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Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Al Qaeda Planning An October Surprise?

An attack around election time would fit in with al Qaeda’s modus operandi.  The Madrid attack took place just days before an election.  The London attacks took place shortly after Prime Minister Brown was put into office.  They killed Benazir Bhutto as she made a move to become Prime Minister of Pakistan, and have just recently executed an attack on a hotel in Pakistan that might have been aimed at newly-elected President Zardari.

There was also intelligence suggesting communications about an attack right before the Bush/Kerry elections in 2004.

In the aftermath of two major terrorist attacks on Western targets, America’s counterterrorism community is warning that Al Qaeda may launch more overseas operations to influence the presidential elections in November.

Call it Osama bin Laden’s “October surprise.” In late August, during the weekend between the Democratic and Republican conventions, America’s military and intelligence agencies intercepted a series of messages from Al Qaeda’s leadership to intermediate members of the organization asking local cells to be prepared for imminent instructions.

An official familiar with the new intelligence said the message was picked up in multiple settings, from couriers to encrypted electronic communications to other means. “These are generic orders,” the source said — a distinction from the more specific intelligence about the location, time, and method of an attack. “It was, ‘Be on notice. We may call upon you soon.’ It was sent out on many channels.”

It just goes to show that while most of the left/media - who have been exposed as being terribly, horribly wrong about Iraq and the war on terror in general over the past year - don’t want to talk about the war on terror any more, it’s still with us.  And requires our attention and vigilance.

Discussion question: How long until certain elements on the left are questioning the timing of intelligence reports like these, suggesting that they’re little more than propaganda campaigns orchestrated by President Bush to help his party win an election?  Also, do you think that maybe sometimes our anti-terror officials release information like this as a way to deter an attack?  To let the terrorists know that we’re listening and that we know what they’re up to?

Comments

What the hell else do those guys think about?
Monday night football, selling their T-Bills?

WOOF on September 23, 2008 at 07:24 am
Avatar for Eddie_the_Hated

They’d be absolutely foolish to.

We’ll have a repeat of the Iran hostage situation. Carter leaves office, and hard-hitting Reagan steps in, and go fig! Mid-east terrorist organizations ain’t so hot are they?

God forbid another attack ever happens on American soil, and if they are indeed planning, a foiled al-quaeda attempt would just go to show the (often obfuscated) upsides to having a Republican in office.

Eddie_the_Hated on September 23, 2008 at 07:36 am

An attack of any kind at this point, for the election, would lean heavy in support of McCain. It would bring back to the front National Security, something which the Republicans have always polled better with.

If this election were to be close, and there was an attack by terrorist, it could very well tip the scale to McCain.

sanity on September 23, 2008 at 07:49 am

An attack of any kind at this point, for the election, would lean heavy in support of McCain. It would bring back to the front National Security, something which the Republicans have always polled better with.

I think you’re right, while I don’t want to see another terrorist attack, I think it would push the country towards McCain because you would have fighting the war on terror with McCain as opposed to appeasement and treating it like a law enforcement issue i.e. Kerry, Obama, Gore.

NO-ONE would want to give NOBAMA the keys to white house after a terror attack, it would be a repeat of Carter all over again. Look for a big surge in Afghanistan (sp).


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goon on September 23, 2008 at 08:52 am

If this election were to be close, and there was an attack by terrorist, it could very well tip the scale to McCain.

medium_dr_evil_1.jpg

Yea right. Al Qaeda knows if we go through another GOP term, the place will literally be bankrupt. They know that pulling us into expanding our international operations will do just the trick. Heh. Tough on terror needs be less shortsighted.


Yun Chu said, “You must strictly not express in words what is very significant. Both dragon and snake are killed in one blow.”

Sparkie Arbuckle on September 23, 2008 at 09:26 am

Yea right. Al Qaeda knows if we go through another GOP term, the place will literally be bankrupt. They know that pulling us into expanding our international operations will do just the trick. Heh. Tough on terror needs be less shortsighted.

Wow, nice spin job, lets have a terrorist attack to elect BHO…


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goon on September 23, 2008 at 09:39 am
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Obmites are gloating over the Fan & Fred debacle and I imagine they would gloat over the deaths from an alquaida attack as well

observer on September 23, 2008 at 10:36 am

The right is hoping for an attack so that they can get this back to GWOT instead of the economy.

