Is Islamism running out of steam?, Radical Islamism and Jihad, NewAgeIslam.com

Radical Islamism and Jihad

Is Islamism running out of steam?

By Hasan Suroor

Mr. Hayden’s remarks drew gasps of surprise on both sides of the Atlantic as they contradicted previous U.S. intelligence warnings (the most recent and famous being the National Intelligence Estimate based on inputs from various American intelligence sources) that the al-Qaeda remained a formidable threat. These warnings echoed the British assessment that the al-Qaeda was very much alive and capable of striking at will though it might have its off-days — more as part of a strategy to lull the “enemy” into complacency and give itself a breather, rather than as a sign of weakness.

Mr. Hayden was, of course, speaking in the specific context of the recent successes in Iraq where Americans have been able to turn around some of the worst terror-affected regions by following a twin strategy of deploying thousands of extra troops (part of the famous “surge” launched late last year) and winning over disillusioned Sunni supporters of the al-Qaeda. Many of them are now working with American troops to flush out their former comrades — not because they have suddenly fallen in love with Americans but because either they have fallen out with the al-Qaeda, or simply got fed up of the continuing violence.

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