Homeland security experts, speaking in Aspen, say time is ripe for 'knockout blow' against al Qaeda

By Troy Hooper
Real AspenAugust 1, 2011
Small-scale terrorism attacks may be here to stay but with al Qaeda reeling from Osama bin Laden's death, the United States could deliver a “knockout” blow to the terror group if several of its senior leaders are captured or killed, according to homeland security experts who spoke in Aspen last week.

“This is a period of turbulence for our arch enemy," Douglas E. Lute, the White House's top national security adviser on Pakistan, said Friday at the Aspen Security Forum. "In this succession period there are three to five key leaders of al Qaeda that if they were removed from the battlefield … it would seriously degrade al Qaeda's ability to regenerate. This is the time to double down on the opportunity to defeat al Qaeda. We need to go for the knockout punch.”
Michael E. Leiter, the recently retired director of the National Counterterrorism Center, at the Aspen Security Forum last week. (Image: Aspen Institute)



Over the next six months, the retired three-star Army general declared “we have a chance of a lifetime” to cripple the world's most infamous terror organization. He said that the United States has shared with Pakistan the names of the senior al Qaeda leaders it is targeting, but other than Ayman al-Zawahri, bin Laden's longtime deputy and successor, Lute declined to identify the terrorists for the Aspen audience.

“Taking out this last core element of al Qaeda is also in Pakistan's interests,” he added.

Lute's statements are among the most candid yet regarding the nation's counterterrorism strategy since President Obama ordered commandos to take out bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan, on May 2.

But even if U.S. forces were to “strategically defeat” al Qaeda, the specter of terrorism will not end, according to Michael E. Leiter, the recently retired director of the National Counterterrorism Center.

Speaking publicly for the first time since resigning his post last month, Leiter at the Aspen Security Forum said there is “an an element of violent extremists that we don't have a perfect way of defeating.”

He pointed to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, which tried and failed to bomb Times Square last year, as one such organization independent of al Qaeda. He also cited groups in Somalia and Yemen, as well as homegrown extremists in the United States, as enemies that “we need to have in our crosshairs.”

“The threat we saw in 2001 is not the threat we face today,” Leiter said.

Whereas bin Laden obsessed with the spectacular when plotting attacks against the Western world, the new engineers of terrorism are satisfied with small-scale attacks that can yield massive results.

“You don't need a 9/11 to have an enormous emotional impact on a country. … You don't need a 9/11 to have enormous geopolitical impacts,” he said, recalling how the coordinated bombings and shootings in Mumbai in November 2008 nearly provoked a war between India and Pakistan.

While other experts at the Aspen forum maintained that the consensus among those in security intelligence is that the United States faces no greater or urgent danger than an attack with a nuclear weapon, Leiter said chemical or biological weapons are more likely to kill Americans. Using an easy-to-concoct poison such as ricin, he said, would be an effective way for terrorists to galvanize fear.

“Is it going to kill many people? No. Is it going to scare people? Yes,” he said.

Leiter, who spent five years directing the National Counterterrorism Center, said that both President Bush and President Obama in his experience “were unbelievably focused on” homeland security.

He predicted that despite the nation's best efforts, terrorists will strike the United States again.

“The American people do need to understand that at least the smaller-scale terrorist attacks are with us for the foreseeable future,” Leiter said. “The way that we fundamentally defeat that threat, which is very difficult to stop in its entirety, is to maintain a culture of resilience. Although this threat of terrorism is real and there will be tragic events that lead to the deaths of innocent people, it is not, in my view, an existential threat to our society unless we respond to this threat in an unhealthy way.”


comments: 21 Comments on "Homeland security experts, speaking in Aspen, say time is ripe for 'knockout blow' against al Qaeda"

SEO Backlinks1 – Aug. 11, 2022, at 6:30 a.m.

