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Robert Diamond Named President and Deputy Chief Group Officer of Barclays PLC
Atlantic Council Board member Robert E. Diamond Jr. will succeed John Varley as President and Deputy Chief Group Officer of Barclays PLC, effective 1 October 2010.
Senator Hagel Interview: Hagel May Have Left Senate Behind, But Not His Candor About Politics
Atlantic Council chairman Chuck Hagel was featured in an article by Michael Coleman of The Washington Diplomat, providing insight Senator Hagel's post-Senate career, and opinions on Iraq, Afghanistan, and the upcoming elections.
Nawaz Offers Views on Changing Pakistani Perceptions of U.S.
Shuja Nawaz, Director of the Atlantic Council's South Asia Center, was interviewed on The Takeaway morning radio news program on the Pakistan flood situation. The discussion focused on the U.S. being the single largest donor of aid, and the potential for Pakistanis to shift their perceptions of America. Nawaz insists that the U.S. should stay the course with aid to Pakistan, but warns of the long-term effects of America's goodwill, stating that "changing image takes a long time."
Atlantic Council Board Member Tom Blair Releases Book "Poorer Richard's America"
In his new book "Poorer Richard's America: What Would Ben Say?", Atlantic Council Board member Tom Blair writes as Ben Franklin on a wide range of issues affecting America today: the national deficit, Wall Street, health care, and many others.
FEATURED ISSUE
Wars fundamentally change militaries. For example, the bloody and muddy stalemate of World War I led defeated Germany to invest in the innovative use of armor and firepower to break that stalemate. The U.S. experience in Vietnam led to the rise of the professional and all-volunteer force that is now fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Marriot Bombing Planner Killed in CIA Strike
James Joyner | January 09, 2009
The head of al Qaeda in Pakistan was killed last week, Joby Warrick reports on page 1 of today's WaPo.
A New Year's Day CIA strike in northern Pakistan killed two top al-Qaeda members long sought by the United States, including the man believed to be behind September's deadly suicide bombing at a Marriott hotel in the Pakistani capital, U.S. counterterrorism officials confirmed yesterday.
Agency officials ascertained this week that Usama al-Kini, a Kenyan national who was described as al-Qaeda's chief of operations in Pakistan, was killed in the Jan. 1 missile strike, along with his lieutenant, identified as Sheikh Ahmed Salim Swedan, the sources said. Both men were associated with a string of suicide attacks in Pakistan in recent months and also allegedly helped plan the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in East Africa.
Kini, who had been pursued by U.S. law enforcement agencies on two continents for a decade, was the eighth senior al-Qaeda leader killed in clandestine CIA strikes since July, the officials said. He and Swedan were ranked among the 23 most-wanted terrorists by the FBI, with a bounty offering of $5 million for their capture.
After seven years of people described as "the number three al Qaeda official" or the like being killed, seemingly without impact on the group's operations, it's easy to be cynical about these reports. Recall, however, the words of CIA director Michael Hayden in his talk at the Atlantic Council two months ago: "Today, virtually every major terrorist threat that my agency is aware of has threads back to the tribal areas." This is a major development, indeed.
That's not to say that Pakistan-based terrorism or al Qaeda are in their death throes; that's not how it works. Al Qaeda in particular has evolved into more of a brand name than a specific terrorist organization. But the fact that we're finally getting the level of intelligence cooperation necessary to locate and target the highest level leaders of these groups in the FATA is terrific news, indeed.
James Joyner is managing editor of the Atlantic Council. AP Photo by Gerald Herbert. Story tip by Memeorandum.
Comments
As I've said before I think that the approach to reducing terrorist threats lies not so much with eliminating it as to increasing its cost.
Going after leaders increases our enemies' costs in a number of important ways. First, there's the obvious loss of knowledge and expertise. There's a cost associated with replacing that or, alternatively, attacks become less effective. Either is a good thing.
Second, each leader represents a network of connections and associations. That has a replacement cost, too.
Finally, as you suggest there's a cost in status, too. As elimination of the leaders becomes quicker and more certain it removes some of the patina from the organization.
Logical.
hmm..great post for me.thanks keep sharing
This is an interesting claim by the author. Sure there are two sides to it.
WHat ever happened to due process and respecting other nation's sovereignty. The Bush administation should be ashamed of this action and I hope President Elect Obama strongly condems it.
Anonymous,
Your response is exactly why 9-11 happened! Incredible, Get a Grip! These people are less than animals, they prey on civilians, schools, hospitals, they have no respect for life! Even their Own Children, they fill them with hate and strap Bombs on their backs!
Give me a Break!
born to be a killer, I don't think anyone would want to be...I would really know what do they think of killing people who is gonna live just 75 years long, no more than that! why do they want to set other lives shortly?? People shall have the right to stay same as everyone. Stop Killing!!
War and due process are incompatible. The good guys shoot the bad guys. You know, like World War II. It is legitimate to respect a nation's borders, if that nation has control of those borders. The Pakistanis don't; as a result, hostile forces inside Pakistan use the borders as a defense. So, the CIA finds a way. Obama won't change that.
WHat ever happened to due process and respecting other nation's sovereignty. The Bush administation should be ashamed of this action and I hope President Elect Obama strongly condems it.
xrapi
Al Qaeda in particular has evolved into more of a brand name than a specific terrorist organization.
I see the reason why 9-11 happened HGH
It is legitimate to respect a nation's borders, if that nation has control of those borders.
stop killing please, I feel really sick when have heard something like this.
It is very logical.
Its ridiculous.Stop killing ppl man.Be peace from both the sides. Driver Education Course Pennsylvania Driver Education Drug and alcohol Test San Francisco Traffic School
Thanks for sharing !
Kini, who had been pursued by U.S. law enforcement agencies on two continents for a decade, was the eighth senior al-Qaeda leader killed in clandestine CIA strikes since July, the officials said. He and Swedan were ranked among the 23 most-wanted terrorists by the FBI, with a bounty offering of $5 million for their capture.
Thank you very much for the information provided! I was looking for this data for a long time, bit I was not able to find the trusted source
There is a very realistic element that most people miss out here. Most leaders in the Terrorist organisations from what I have seen have ready leaders who have been trained, and are quick to jump into the decision making process should their superiors be eliminated. The only reason why Terrorism is so alive today as it was 10 years ago. Kampala Hotels
In agreement. At least we are getting the intelligence needed. Seems like a positive step.
thanks for the information, keep spirit mate....
keep going...
That types of actions required by CIA against Al Quaeda agents to control terrorism in the world.Thanks to you for sharing this information here.
Useful information shipyard....
thx...
Not sure this was mentioned on international news.
Great content Récupérationdedonnées
I really hate terorisme
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