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The Al Qaeda Phoenix: How’s That Hopey-Changey Thing Working Out for Ya?

Posted on July 29, 2011 By Dacia Nichol

Last Sunday, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano informed us of the obvious: there are more terrorists out there than just al Qaeda. Now, the top commander of U.S. Special Operations Forces, Navy SEAL Admiral Eric T. Olsen, has come out with a new warning, this one not so obvious: even if we achieve our mission, we haven’t seen the last of al Qaeda.

Sure, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has come out and declared that we’re only “10 to 20” hits away from strategically defeating al Qaeda, but what wasn’t communicated with that message was how defeating the current iteration of the terror group will bring about the rise of the next one—much as the legendary phoenix rises from the ashes, and is born again.

This time, we’re not talking about cave-dwellers with VHS tapes, as Bill Maher likes to suggest. We have a new school of “more Westernized” fighters who have adapted to the American war machine: They know our capabilities, they know our rules, and they now know how long we’ll stick around. Taking out the leadership that started the war will not eliminate those that have grown up with it.

The current generation of al Qaeda has already managed to make the internet an important tool in their operations. The next generation will likely take that to the next level, a reality that is finally being embraced and acted upon in a significant way with the launch of the recent cybersecurity strategy and corresponding website. Unfortunately, the risks and realities of technology are still outpacing our security measures by years to come as a result of bureaucracy and privacy concerns.

So what does that mean for the future of U.S. strategy when it comes to handling the threat of terrorism?

Well, for the next year at least the prospects don’t look good. Word on the street is that the Obama Administration is “dangerously disengaged” on Iraq and on other important national security issues. Add that to the growing war fatigue in the Western world, and new terror leaders have golden opportunities at their fingertips. Already, Iran and Turkey are taking advantage of U.S. gains in Iraq, the new al Qaeda leader is assuming control regarding the protests in Syria, and the growing instability and uncertainty from the Arab Spring is opening doors. Our new strategy is to rely on Special Forces operations alone to protect those new portals, but is that wise?

It’s a good thing we’re looking at cutting our budget to face these risks in the best way possible. [/sarcasm]

How’s that hopey-changey thing working out for everyone?

You Can Say He’s a Dreamer . . .

Posted on July 21, 2011 By Dan Collins

2 Comments

I don’t blame the left for paying as much attention on Rupert Murdoch’s phone-hacking woes as they can, but the idea that Fox News is done if someone hacked the phones of 9-11 victims’ families seems to me a little wish fulfilly. Mind you, we’re still not shown the footage of people diving out of the skyscrapers to escape from the fire because the truth is too disturbing, and it’s an outrage to show images of babies who are about to be aborted, but anyone who wants to photograph and publish images of the bodies of dead American soldiers now has the right–yet suddenly lacks the inclination.

Anybody in News Corp or elsewhere who has hacked phones deserves to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Ann Coulter has the skinny on one such incident, but it seems to me that perhaps Dan Rather and crew got off lightly if that’s the way news transgressions should be handled–by killing the parent company. Also? ACORN.

And, gee, it seems to me that The Guardian had something to do with the Wikileaks. It’s not as though that was privacy invasion, though. Transparency.

Now, perhaps, it’s a race against time. I say so because, as Nice Deb reports, Fox News has located some of the straw buyers for Operation Fast and Furious. As far as we know, News of the World’s hacking didn’t get anyone killed, but LOOK OVER THERE! A TALKING PENGUIN! surely the more important story is the one about the phone hacking. Boooosh!

Marizela Missing, Month 4

Posted on July 6, 2011 By Dan Collins

Michelle has a new post up at her blog about the latest developments and non-developments in the search for her cousin, Marizela Perez, including this photo, which looks rather familiar . . . like someone I may have seen on TV.

Michelle recounts the unconscionable delays and frustrations of attempting to get at the computer records that might shine some light on what she was up to when she disappeared.

There’s a great deal of tender regard for the Constitutional privacy of young people that actually works in their disfavor. As you probably know, one of my sons suffers from Childhood Onset Schizophrenia, with his first psychotic break at the age of nine. He’s now 18, and just as a precaution, with his permission, my wife and I sought and acquired guardianship. Many parents, especially those whose children have become schizophrenic after they reached the age of majority, are not so fortunate. Their children may abuse drugs and alcohol, skip their meds (which have rather a straitjacketing effect on their thoughts), and place themselves in significant danger, and there’s little they can do from a legal point of view. Most judges are notably more reluctant to find a minor incapable of managing his affairs than they are the elderly, and on the whole institutions are deeply concerned about being sued for infringing the constitutional rights of the mentally ill. Parents are also likely to meet the evidence with denial, as appears to have been the case with Jared Loughner, but that is a different subject.

In any case, delays such as the ones that Marizela’s parents and advocates have encountered are extremely prejudicial to the youngsters who are vulnerable, especially living far away from home for the first time, and clinically depressed. I know that if I were to disappear suddenly, I would want my privacy rights waived to permit investigators to view all of my information. Perhaps there is some legal mechanism that suppliers of web services such as email can put in place to allow that information to be viewed, or that colleges and universities can include in their matriculation documents to be co-signed by students and parents, that would be the equivalent of a living will with regard to this information. I think that it is a proposal that needs addressing.

You try to eat, but all you can taste is indigestible fear.

You try to breathe, but all that fills your lungs is stifling uncertainty.

You try to sleep, but all that comes is fathomless fatigue.

Your heart is weighted with grief, but your soul refuses to mourn.

Emem, wherever you are: You are so loved.

Marizela’s parents, Edgar and Jasmine, have remained vigilant, hopeful, and brave beyond belief. Please, please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as the search for Marizela continues.

As long as hope remains–cruel but indispensable hope–we’ll continue to follow this story and offer our prayers, and perhaps more. If anyone reading this has graphics chops, I think it might be a good idea to set up a Zazzle or similar shop with Find Marizela t-shirts and other gear, with the proceeds going to her parents. Or, if anyone reading this does silk-screening, perhaps they can give a discount on their services to make this worthwhile.

Meanwhile, you can donate and purchase Find Marizela bracelets here.

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