In my recent post "Rethinking Russia" I was entertaining the idea that we should revisit previous world conflicts to evaluate whether Al Qaida or terrorists played a role in areas where we hadn't focused on that possibility.
Reader Jill left an excellent comment where she challenged my assertion that Al Qaida was playing a role in Bosnia and Chechnya.
I've learned two things since:
1. I'm reading Richard Clarke's book "Against All Enemies". Readers of this blog will know that I'm not a fan of Dick Clarke. However, he has some interesting relevant info in his book on this topic. He indicates, approximately around page 138, that as the CIA and other agencies began tracking Al Qaida that they knew that they were strategically planning and executing the exportation of "jihad" into countries like Bosnia and Chechnya. Their goal was and is to establish a Caliphate in that region of the country to reestablish Islamic rule. Yes, he said Bosnia and Chechnya specifically.
2. USA Today had a cover story yesterday about a top Al Qaida officer, with direct ties to Osama Bin Laden, surrendering in Saudi Arabia. An interesting little sidenote in the article was that he was offloaded in Saudi Arabia in a wheelchair. Why a wheelchair? Because he was injured fighting in Bosnia and Chechnya.
Connect the dots, people.
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