Abstract

This paper would focus on the article “A Survey of Al-Qaeda “Winning or Losing?” and would throw light on some of the key issues the world have faced since the 9/11 attacks. An attempt would be made at the end of this paper in the form of conclusion to determine whether the AL-Qaeda has managed to stretch itself or it has been restricted if not completely eliminated as the result of war against terrorism

Table of Contents

Abstracti

Introduction1

Discussion1

Weaknesses2

Strengths3

Conclusion4

A Survey of Al-Qaeda “Winning or Losing?”

Introduction

The article, which I chose, to analyze was published in 'THE ECONOMIST' on July 17th 2008; the article tends to focus on the conduct of Al-Qaeda in areas it tends to operate. This article tends to discuss the possibilities and marks out events in the light of which any decision could be made regarding the progress of Al-Qaeda. The Article also includes the data regarding the number of deaths at the hands of Al-Qaeda and specifically due to Suicide Bombings. This article tend to establish the fact that the biggest enemy of the terrorist organization is its own self, despite the war against terrorism the organization has managed to hold the ground, though it has become weaker as compared to the past.

Discussion

War against Al-Qaeda was launched in 2001, when the World Trade Centre was struck by the planes causing the deaths of thousands of Americans, but the response the Americans gave did not result in eliminating the Al-Qaeda from its root. Americans launched an operation in the Areas of Afghanistan; Al-Qaeda has now moved its home base to the border near Pakistan thus causing the millions of dollars to go waste. The war should have eliminated the terrorism from the world, but actions speak against the results, Yes United Sates of America was not attacked after it but many European cities did bear the pain of bombings, and they continue to post threats to many developed countries from the mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan. The article tends to combine the existence and the struggle of the Hezbollah and Al-Qaeda in the same context. It also tends to portray Saddam Hussein as the dangerous dictator, a dictator which American authorities supported during the Iran-Iraq War. It also presents the point of Mr.Zawhiri who tends to argue that the 9/11 attack was the trick to invite Americans in order to pave the way for their own destruction (Brian, p.16).

Weaknesses

This article earlier spotted light on the war against terrorism that it enabled the American s to weaken Al-Qaeda. Though my response is in complete contrast to this, this article was published after eight years the Americans and its allies launched the war on terror, after the incident of 9/11. Many incidents had occurred, before this attack, to jeopardize the American image in the world that it tends to act against. The article claims that Al-Qaeda was weakened and based itself on the arrests of Khalid Sheikh Mohammad the mastermind behind the attacks, but where was Osama Bin Laden in 2008. Terrorism do not ...