghanistan was trusted informant from Jordan (January 5, 2010)
Jordan emerges as key CIA counterterrorism ally (January 4, 2010)
Pakistani scientist depicts more advanced nuclear program in North Korea (December 28, 2009)
Joby Warrick interviews Mohamed ElBaradei on Iran's nuclear ambitions (December 6, 2009)
Blackwater founder says he aided CIA secret programs (December 3, 2009)
U.N. censure may start more confrontational phase with Iran (November 28, 2009)
China's backing on Iran followed dire predictions (November 26, 2009)
U.S. seeks assurances that Iran has no other hidden nuclear sites (November 17, 2009)
Pakistani nuclear scientist's accounts tell of Chinese proliferation (November 13, 2009)
Iranian site prompts U.S. to rethink assessment (October 24, 2009)
Israelis Temper Doubts About Obama's Policy on Iran (October 2, 2009)
Upcoming Talks Are Window of Opportunity,' Iran's Envoy Says (September 18, 2009)
Iran Agrees to Talks With Six Powers, Warns Against Attack on Its Nuclear Sites (September 15, 2009)
Ex-Intelligence Officials Cite Low Spirits at CIA (August 30, 2009)
How a Detainee Became An Asset (August 29, 2009)
2006 Justice Memo Cites Food Strike by Detainees at Supermax Prison in Colorado (August 28, 2009)
CIA Releases Its Instructions For Breaking a Detainee's Will (August 26, 2009)
CIA Report Calls Oversight Of Early Interrogations Poor (August 25, 2009)
CIA Officer Disciplined for Alleged Gun Use in Interrogation: Bush Officials Filed No Charges Over Tactics in Terror Case (August 23, 2009)
CIA Used Gun, Drill in Interrogation of Alleged Cole Mastermind (August 22, 2009)
Disclosure of 'Targeted Killing' Program Comes at Bad Time for CIA (August 21, 2009)
U.S., Pakistan Say Apparent Killing of Mehsud Is Huge Setback for Taliban (August 8, 2009)
Obama Plans to Use More Than Bombs and Bullets to Fight Terrorism (August 6, 2009)
One of Osama Bin Laden's Sons Reported Dead After CIA Missile Strike (July 24, 2009)
Interviews Offer Look at Roles of CIA Contractors During Interrogations (July 19, 2009)
House Intelligence Committee to Investigate Secret CIA Program (July 18, 2009)
CIA Assassin Program Was Nearing New Phase (July 16, 2009)
CIA Didn't Tell Congress About Program to Kill Al-Qaeda Leaders (July 14, 2009)
Administration Reluctantly Moves Toward Revisiting Bush Anti-Terror Policies (July 13, 2009)
Democrats May Investigate Secret Program (July 12, 2009)
CIA Urges White House to Keep Parts of Detainee Report Secret (June 17, 2009)
Gains Against Pakistani Insurgents Fuels Pentagon Optimism for Pursuing Al-Qaeda (June 13, 2009)
Sensitive Details About U.S. Civilian Nuclear Sites Accidentally Posted Online (June 3, 2009)
Cheney Led Briefings of Lawmakers to Defend Interrogation Techniques (June 3, 2009)
CIA Director Panetta Announces Push to Improve Proficiency in Critical Languages (May 30, 2009)
Nuclear Aims By Pakistan, India Prompt U.S. Concern (May 28, 2009)
After Reviewing CIA Records, Lawmakers Still Divided on Interrogation Briefings (May 23, 2009)
U.S., Russian Scientists Say Missile Shield Wouldn't Protect Europe From Iran (May 19, 2009)
CIA Denies Cheney's Request to Release Intelligence Documents (May 14, 2009)
Effectiveness Of Harsh Questioning Is Unclear (April 26, 2009)
2002 Document Referred to Extreme Duress as 'Torture,' Warned of Techniques' Unreliability (April 25, 2009)
Harsh Tactics Readied Before Their Approval (April 22, 2009)
Intelligence Chief Says Methods Hurt U.S. (April 22, 2009)
Obama Cites CIA's Possible 'Mistakes' But Vows Support (April 21, 2009)
Interrogation Memos Detail Psychologists' Involvement; Ethicists Outraged (April 18, 2009)
Problems in Wiretapping Bring Change (April 16, 2009)
Taliban Using U.S. Firms to Host Web Sites (April 9, 2009)
Report Calls CIA Detainee Treatment 'Inhuman' (April 7, 2009)