L'environnement commercial d'aujourd'hui est plus compétitif que jamais. Par conséquent, de nombreuses personnes ressentent la pression de la réussite. Cela peut conduire à une augmentation des niveaux de stress, ce qui peut avoir un impact négatif sur notre santé physique et mentale. Pour aider nos employés à faire face à cette pression, Startupo propose une formation sur la gestion du stress. Le cours couvre une variété de sujets, y compris comment identifier les signes de stress, comment gérer notre temps efficacement, et comment faire face au stress sur le lieu de travail. En suivant ce cours, les employés apprendront à mieux gérer leur niveau de stress et à rester en bonne santé mentale et physique. formation gestion du stress

SEO Backlinks1 – Aug. 12, 2022, at 5:39 a.m.

Il n'y a aucun doute que Startupo est le meilleur centre de formation en France. Des instructeurs expérimentés et compétents aux installations ultramodernes, tout à Startupo est conçu pour vous aider à tirer le meilleur parti de votre formation. Les programmes de formation de Startupo sont conçus pour répondre aux besoins de chaque étudiant, et le personnel est toujours disponible pour fournir un soutien et des conseils. De plus, le centre de formation est situé au cœur de Paris, ce qui vous permet d'accéder facilement à toutes les meilleures attractions de la ville. Que vous cherchiez à améliorer vos compétences en langue française ou à en apprendre davantage sur la culture française, Startupo est l'endroit idéal pour vous. https://startupo.fr/course/312/

SEO Backlinks1 – Jan. 14, 2023, at 3:08 a.m.

Positive site, where did u come up with the information on this posting?I have read a few of the articles on your website now, and I really like your style. Thanks a million and please keep up the effective work. ắc quy bộ lưu điện ups chất lượng

SEO Backlinks1 – Jan. 20, 2023, at 2:19 a.m.

Thank you for taking the time to publish this information very useful! Georgia Fake ID

SEO Backlinks1 – Jan. 26, 2023, at 7:21 a.m.

Thank you so much for ding the impressive job here, everyone will surely like your post. judi slot freebet online

SEO Backlinks1 – Feb. 25, 2023, at 3:33 a.m.

Wow, happy to see this awesome post. I hope this think help any newbie for their awesome work. By the way thanks for share this awesomeness from egr and dpf delete kits

SEO Backlinks1 – Feb. 25, 2023, at 9:07 a.m.

I appreciated your work very thanks Loofah Sponge Wholesale

SEO Backlinks1 – Feb. 26, 2023, at 9:37 a.m.

Buying likes for your Instagram posts is a great way to get more engagement and success. Improve your social media marketing strategy with like24. kup hacklink

SEO Backlinks1 – March 02, 2023, at 1:42 p.m.

This article offers an extensive review of the history of Republic Airport in Farmingdale, New York. It discusses all of the major aircraft manufacturers once based there, including Fairchild, Grumman, Seversky, Republic, and Fairchild-Republic, looks at its brief scheduled airline operations, and hints at its future. transfer para caraiva

SEO Backlinks1 – March 03, 2023, at 12:41 p.m.

New York City is one of the most popular key travel destinations for corporate travellers worldwide. The city is the center of much that's great, dynamic and profitable in America. As a frequent corporate traveller you probably may have flown to one of the three New York airports at some point or another. With JFK being a major international gateway to the US, this city guide aims to provide some helpful travel agents tips for corporate travellers flying to or from JFK Airport. transfer aeroporto porto seguro trancoso

SEO Backlinks1 – March 05, 2023, at 1:59 a.m.

National Airport Parking can be a bit crowded around the holidays with only 9400 parking bays available at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Find out about your DCA parking options and make your trip out of Washington Reagan as problem-free as possible. taxi aeroporto porto seguro trancoso

SEO Backlinks1 – March 07, 2023, at 2:43 a.m.

Whenever Jose Mourinho speaks - the football world listens. He simply is one of its best tacticians and motivators and will be regarded as one of its best coaches when his career is over. What he has achieved already puts him in the pantheon of all-time greats. Two European Cups (Champions League) with Porto and Inter. League titles with Porto, Chelsea and Inter. He is unique because he not only wins silverware in one league - he crosses over to different leagues and keeps winning. How many great managers have done that? taxi arraial d'ajuda

SEO Backlinks1 – March 10, 2023, at 5:20 a.m.

