Screenshot from video produced by the Taliban in Dec. 2016 that emphasized the ties between al Qaeda and the Taliban. Al Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden and Taliban founder Mulla Omar (center, top) are shown side by side in an image that promotes the martyrs of jihad
Long War Journal: Analysis: Pentagon continues to underestimate al Qaeda, downplay ties to Taliban
The US Department of Defense continues to ignore fundamental facts in spinning its latest narrative. Yet again, the Pentagon underestimates al Qaeda’s strength in Afghanistan while downplaying the group’s ties to the Taliban. The Pentagon claimed that al Qaeda’s “core members are focused on their own survival” and “there is no evidence of strategic ties” between al Qaeda and the Taliban.
Except, the Pentagon and the US intelligence community has consistently been wrong about al Qaeda’s strength in Afghanistan, and evidence of strategic ties between the two groups does indeed exist.
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WNU Editor: The narrative from the Pentagon and relevant intelligence agencies for the past few years has been that the Taliban are isolated and being contained, and that al Qaeda is a shell of its former self. To do otherwise would be to admit that the war strategy for he past few years has been a failure. What's my take .... the war has not been decreasing but expanding in the past few years. This tells me that the military strategy has failed. The political strategy has failed. Time to look for an alternative path and to have a debate .... something that is sorely needed on what to do in Afghanistan.
