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Al-Qaeda's Small Victories Add Up

(New York Times) Anthony H. Cordesman - Al-Qaeda carried out its most successful attack since 9/11 last weekend, and much of that success was a result of the American reaction. The American Embassy in Riyadh decided to forget about American investment and trade by calling for all Americans to leave the country. Is it any wonder oil prices soared this week - if the Americans are going to cut and run whenever things get messy, why should oil traders have any faith in the continued supply? We know that by the time of the 9/11 attacks, some 70,000 to 100,000 young men had been through some form of Islamist training camp, and that al-Qaeda had affiliates or some kind of tie to movements in more than 60 countries. It seems that the administration's neoconservatives have given up their dream of a broader Middle East initiative, which is a welcome sign of maturity. But this doesn't mean it is time to go on the defensive. The writer is a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
2004-06-04 00:00:00
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