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re: re:Some changes
Robert — (archived)

I doubt that terrorists would stop using a particular tactic, like beheading, just because one leader was killed.

Hard to say whether another spokesman would emerge. Probably, eventually...the next videotape will answer that one.

Fewer suicide bombers...that's another one I don't know enough to answer. It all depends on whether Zarqawi played a major role in foreign recruitment. Like the PR role, I'd expect that the vacuum would be filled pretty quickly, if so.

But all of this is predicated on the assumption that al Qaeda is organized with a formal command structure and hierarchy. There's been speculation for some time that they're adapting to our strategy of direct confrontation and decapitation by decentralizing, both geographically and structurally.

I'd say that this was confirmed, unfortunately, by the recent capture of the 17 "homegrown" Canadian terrorists. They apparently aren't in the al Qaeda chain-of-command, but were inspired by AQ ideology and allegedly got info and training on the Internet.

It may be a mistake to overstate the importance of any one individual in terrorism. And despite Tom's instant assumption of maliciousness, I think many people just honestly evaluate the situation that way. It's important to grasp the situation as it is, rather than through a partisan filter, because if AQ has adapted to our strategy, then we'd better adapt ourselves.

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