Analyst counters Bush on Al Qaeda

[Lasher]

Source: The Boston Globe

WASHINGTON -- A day after President Bush sought to present evidence showing that Iraq is now the main battlefront against Al Qaeda, the chief US intelligence analyst for international terrorism told Congress that the network's growing ranks in Pakistan and Afghanistan pose a more immediate threat to the United States.

In rare testimony before two House committees, Edward Gistaro, the national intelligence officer for transnational threats, said that Al Qaeda terrorists operating in South Asia are better equipped to attack the United States than the network's followers in Iraq are.

Asked which arm of Al Qaeda concerned him the most, Gistaro told a joint session of the House armed services and intelligence panels that it was South Asia.

"The primary concern is in Al Qaeda in South Asia organizing its own plots against the United States," he said. Al Qaeda planned the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks from its bases in Afghanistan.

Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2007/07/26/analyst_counters_bush_on_al_qaeda/

[ixion]

1. threats are shadows on the wall

let's stop living in fear and try to focus on building a better world, rather than destroying it.

[damntexdem]

6. "It's the price we pay for freedom."

That should be the slogan for rejecting loss of rights, repealing the Patriot Act, and abolishing the Department of Hoaxland Security.

Those who'd give up freedom for security deserve neither.

[liberal N proud]

2. But bu$h needs to continue to try and justify Iraq

He is running out of reasons to use and al Qaeda is still a good fear tactic to convince some.

[PA Democrat]

3. I was happy to see that this story was on the front page, above the fold of the Boston Globe.

[stlsaxman]

4. "Is our media learning?"

lame variation of the old bushism...

oh well... i tried.

[Myrina]

5. ... there's that "P" word ...

Pakistan. Aren't they and India supposedly <finally> working together on some natural gas pipeline thingie that will bypass US interests & leave Bushco out of the bling?

Hmmmm. What better way to get Halliburton's nose into the pie than to start clanging the bells and whistles that Al Q is there (even though it has been all along, and we've ignored it) ??

:tinfoilhat: