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To Combat Obama, Al-Qaeda Hurls Insults - Effort Hints at Group's Consternation
Democratic Underground Latest Breaking News — ... -snip- But for now, the change in Washington appears to have rattled al-Qaeda's leaders, some of whom are scrambling to convince the faithful that Obama and Bush are essentially the same. "They're highly uncertain about what they're getting in this new adversary," said Paul Pillar, a former CIA counterterrorism official who lectures on national security at Georgetown University. "For al-Qaeda, as a matter of image and tone, George W. Bush had been a near-perfect foil." Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20... :evilgrin:

Al Qaeda's losing hand
Political Animal — ... in October that the last thing al Qaeda would want is an Obama presidency, in large part because the terrorist network wouldn't want a U.S. president who enjoys respect and support on the world stage. Three months later, Obama is the president, and as predicted, the terrorist network is feeling a little panicky . Soon after the November election, al-Qaeda's No. 2 leader took stock of America's new president-elect and dismissed him with an insulting epithet. "A house Negro," Ayman al-Zawahiri said. That was just a warm-up. In the weeks since, the terrorist group has unleashed ...

Al-Qaeda’s New Problem
Matthew Yglesias — ... For years now, liberals have had to put up with basic points about the value of not doing stuff that’s hugely unpopular around the world caricatured as the idea that if we just act nicer, al-Qaeda leaders will lay down their arms. The reality, as Joby Warrick reports for The Washington Post is that when American leadership is popular and respect, al-Qaeda keeps on keeping on. But they have a much harder time getting anyone to follow them: ...

Cavedwellers Upset
Swampland — ... The Washington Post says that Al Qaeda is boggled by Barack Obama. The New York Times says the Pakistani government is boggled by the Taliban. This is a far concrete story, with tremendous downside potential. It seems clear that the Pakistani Taliban--and we should begin distinguishing these guys, as best we can, from the Afghan Taliban--are having a fair amount of success moving out from the Northwest Frontier Province into more mainstream Pakistani areas. And it seems equally clear that the Pakistani Army is either unwilling or unable to fight them. My ...

No More Mister Nice Blog — ... and was confirmed by an American counterterrorism official. [emphasis added] ... the big story is that al Qaeda is trying to sabotage efforts to close Guantanamo. ...Guantanamo has made us less safe, not more; if you don't believe me, just ask al Qaeda. And, more specifically, the decision to close Guantanamo has made America seem less worthy of hate in the Arab and Muslim world, not more. Today, The Washington Post reinforces Tom's point: To Combat Obama, Al-Qaeda Hurls Insults Soon after ...

Afghanistan and Beyond
Taylor Marsh — BY TAYLOR MARSH --updated-- Zakaria focused on Afghanistan today on GPS. Among his guests were Steve Coll, president of New America Foundation, Rory Stewart, who once walked across Afghanistan, Barney Rubin, who was interviewed in December 2008 on Pakistan by Scott Horton. A part of that interview is above. The debate about our role in Afghanistan, which must include an Af-Pak policy taking the countries together, will begin to intensify as Obama shifts resources and priorities. The Af-Pak region will be as important to Obama as the Middle East. Re: the Gaza tunnels. Laura Rozen ...

The Rhetoric is Ratcheting Up
Comments from Left Field — Much has been made lately of Rush Limbaugh’s intemperate comments expressing a desire for the president to fail.  This was simply a more blatant expression than Ken Blackwell’s convoluted reasoning that President Obama’s economic stimulus plan was little more than a craven effort to secure a longstanding Democratic majority.   And just this morning, Senator John McCain expressed his distaste for the economic stimulus plan. So despite generic expressions of support for the new president from McCain and Republican Congressional leaders, their opposition to him appears to be hardening and becoming increasingly shrill and ridiculous. But ...

WaPo love with Obama continues
Sister Toldjah — His ‘blackness,’ according to the WaPo, is causing Al Qaeda problems: Soon after the November election, al-Qaeda’s No. 2 leader took stock of America’s new president-elect and dismissed him with an insulting epithet. “A house Negro,” Ayman al-Zawahiri said. That was just a warm-up. In the weeks since, the terrorist group has unleashed a stream of verbal tirades against Barack Obama, each more venomous than the last. Obama has been called a “hypocrite,” a “killer” of innocents, an “enemy of Muslims.” He was even blamed for the Israeli military assault on Gaza, which ...