Detainee's Harsh Treatment Foiled No Plots (March 29, 2009)
Red Cross Described 'Torture' at CIA Jails (March 16, 2009)
Senate Panel Agrees on Blueprint for Review of CIA Treatment of Terrorism Suspects (March 6, 2009)
Senate Panel to Examine CIA Detainee Handling (February 27, 2009)
CIA Adds Economy To Threat Updates (February 26, 2009)
Journalist's Account Cites Secret 3-Year Talks Between India, Pakistan on Kashmir (February 22, 2009)
Iran Easing Aspects Of Nuclear Program (February 20, 2009)
Obama, Gates at Odds Over Proposed Protections for National Security Whistleblowers (February 18, 2009)
CIA Helped India, Pakistan Share Secrets in Probe of Mumbai Siege (February 16, 2009)
Financial Crisis Called Top Security Threat to U.S. (February 13, 2009)
Lost U.S. Weapons May Be Going to Taliban, GAO Says (February 12, 2009)
CIA Pick Panetta's Public Earnings Released on Eve of Senate Confirmation Hearing (February 5, 2009)
CIA Station Chief In Algeria Accused In Two Sex Assaults (January 29, 2009)
To Combat Obama, Al-Qaeda Hurls Insults (January 25, 2009)
2 U.S. Airstrikes Offer a Concrete Sign of Obama's Pakistan Policy (January 24, 2009)
Obama Reverses Bush Policies On Detention and Interrogation (January 23, 2009)
Lethal Technology Making Way From U.S. to Iran Via Front Companies (January 11, 2009)
Little Blue Pills Among the Ways CIA Wins Friends in Afghanistan (December 26, 2008)
............................
A litany of mediocrity, with as many stories chiding our own forces as "the terrorists". Many of these stories seem oddly besides the point.
And yes, that last story is about the CIA handing out Viagra to assorted venerable Afghan leaders...
Read, especially, Joby Warrick's interview of Mohamed ElBaradei, and Warrick's clueless, leading questions.
And yet, the ignorant Joby Warrick is considered an expert in this field, and, by golly, he has the awards to prove it.
Here's even more of the same:
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/staff/articles/joby+warrick/
I came across something odd salted in amongst the run of news reports on our Australian national news website, not long ago.
A report about heroin users in France turning up infected with...anthrax.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/01/20/2796364.htm?section=justin
'Alarm over anthrax-tainted heroin
'The health ministry in France has issued a warning after eight people died and seven fell sick in two European countries from using heroin contaminated by anthrax.
"Since December 6, there have been 15 confirmed cases of anthrax among heroin users, 14 in Scotland and one in Germany," the ministry's General Directorate for Health (DGS) said in a statement.
"Eight people died," it said. "The likeliest source is heroin contaminated by anthrax spores."... ETC.
Anybody here with medical/ scientific background who can explain to me how anthrax spores - associated with farm animals and liable to be found in soil - might get into *heroin* which has to be produced by chemical cookery in a lab?
I don't think there have been any prior cases of heroin turning up contaminated with anthrax, though there have been plenty of cases of dealers 'cutting' heroin by using all kinds of neutral or dangerous 'extenders'.
"... Al-Qaeda still wants to use WMD's against U.S."
well, Al-Qaeda still supplies the druggies with vast amounts of Afghanistani heroin....which slowly destroys the users lives...
If Buraq was a real leader, he would proclaim that if a nuke goes off in our country, Iran WILL get bombed flat no matter who claims responsibility. No questions asked. Would, say, a group from Yemen want to risk being responsible for all those Iranian Muslim's deaths. The only thing those people respect is a good old-fashioned head bustin'.