–Jose Rodriguez, ex-CIA chief and author of Hard Measures
While arguments are being made regarding the value of kills over capture…there’s also something satisfying about “swifter” forms of justice that do not drag out for years and years at taxpayers’ expense, along with making a mockery of our justice system.
After almost 12 years since the bombing of the USS Cole, Fahd al Quso has finally breathed his last:
Quso was traveling in a car with at least two other AQAP operatives when the unmanned Predators or Reapers fired missiles at his car, an intelligence official told The Long War Journal. Three AQAP operatives are believed to have been killed in the strike, which occurred at nighttime.
Quso has been sheltered by the Awlaki tribe, the same tribe that sheltered US cleric and AQAP ideologue and operational commander Anwar al Awlaki, who was killed in a US drone strike in September 2011.
The wanted AQAP leader has been the target of at least one other US airstrike, in July 2011. A convoy transporting Quso in Abyan province was hit by US aircraft, killing eight AQAP fighters. Quso survived the strike.
Previously, Quso was rumored to have been killed in a US Predator airstrike in Pakistan in September 2010. In October 2010, US intelligence officials warned The Long War Journal that the US had been unable to confirm Quso’s death. Al Qaeda did not release a martyrdom statement announcing Quso’s death.
On Dec. 7, 2010, the US State Department added Quso to the list of specially designed global terrorists, and the chief of State’s Terrorist Designations Unit told The Long War Journal that the US did not believe reports that Quso had been killed. Nine days later, Quso was interviewed by Al Sharq al Awsat and expressed surprise that people thought he had been killed in Pakistan.
Quso is considered to be a senior AQAP leader. According to the State Dept.’s designation in December 2010, he leads an al Qaeda cell in Yemen, and “is connected to other designated AQAP senior leaders, including Anwar al Awlaki [a top ideologue and propagandist], Nasir al Wuhayshi [AQAP’s leader], and Said Ali al Shihri [AQAP’s deputy leader].” In May 2010, Quso appeared in an AQAP propaganda video and threatened to attack the US and its interests abroad, including embassies and warships.
Quso is wanted by the FBI for his role in the October 2000 bombing of the USS Cole in the port of Aden, Yemen. The suicide attack on the warship killed 17 US sailors. Quso is also known to have provided funds to a key planner of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the US. Quso was detained by Yemeni security forces after the Sept. 11 attacks, but escaped from prison in 2003. He was later recaptured in 2004, but released again by the Yemeni government in 2007, and quickly rejoined al Qaeda in Yemen.
Additionally, Quso has been identified as one of the AQAP operatives involved in the failed airline bombing attack over Detroit on Christmas Day, 2009.
It was only just last month that President Obama approved an expansion of signature drone strikes, especially in regards to Yemen.
And seeing as how much of the progressive base isn’t happy with it, he must be doing something right, after all.
A former fetus, the “wordsmith from nantucket” was born in Phoenix, Arizona in 1968. Adopted at birth, wordsmith grew up a military brat. He achieved his B.A. in English from the University of California, Los Angeles (graduating in the top 97% of his class), where he also competed rings for the UCLA mens gymnastics team. The events of 9/11 woke him from his political slumber and malaise. Currently a personal trainer and gymnastics coach.
The wordsmith has never been to Nantucket.
I noted that Fahd al Quso, a leader of the al Qaeda of the Arabian Peninsula, had been imprisoned in Yemen but got out twice.
Yemen claimed he escaped, but it was probably just a Ramadan freeing of prisoners – something we Westerners just wouldn’t understand.
Every year, in Islamic countries, around the month of Ramadan many imprisoned men who are only behind bars for the secular crimes that are NOT crimes at all according to Sharia (like honor killings, jihad murders, kidnapping infidels for ransom and so on) are freed.
Ali Soufan gives a detailed account of his interrogation of Quso in The Black Banners. That became crucial to our guys being given access to interrogating Abu Jandal because Quso provisionally linked Jandal to the events of 9/11.
I’m fine with the drone strikes the more the better. What puzzles me though is the lack of questions from the MSM, Cindy S and the occuypunks.
the times are changin, can you see drones flying in the USA? targeting cars,
nobody will be safe any where, if they make it a habit to play with drones.
“The mills of the gods grind slowly, but they grind small.” –Greek philosopher Sextus Empiricus
Close with and destroy the enemy. And you only need to close with him close enough to destroy him. There is no obligation to try to capture enemy.
If you enact ridiculous standards about the classification and treatment of enemy captives, then there is even less incentive to capture them.
Caedite eos! Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius!
[Kill them all. God will know His own.]
@ilovebeeswarzone:
Too late:
rt.com
http://www.washingtontimes.com
http://www.fas.org
Rodriguez also said the drone attacks come at the expense of fresh intelligence. When drone strikes became the norm, I recall reading that the strikes were being authorized even when SF/CIA put forward a proposal to capture the terrorists and gather intelligence.
“Now the reason the enlightened prince and the wise general conquer the enemy whenever they move and their achievements surpass those of ordinary men is foreknowledge.” —Sun Tzu, The Art of War*
https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/csi-studies/studies/vol50no2/html_files/Intelligence_War_2.htm
Phil-351
WOW IN THE USA? THEY ARE MAD,
I don’t comprehend the intent, unless OBAMA WANT TO START A WAR AGAINST AMERICANS NOT IN HIS POCKET, CRITICIZING HIS POLICY, BUT TO PASS IT SO CLOSE TO THE ELECTION,
IS TROUBLING , BECAUSE IT WAS TOLD THE OBAMA WAS GOING TO GO ALL OUT, NOTHING
COULD STOP HIM TO WIN, THIS AT HUCKABEE BY ONE OF HIS OWN HIRED YOUNG AMONG MANY OTHER,
WORKING ONLY FOCUSING ON THE DAY OF VOTING.
AND WHY THE RUSH TO PASS IT?
BYE
@ilovebeeswarzone:
They’ve already been used:
Local cops used Predator drone
And even private PETA wannabes are getting into the act.
Phil-351
that would be good for the OWES OCCUPIERS TO GET THEM OUT OF THEIR OCCUPATIONS,
THOSE THINGS THEY DO RAPING, DRUGGING, DEFECATING, THROWING BRICKS AT THE POLICE,
HOW ABOUT POCKET DRONES TO REPEL 20 YOUNG ATTACKING A LONE WHITE,
I can visualize the party,the police would have at rallies like the MAYDAY,
but then the thugs would buy some too, dang