Al Qaeda coming back

[manicdem]

Taliban are bad but they're not the main problem. Al Qaeda will be back soon and will be hitting America again. I have a feeling well be back in Afghanistan again in about 5 years.

(CNN)Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said Sunday in a briefing for Senators that terrorist groups like al Qaeda could reconstitute in Afghanistan sooner than the two years defense officials had previously estimated to Congress because of the recent, rapid Taliban takeover of the country, according to a Senate aide briefed on the comments.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/15/politics/mark-milley-afghanistan-terror-groups/index.html

[roamer65]

1. ISIS will now have a sympathetic nation to run to.

[stillcool]

2. oh my god...I'm so scared

of what Covid is doing, about the GOP declaring military rule when they take over the federal government, about the whacked people who live in this country and won't even wear a frigging mask, but would love to see this country conquered. They will welcome abuse to women, ban education, declare Christianity a national religion and demand compliance with their legion of freaks...for starters.

[manicdem]

3. Al Qaeda and Isis are still around

It seems like everyone here has forgotten about ISIS and Al Qaeda. Our mission was to stop Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, saving the Afghan people was secondary. We didn't eliminate Al Qaeda, we pummeled them into hiding. Just like the Taliban fighters who were in hiding and came out with a vengeance right now.

Al Qaeda will be back soon. Organizing and training under the Taliban. Attacks will be coming to America in a couple of years.

[Shermann]

4. Lets keep one thing in mind

The United States invasion of Afghanistan has ended in failure, but it doesn't represent a good outcome for Al Qaeda either. They took heavy casualties and lost influence and control of significant territory for 20 years. They will surely cause trouble again, but I reckon they will think twice before launching a major offensive against the US.

[honest.abe]

5. I dont think so.

The Taliban may not have moderated but they know if AQ or ISIS begin using Afghanistan for terror training they will be invaded once again. I think they have learned at least that much from 20 years of war.

[manicdem]

6. We'll just leave again

Taliban know we'll hit them again. They also know that American's aren't up to invading again or if we do, we'll leave and they'll regain power again.

Doesn't seem like the Taliban have much to lose.

[honest.abe]

7. They are crazed religious fanatics but they still must have some basic survival instincts.

The Taliban leadership will likely be taken out if we invade again. I think that is incentive enough for them to keep AQ and ISIS out.

[manicdem]

13. Your giving them too much credit

[Klaralven]

8. Al Qaeda is not coming back. Islamic State Khorasan occupies that space now.

Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K) is the Islamic State’s Central Asian province and remains active three years after its inception. The Islamic State announced its expansion to the Khorasan region in 2015, which historically encompasses parts of modern day Iran, Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.1 Despite initial skepticism about the group’s existence from analysts and government officials alike, IS-K has been responsible for nearly 100 attacks against civilians in Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as roughly 250 clashes with the U.S., Afghan, and Pakistani security forces since January 2017.2 Though IS-K has yet to conduct attacks against the U.S. homeland, the group represents an enduring threat to U.S. and allied interests in South and Central Asia. This backgrounder is an overview of the history, leadership, and current strategic goals of IS-K.

https://www.csis.org/programs/transnational-threats-project/past-projects/terrorism-backgrounders/islamic-state-khorasan

[manicdem]

11. Same thing different name?

Seems like they'd merge or can coexist together.

[Klaralven]

12. Al Qaeda was the original tumor that metastasized into the various branches of Islamic State

Islamic State in Iraq and Syria - ISIS - was the first. But there are now several branches, such as IS Khorasan, IS Mahgreb, IS Sahel, etc.

[manicdem]

14. IC, I didn't realize that until now. NT

[JohnSJ]

9. Gosh, if only we stayed there longer and made it the 51st state we wouldn't have this problem

[manicdem]

10. China solution

I see an alternative to American occupation and stopping Al Qaeda. China.

China has been eyeing the resources in Afghanistan all this time and are neutral to the Taliban. They also want to extend their global reach to challenge the US. China also has a strong relationship with Pakistan and Iran who share borders with Afghanistan. China never attacked the Taliban nor has a beef with Al Qaeda. They could negotiate for a partnership and bribe the Taliban and Tribal leaders. Put a military base there.

China then wouldn't want Al Qaeda to attack the US since it would give the US a reason to attack Chinese assets.

That's the alternative to getting out of Afghanistan and stopping Al Qaeda attacks.

[bigtree]

15. all of our intelligence agencies agree that our occupations generate more terrorists

...than they eliminate.

That's the post.

[Midnight Writer]

16. But Trump and Pompeo said the Taliban are our partners in the fight against Al Qaeda.