I would recommend my profile is important to me, I invite you to discuss this topic... plush animals

SEO Backlinks1 – March 10, 2023, at 9:02 a.m.

I’m going to read this. I’ll be sure to come back. thanks for sharing. and also This article gives the light in which we can observe the reality. this is very nice one and gives indepth information. thanks for this nice article... outdoor modular couch

SEO Backlinks1 – April 04, 2023, at 9:12 a.m.

It is thanks to the Great Barrier Reef that Airlie Beach is such a perfect destination for water sports enthusiasts. The Great Barrier Reef protects waters of Airlie and Whitsunday Islands. There are seventy four islands and if you stay on the coast there are Airlie beach tours that incorporate trips to the islands. You have a choice of boat charters to take you to and from the islands. You have the option of a boat with a crew or you can captain your own. There is no need to carry any equipment with you because everything you need is supplied. passeio praia do espelho preço

SEO Backlinks1 – April 05, 2023, at 1:12 p.m.

While there are a lot of luxurious tours you can book for your Myrtle Beach vacation, there also are a lot of affordable tourist destinations available for those who are tight on the budget. Take advantage of these and still have loads of fun at the Myrtle Beach. passeio praia do espelho

SEO Backlinks1 – April 07, 2023, at 12:32 p.m.

Yes, it is true. You can make money online working from home and can actually make a lot of money if you work hard, stay focused and execute. You can build a home travel business and live the Internet lifestyle you always dreamed of by operating an online home travel business. This article will put to rest any misgivings you may have had about starting an online travel business. In 2020 I sold an online home travel business. porto seguro trancoso transfer

SEO Backlinks1 – April 08, 2023, at 7:33 p.m.

Places to visit for 2023 in Europe. Top ten places include Porto in Portugal. transfer aeroporto de porto seguro para trancoso

SEO Backlinks1 – April 19, 2023, at 3:35 a.m.

The great myth about cheating the slots or beating the slots is just that: a myth. Winning at slots is possible, but you must always keep in mind that the odds and statistics are not in your favor. This is the sad reality of playing the slots. panengg

SEO Backlinks1 – April 20, 2023, at 2:10 a.m.

Check out our fake driver license selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our pet id tags shops. NEW ZEALAND FAKE DRIVERS LICENCE

SEO Backlinks1 – June 03, 2023, at 3:49 p.m.

I would like to say that this blog really convinced me to do it! Thanks, very good post. pgslot

COMMENT
Comment Form Info  Comment Information
Real Aspen encourages you to post comments on our articles and blogs. Logged in email is required for monitoring purposes. Your email will not be published and will not be distributed to any third-party. Abusive, obscene, profane, threatening, libelous or defamatory comments are prohibited. By posting a comment, you agree to this policy and our terms of use. To report an abusive posting, please contact us.

To make a comment, please log in or create an account. This helps us prevent spam and other malicious attacks.

Please log in to comment

 

Create a user account to comment

Snow Report

  24hr snow mid dpth snow cond.
A-Basin n/a n/a
Aspen n/a n/a closed
BC n/a n/a closed
Breckenridge n/a n/a closed
Buttermilk n/a n/a closed
Copper n/a n/a closed
Crest. Butte n/a n/a closed
Eldora n/a n/a closed
Heavenly n/a n/a closed
Highlands n/a n/a
Howelsen n/a n/a closed
Keystone n/a n/a closed
Kirkwood n/a n/a closed
Loveland n/a n/a
Monarch n/a n/a closed
Northstar n/a n/a closed
Powderhorn n/a n/a closed
Purgatory n/a n/a closed
Silverton n/a n/a closed
Ski Cooper n/a n/a closed
Ski Granby n/a n/a closed
Snowmass n/a n/a closed
Steamboat n/a n/a closed
Sunlight n/a n/a closed
Telluride n/a n/a closed
Vail n/a n/a closed
WinterPark n/a n/a closed
Wolf Creek n/a n/a closed
More Weather Reports
VIDEO GALLERY
Vail powder day snow snake
Airing it out at Crested Butte
Feb. 17, 2011 Surprise 14 inches of Fresh Powder