AQAP Brazenly Broadcast Meeting In Yemen – Mass al-Qaeda Meeting/Rally With Call For Mass Christian American Extermination…
I hate living in a time where we need to consider U.S. motivations in publicizing the issues of AQAP; …..and the potential for this to be a strategic media discussion. “Hate” is a strong word, but in this example it’s not even strong enough – sorry.
If we remove our own government’s ulterior motives from the equation, which is not easy, we are left to discuss the possibility Obama’s weakness in Syria and now Ukraine is specifically emboldening AQAP to think bigger than they normally would.
Regardless, it should be noted that historically AQAP only broadcasts their open meetings when something, some event, is already well underway. That said – it is prudent to be extra cautious and pay attention to the EU and Central Middle East (ie Egypt).
Never forget that upon a scale of rabid religious ideology – AQAP is at the very top in a deeply held belief they are engaged in a “Holy War”. Here’s the CNN report:
Washington (CNN) — A new video shows what looks like the largest and most dangerous gathering of al Qaeda in years. And the CIA and the Pentagon either didn’t know about it or couldn’t get a drone there in time to strike.
U.S. officials won’t comment on that, but every frame of the video is now being analyzed by the United States.
In the middle of the clip, the man known as al Qaeda’s crown prince, Nasir al-Wuhayshi, appears brazenly out in the open, greeting followers in Yemen. Al-Wuhayshi, the No. 2 leader of al Qaeda globally and the head of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, has said he wants to attack the United States. But in the video, he looks unconcerned that he could be hit by an American drone.
The video started appearing on jihadist websites recently, drawing the attention of U.S. officials and global terrorism experts. U.S. officials say they believe it’s authentic.
“This is quite an extraordinary video,” Paul Cruickshank, CNN terrorism analyst, said.
The video shows al-Wuhayshi addressing more than 100 fighters somewhere within Yemen, Cruickshank said, a restive nation on the southwestern portion of the Arabian Peninsula. The al Qaeda leader, he said, is “taking a big risk in doing this.”
But he doesn’t mince words about his mission.
In a speech to the group, al-Wuhayshi makes it clear that he’s going after the United States, saying “We must eliminate the cross. … The bearer of the cross is America!”
U.S. officials believe the highly produced video is recent. With some fighters faces blurred, there is worry it signals a new round of plotting.
[...] “All of the things that they would need to do to strike a Western target, they’re going through that process.”
Retired Gen. Mark Kimmitt said smaller al Qaeda affiliates are coalescing into a more organized base.
“Sooner or later, if they continue to get better, stronger and more organized,” he said, “they will be a direct threat to the United States.”
It’s unlikely the United States wasn’t aware of the meeting shown in the video, Kimmitt told “CNN Tonight.”
“The question isn’t why didn’t we know,” he said. “The question is: What are we going to do about it?” (link with video)
But.........
US Confirms ‘Support’ as Syrian Rebels Show US Missiles in Videos
Anti-Tank Weapons, But Not Anti-Aircraft Missiles Being Supplied
by Jason Ditz, April 15, 2014
Though the details of how they are being smuggled into Syria remain somewhat unclear, Syrian rebels have released yet more videos showing themselves in possession of US-made anti-tank missiles, and US officials are privately confirming that they are part of the US “backing” of rebellion.
Officials quoted by Reuters say that the decision was made to give the go-ahead to Saudi proposals to provide the rebels with the anti-tank BGM-71 TOW missiles, but that a similar proposal to supply surface-to-air missiles was rejected.
The National Security Council would not touch of the details, but said the US remains committed to the “moderate opposition” in Syria’s ongoing civil war, and would continue to provide “assistance to vetted members” of the rebellion.
The rebels had previously been using HJ-8 anti-tank missiles, a Chinese guided missile of similar design. The switch to US missiles is unlikely to be a dramatic shift in power for the rebels, though it is a significant shift in the US arming of rebels.
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