11/5/11 Leaving Iraq, U.S. Fears New Surge of Qaeda Terror (New York Times)

Leaving Iraq, U.S. Fears New Surge of Qaeda Terror

By MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT and ERIC SCHMITT

Published: November 5, 2011

As you may know, the United States has decided to withdraw its troops from Iraq by the end of this year. According to the article, senior American and Iraqi officials are expressing growing concern that Al -Qaeda's offshoot.

"Qaeda allies in North Africa, Somalia and Yemen are seeking to assert more influence after the death of Osama bin Laden and the diminished role of Al Qaeda’s remaining top leadership in Pakistan." (New York Times)

Due to the Death of Osama bin Laden, the organization was certainly weakened and is not likely to regain its prior strength. However, American and Iraqi analysts said "the Al-Qaeda franchise is shifting its tactics and strategies to exploit gaps left by the departing American troops and to try to reignite sectarian violence in the country." (New York Times)

Iraqi analysts express fears that:

ties between Al Qaeda and members of the former ruling Baath Party may be re-forming. “The government is afraid from an alliance between Qaeda and Baath precisely in this time, after the American withdrawal from Iraq,” said Ehssan al-Shemari, a political science professor at Baghdad University. “The security issue is the biggest challenge for the government in the next stage.” (New York Times)

According to General Buchanan,

there are 800 to 1,000 people in Al Qaeda’s Iraq network, “from terrorists involved in operations to media to finance to fighters.” A document released by the military in July 2010 said Al Qaeda had about 200 “hard core” fighters in Iraq. The weak Iraqi economy is providing a large pool of young and vulnerable recruits, analysts say. (New York Times)