WaPo: Obama Has al Qaeda Quaking in Its Collective Sandals
Patterico's Pontifications — The Washington Post gushes: Soon after the November election, al-Qaeda’s No. 2 leader took stock of America’s new president-elect and dismissed him with an insulting epithet. “A house Negro,” Ayman al-Zawahiri said. That was just a warm-up. In the weeks since, the terrorist group has unleashed a stream of verbal tirades against Barack Obama, each more venomous than the last. Obama has been called a “hypocrite,” a “killer” of innocents, an “enemy of Muslims.” He was even blamed for ...

Monday morning links
Maggie's Farm — US Navy tries catch-and-release on Iranian rockets. Yes, let's be careful not to annoy the Iranians. Related: Iranian verbal attacks on Obama grow shriller. The NHS: A National Disgrace Feel sorry for wildly irresponsible people. Ben Stein The Global Warming Scare is over. Monckton A stimulus package for ACORN. Good grief. Can any organization be more discredited? Asset prices need to fall. I agree. Related: A sensible critique of Dem spending. I think it's pure pork, and will do harm. Tax The Rich is on its way ...

Your Abbreviated Pundit Round-up
Daily Kos — ... to its rightful place." In practice, that means Obama is likely to reverse Bush’s stance on stem cell research. Like so much else about this new beginning, Obama’s embrace of science is cause for hope. Jacob Weisberg: It's been six full days already, and the pigeon holers are getting restive. Obama must decide what government's goals are before trying to answer what works and how much we can afford. Joby Warrick: Change you can believe in. The departure of George W. Bush ...

Al Qaeda’s PR Campaign
The Moderate Voice — ... Al Qaeda is coming after Obama hard, not with missiles or rockets, but with a PR campaign designed to turn moderate Muslims against the new President. I predicted this when al-Zawahri released a tape calling Obama a ...

Hearts and minds
Political Animal — HEARTS AND MINDS.... Yesterday, the president dispatched George Mitchell , Obama's newly named special envoy to the Middle East, to the region, only four days after taking the job. It coincided with the president's first post-inaugural media interview, which was held with al-Arabiya, the "Dubai-based satellite network that is one of the largest English-language TV outlets aimed at Arab audiences." Obama's emphasis on improving the nation's standing in the Middle East is obvious. And while concrete policy steps -- beginning a withdrawal policy in Iraq, closing the detention facility at Guantanamo -- matter, Obama's interview with al-Arabiya will also help deliver a message ...

Dick
Political Animal — DICK.... Former Vice President Dick Cheney was a national disgrace and an embarrassment to himself while in office, but he's not quite done engaging in some of the cheapest, most offensive, least honest demagoguery imaginable. Former Vice President Dick Cheney warned that there is a "high probability" that terrorists will attempt a catastrophic nuclear or biological attack in coming years, and said he fears the Obama administration's policies will make it more likely the attempt will succeed. In an interview Tuesday with Politico, Cheney unyieldingly defended the Bush administration's support for the Guantanamo Bay prison and coercive interrogation of terrorism suspects. And ...

Al Qaeda continues to appear nervous
Political Animal — AL QAEDA CONTINUES TO APPEAR NERVOUS.... A couple of months ago, President Obama noted that terrorist leaders " seem nervous " with the change in U.S. administrations. It seems al Qaeda leaders are intent on proving the president right. In the latest example, Ayman al-Zawahri has begged Muslims not to like Obama , and tried to convince his audience that Obama is practically identical to George W. Bush. "America came to us with a new face, with which it is trying to fool us. He is calling for change, but (he aims) to change us so that we abandon our religion and rights," Ayman al-Zawahri said in an audio recording on the website. Zawahri said Obama's election was an ...

Never let 'em see you sweat
Political Animal — NEVER LET 'EM SEE YOU SWEAT.... During the presidential campaign, we'd occasionally hear far-right Republicans insist that al Qaeda would be thrilled to see Obama win the White House. Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) offered one of the more ridiculous examples ...

Civil War In Iran?
Balloon Juice — ... . Now, less than six months after we elect a black guy with a muslim middle name who believes in squishy crap like cultural understanding and rapprochement, al Qaeda’s messaging is in shambles and its ...

Zawahri continues to pop off
Political Animal — ZAWAHRI CONTINUES TO POP OFF.... Two months ago, the deputy leader of al Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahri, kept up his p.r. campaign against President Obama. He released a message, on the eve of the president's speech in Cairo, urging Muslims to believe that the United States has launched a "war on Islam," and asking Egyptians to reject Obama as a "criminal." (He also hinted that the U.S. president might be a secret Jew, noting Obama's visit to the Wailing Wall in Israel: "[Obama] put on his head the Jew's cap and prayed their prayers, though he claims to be Christian.") This morning, according to a Reuters report ...