Cameron’s denunciation of the Algerian In Amenas gas plant terrorist attack as a “large and existential threat…which is global and will require a global response that will last decades” totally misunderstands, or totally misportrays, what has happened. It is not an existential threat, though the 3,000-strong jihadist group in Syria and Islamic militancy in Yemen remain serious local concerns.
Al-Qaeda has been greatly weakened since 9/11, less because of counter-terrorist activity (though that has certainly taken its toll of the wider leadership) than because of declining support among local communities over violence on their streets and enforcement of extremist Islamist mores. Continue reading
9/11 remains one of the most misunderstood events in modern history.
What happened in Oslo was horrific beyond belief. On that, there is agreement across all the political divides. However,when it comes to the cause and the consequences, there is little agreement. For many, Tom Harris MP has epitomised the crassness of the right-wing response to the tragedy. As the events unfolded, he waded in with a silly tweet assuming that the perpetrators were Al-Qaeda — something he has, today, at least 
Continuing the unwinnable struggle in Afghanistan is hardly a viable option, from either a military or political standpoint. So the revelation of president Hamid Karzai, confirmed over the weekend by US defence secretary Robert Gates, that contacts have been established with the Taliban hardly come as a major surprise. Indeed, even last year there were reports that back channel negotiations were already underway. 
Last week, Ken Livinstone, defending the rule of law, said that the manner of the killing of Bin Laden “undermines any commitment to democracy and trial by jury and makes Obama look like some sort of mobster.” For this, he was denounced by “moderate” Labour bloggers — “