And Rob gives them what they want and tries to scare them into voting for McCain.

Pathetic.


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Hannitized on September 23, 2008 at 10:39 am
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The right is hoping for an attack

No one hopes for an attack, you slimy sack of pus! Do I have to add mind-numbingly vile to your other mind-numbing attributes?

Pathetic.

Once again: Thanks for signing your posts!


Excuse me, you were saying?

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Proof on September 23, 2008 at 11:07 am

All you right-wing lunatics are hoping for an attack because you think it will help your cause and your candidate.  This is evident by comments like this:

It just goes to show that while most of the left/media - who have been exposed as being terribly, horribly wrong about Iraq and the war on terror in general over the past year - don’t want to talk about the war on terror any more, it’s still with us.  And requires our attention and vigilance.

Hear that?  Robert want’s you to pay attention to Bin Laden and his message for you.  Because to Rob, Osama Bin Laden matters! 

Obama, who is encouraging our financial leaders and leaders of American companies to remain interested in serving for great money, just not ridiculous money where the company is in financial stress, but Rob and cohorts want you to instead hear more about attacks that are occurring over seas....and possibly here at home, so they hope.

That will get liberals back on track, Rob thinks!  Sigh.


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Hannitized on September 23, 2008 at 11:19 am
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All you right-wing lunatics are hoping for an attack

And your evidence for this is where? All we have is you lying through your fecal stained teeth about it, Tiki Troll.

it’s still with us.  And requires our attention and vigilance.

...translates to ”hoping for it” in your sick twisted mind? I knew you were incapable of understanding the definitions of simple words, but this is a stretch even for you , Han-Job!

I don’t hope that you’ll show up on any given thread, yet you’re still with us!

What a totally brain dead Leftard you are! Take your meconium slime trail over to the DU where someone might actually appreciate your ability to defecate at will on any given thread.


Excuse me, you were saying?

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Proof on September 23, 2008 at 11:30 am
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Hear that?  Robert want’s you to pay attention to Bin Laden and his message for you.  Because to Rob, Osama Bin Laden matters!

You think Osama doesn’t matter? Lets hope that if there is an attack it wipes your lying Liberal piece of shit ass off the Earth and makes room for honest, decent people.

BTW, lying Liberal piece of shit, isn’t the Left’s main talking point that we still haven’t caught Osama and Bush said he’s not that concerned with him? Which is it, Osama matters, or doesn’t?

Bullwinkle on September 23, 2008 at 12:24 pm

Robert want’s you to pay attention to Bin Laden and his message for you.

Now you’re just lying again; I said nothing of the kind.  You are just making things up again.  Your desperation is showing.
I want to kill all the terrorists, regardless of name; it is you lefties who are fixated on OBL.  Now that the war is an unqualified success, you lying lefties want to ignore it.  You only paid attention to the war on terrorism because you could spin it for partisan political purposes.  Now that you can’t buy any votes with it, you ignore it.


The only legitimate role of government with regard to economics is to prevent fraud and provide a remedy- civil and criminal penalties- in case of fraud.

People have the mistaken notion that the free market has no rules.  But it most certainly does.  All our problems are due to government meddling.

robert108 on September 23, 2008 at 12:31 pm

You only paid attention to the war on terrorism because you could spin it for partisan political purposes.  Now that you can’t buy any votes with it, you ignore it.

Good point Robert, now that the war on terror is kicking ass they don’t want to talk about it. I like how we took going into Pakistan away from BHO. I haven’t heard a peep from him. Notice they aren’t harping on Bush either?


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goon on September 23, 2008 at 12:47 pm

All you right-wing lunatics are hoping for an attack because you think it will help your cause and your candidate.

Hannitized, normally I try and take a more diplomatic / debate type approach with you, but this statement deseves to be derided, along with yourself for even suggesting something so stupid.

No one, and I do mean, NO ONE, wishes to have another attack happen. Republicans / nor Conservatives (yes, there is a difference) do not want such a thing at all.

As for wanting coverage of Iraq, we are pointing out the difference in reporting of the MSM, when it was American lives being lost or anything bad happening, they were all over it to show the world how bad the US is. But, now that things are better, there is reconstruction, there is less and less violence, and more good things happening - the news of what is happeing there suddenly doesn’t matter.

