Al-Qaeda threat overstated, top spies say

[sabra]

Source: SMH

A SECRET Australian intelligence assessment has declared the al-Qaeda terrorist network a failure and claims its regional offshoot, Jemaah Islamiah, has been broken in Indonesia.

The head of Australia's intelligence analysis agency, the Office of National Assessments, told US diplomats in October 2008 that al-Qaeda ''ultimately has failed to achieve the strategic leadership role it sought within the Islamic world''.

The assessment undercuts a key argument of the Gillard government to justify Australia's continued commitment to the war in Afghanistan: that al-Qaeda could return to use the country as a terrorist training ground.
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Australian intelligence officers instead blamed Taliban success in Afghanistan on the failings of the Afghan government and the involvement of Pakistan's intelligence and security agencies.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/alqaeda-threat-overstated-top-spies-say-20101214-18wx1.html

[smiley]

1. now that's a shocker.....

... not

... move along, nothing to see here, just keep on fearing the bogeyman.

[rfranklin]

2. There's a shocker...

We still don't know if Al Qaeda had anything to do with 9/11. But it sure was a convenient story.

[Raster]

4. IMHO Al Qaeda's role in 9/11 was just supplying the grunts to take the fall.

The people that planned 9/11 and profited the most are alive and free. And I don't mean Ossama Bin Laden.

[Kaleko]

7. Outside the US you will find that the majority of educated people shares your views.

As usual, Americans will end up being the last to know what happened to them.

[Raster]

11. Factions within the United States government and the mainstream media have....

...worked overtime to obscure the facts and present faulty scenarios. Far too many people still believe that Saddam Hussein was behind 9/11, even though *EVERY* qualified, competent intelligence agency has ruled otherwise.

[Vinnie From Indy]

3. Look, you have to advertise if you want to sell shit!

Madison Avenue has sold the bogeyman of Al Queda brilliantly. They simply took their decades of experience selling diapers and cars and used it to help the MIC sell their wars.

[rocktivity]

5. Candidate for this year's "You Call This NEWS?" award

Al-Qaeda threat overstated, anyone with at least two functioning brain cells says

:eyes:
rocktivity

[Kali]

6. no shit?

:wow:

[Kaleko]

8. This info comes to us courtesy of WikiLeaks, btw.

[Raster]

14. And information like this is precisely why Assange is being persecuted.

Little-by-little the information hidden from view dribbles out. We are getting a more complete picture of how INDUCED AND MANAGED TERROR was used to control Amerika during the bush*/cheney* years.

[valerief]

9. But, but, WAR, but, but, 9-11, but, but, Freedom, but, but, PNAC papers. nt

[davidthegnome]

10. Haven't we known this for years?

Much as I appreciate the work of wikileaks, this is very old news that anyone with two brain cells to rub together should have already known. Oh, right, we're educating the republicans.

[defendandprotect]

12. Especially since US/CIA created Taliban/Al Qaeda ... and funded it up to 9/11....

and for all we know beyond 9/11 --

Funded thru ISI-Pakistan --

[Raster]

15. I vote "beyond"

[KurtNYC]

13. and the BBC says Al Qaeda never existed in the first place

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk1WkmioQvA

at link: BBC doc 'The Power of Nightmares'