The U.S. military claims to have killed Muhsin al-Fadhli in Syria. A one-time associate of Osama bin Laden, he is reported to have headed a network called the Khorasan Group, responsible for planning al Qaeda’s terrorist attacks on the West.
Well, at least we think he is dead. This is the second time the U.S. has claimed to have killed Muhsin al-Fadhli. Also, no word if the White House plans to award anyone the $7 million cash bounty Washington put on his head.
In a public event yesterday, Texas Congressman Mike McCaul, who chairs the House Homeland Security Committee, hailed the fact that the military took out a notorious wanted terrorist.
There is, however, a real question over whether the strike is in any way any kind of turning point in the war on terror.
The FBI director just acknowledged that ISIS is a bigger threat to the U.S. than al Qaeda. And, ISIS is getting bigger.
Now, there is an argument that the ISIS threat to the U.S. is “totally overblown.“ On the other hand, the increasing number of ISIS-inspired terror plots aimed at America is something to worry about.
In either case, there is not much of a case to be made that getting al Qaeda’s bad boy is a significant turning point in the war the terrorists are waging on us. Somebody will just replace him.
- James Jay Carafano is vice president of defense and foreign policy studies at The Heritage Foundation.
Well, at least we think he is dead. This is the second time the U.S. has claimed to have killed Muhsin al-Fadhli. Also, no word if the White House plans to award anyone the $7 million cash bounty Washington put on his head.
In a public event yesterday, Texas Congressman Mike McCaul, who chairs the House Homeland Security Committee, hailed the fact that the military took out a notorious wanted terrorist.
There is, however, a real question over whether the strike is in any way any kind of turning point in the war on terror.
The FBI director just acknowledged that ISIS is a bigger threat to the U.S. than al Qaeda. And, ISIS is getting bigger.
Now, there is an argument that the ISIS threat to the U.S. is “totally overblown.“ On the other hand, the increasing number of ISIS-inspired terror plots aimed at America is something to worry about.
In either case, there is not much of a case to be made that getting al Qaeda’s bad boy is a significant turning point in the war the terrorists are waging on us. Somebody will just replace him.
- James Jay Carafano is vice president of defense and foreign policy studies at The Heritage Foundation.
Originally appeared in PJ Media