We aren’t complaining about the GWOT coverage being spotlighted, but the effects both bad AND good - not just the bad.

sanity on September 23, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Avatar for DahktaD

October surprize?  I bet Bin-Laden and Al-Zawahiri will announce they have been secretly married.

DahktaD on September 23, 2008 at 01:37 pm

All you right-wing lunatics are hoping for an attack because you think it will help your cause and your candidate.  This is evident by comments like this:

I think that you would never have made that leap if you weren’t so hateful towards Rob. Rob is so focused on the war on terror because he DOESN’T want another attack. Cmon man. You can disagree without calling him a monster.


For the first time in my adult life, I am ashamed of my country.

Kenny on September 23, 2008 at 07:09 pm

It just goes to show that while most of the left/media - who have been exposed as being terribly, horribly wrong about Iraq and the war on terror in general over the past year - don’t want to talk about the war on terror any more, it’s still with us.  And requires our attention and vigilance.
Discussion question: How long until certain elements on the left are questioning the timing of intelligence reports like these, suggesting that they’re little more than propaganda campaigns orchestrated by President Bush to help his party win an election?  Also, do you think that maybe sometimes our anti-terror officials release information like this as a way to deter an attack?  To let the terrorists know that we’re listening and that we know what they’re up to?

Your post particulary points out overseas operations. What about right here on good old U.S. soil? Do not be surprised. Why don’t U.S. officials point that out to the public with warnings for us all to be alert? I would not put this past George and his cronies to fabricate this story, though. Given their history, which you seem to ignore.
As far as the war on terror is concerned, we cannot win it. Every other nation seems to understand this except us. Your idea about the release of this information to deter an attack may be right. I would not be surprised to see a surge in attacks in Iraq to prove that we are not winning that war. I am totally disappointed that we let the terrorists get away with the attack in Yemen. What good is all this high tech surveillance and highly trained “Black Ops” personnel doing us? We keep fighting a poor man’s war with a rich man’s weapons.

ollie-B on September 23, 2008 at 07:42 pm

As far as the war on terror is concerned, we cannot win it.

I guess that depends upon who you mean by “we”.  You lefties just can’t wait to submit to Islam, but most of us don’t want any part of your defeatism.


The only legitimate role of government with regard to economics is to prevent fraud and provide a remedy- civil and criminal penalties- in case of fraud.

People have the mistaken notion that the free market has no rules.  But it most certainly does.  All our problems are due to government meddling.

robert108 on September 23, 2008 at 07:44 pm

As far as the war on terror is concerned, we cannot win it. Every other nation seems to understand this except us.

Normally, I think Robert’s hyperbole is over the top, but he’s absolutely right here. You have Germany ruling that sharia law trumps German law, you have France where “youth” (read Muslim) violence is a common, and unpunished, occurance. You have England, in which it’s now common knowledge that children’s charities willingly donated money to the 7/7 hijackers...because their Political Correctness made them unwilling to ask questions. All of Europe seems falling all over itself to accept second class status under sharia.

The old saying seems apt, “if all your friends jumped off a bridge would you too?” At least, in your case, the answer is yes.


For the first time in my adult life, I am ashamed of my country.

Kenny on September 24, 2008 at 02:32 am
Avatar for frank burns

If they do attack, it is because they don’t like how the elections are going. If they attack, it is because they understand American’s fears, and they want McCain to win. Unfortunately, the Americans might just play into their hands—Obama would unite the world against Al Quaeda, McCain, the continuation of Bush, would weaken the world and destabilize it with more senseless attacks on places that would squander American money, military personnel, prestige and leadership.

frank burns on October 13, 2008 at 06:48 pm

Obama would unite the world against Al Quaeda

Pure fantasy; he has already announced his intention to submit to them; he will meet with them, as if they are civilized human beings, and has announced drastic cuts in our military, which will leave us weak and open to attack.  We have had no terrorist attacks on our soil since the Clinton-enabled 9/11 attack, due to President Bush fighting and killing the terrorists.  You couldn’t be more wrong.


The only legitimate role of government with regard to economics is to prevent fraud and provide a remedy- civil and criminal penalties- in case of fraud.

People have the mistaken notion that the free market has no rules.  But it most certainly does.  All our problems are due to government meddling.

robert108 on October 13, 2008 at 06:58 pm
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