THE STATE OF AL QAEDA TERRORISM CAPABILITIES

What do you think the current state of al Qaeda is in? You may comment after voting.
	Strong as ever. Very capable of attacking US.
	Weaker than before, but still likely to attack US.
	Weakened considerably. Attacking US is unlikely.
	Totally decimated. No threat to US at all.
pollcode.com free polls

Much has been written about the state of al Qaeda and the opinions range from healthy and thriving to defunct or on the verge of surrender. So, I did some research and conclude that the al Qaeda organization has, indeed, been heavily decimated by drone strikes in Pakistan and the Arabian Peninsula. However, it has morphed and aligned itself with a variety of other insurgent movements with local, regional and global aspirations.

Enjoy the Caribbean islands? Like spy thrillers? Then journey through the Caribbean with CIA Spymaster Corey Pearson. Get the first 3 episodes for free!

Al Qaeda and its growing number of affiliates, in my humble opinion, will continue to expand in the Arabian peninsula (AQAP), East Africa, Somalia, SE Asia and in the Islamic Maghreb region (AQIM). A year ago, I wrote that al Qaeda is strengthening and not on the road to defeat. For those of you who wonder about the current state of al Qaeda, I offer four well-researched and documented studies. Enjoy!  

Bipartisan Policy Center study dated September 9, 2013: Jihadist Terrorism: A Threat Assessment

American Enterprise Institute study dated September 10, 2013: The al Qaeda Network: A New Framework for Defining the Enemy
 
The Quilliam Foundation study dated September 12, 2013:
A New Index to Assess the Effectiveness of al Qaeda
 
The Henry Jackson Society study dated September 27, 2013:Al-Qaeda’s Global Footprint: An Assessment of al-Qaeda’s Strength Today

 

Recommended Reading
Click to order onlne

Robert Morton, M.Ed., Ed.S. is a member of the Association Of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO) and writes the online spy series Corey Pearson- CIA Spymaster in the Caribbean. The views expressed are his own and do not represent those of any  organization he is a member of. Contact him on the Secure Contact Form