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STRATFOR.com
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THE INTERNET SOURCE FOR GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE
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War Plan Part IV: The Intercontinental Theater of Operations
September 27, 2001
Summary
Given the intercontinental nature of the threat of terrorism, standard coalition warfare will not win the battle. A coalition will limit the ability of the United States to operate covertly on foreign soil, but Washington cannot simply go it alone. A two-tiered strategy is required. On one level, the coalition will have its uses and will provide cover. But on another level, the United States must control its own intelligence war.
Next Line & Photo Topic
Analysis
The attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were not the first action of al-Qa'ida against the United States. The group has been linked to previous attacks in Yemen, Tanzania and Kenya, and there is also evidence of contingency plans for attacks in other parts of the world.
It is therefore obvious that al-Qa'ida operates on an intercontinental basis. It must move personnel, materiel and most important, money, between continents. It must pass information intercontinentally. It must work with indigenous elements that can be located anywhere. Thus, even if al-Qa'ida were crushed in Afghanistan and all of its forces were liquidated in North America, the group would remain a threat. Its ability to regenerate command and control systems and continue operations might go on unabated.
(The Rest of the Story)
Related Analyses:
* War Plan: Part I
Conceptual Framework of the War
September 24, 2001
* War Plan: Part II
Afghan Theater of Operations
September 25, 2001
* War Plan: Part III
North American Theater of Operations
September 26, 2001
(c) 2001 Stratfor, Inc.
Dan
War Plan: Part IV . . .