Al-Qaeda resurgent six years on?

According to the BBC, of course. Just listent to this.

"Six years on, the notion of al-Qaeda being on the run appears outdated and misguided. Instead, the group has adapted and looks resurgent on many fronts. "

But in the next paragraph the BBC says this.

"Osama bin Laden may have recently made an unusual appearance in his first video for nearly three years but his importance is generally thought to have been limited by his need to keep a low profile for fear of being caught. "

That sounds an awful lot like on the run. The BBC continues.

"Instead recent events in Europe, with arrests in Denmark and Germany, as well as attacks in North Africa have made that resurgence clear, and particularly highlighted the trail back to al-Qaeda's leadership.

The cell disrupted in Germany last week is a sign that the model of operations the UK has seen in recent years - so called "home-grown" suspects receiving training and direction from al-Qaeda leadership in Pakistan - is now spreading to other European countries."

So, al Qaeda has a safe haven in Pakistan but can't operate too openly and instead has had to adapt to trying to use home grown terrorists. That's certainly adapting but it too sounds like al Qaeda is having a difficult time.

How's that working out? Besides the successful Muslim terror plot on 7/7, the one on 21/7, the airplane plot, the failed train bombing in Germany, the latests attempts in Germany and Denmark, the failed car bombs in London and the bungled car bombing at Glasgow airport have all largely been disrupted or failed completely. Make no mistake all were very serious and could have been far worse. All of the success in foiling these plots is a result of the security techniques the Democrats are fighing so hard to thwart.

al Qaeda is just one element of the problem, the real problem is the Islamists. If Pakistan were to wipe out al Qaeda the problem would still exist. Virtually everywhere in the world that you find Islam you find terrorism. But you wouldn't know that if all your news came from the BBC. The BBC rarely if ever report on the Islamists here in the UK, like these: Hardline takeover of British mosques.

At least the BBC get this right.

"It is in the field of information and media that the resurgence of al-Qaeda is most evident.

At least 74 videos have been released by al-Qaeda's production arm, as-Sahab, in 2007.

This is compared to only 16 in 2005 and 58 in 2006, according to the organisation IntelCenter which monitors their distribution.

Most analysts agree that it is the ideological struggle - the battle of ideas - that has become crucial in recent years."

I love this pronouncement from the BBC.

"Mr Hayden called the struggle to counter this jihadist ideology "the deep fight" but it is the fight which the US and its allies look least like winning at the moment."

Yes, and with the BBC's help, they're winning that war.

As James Robbins noted:

""It really must gall him that President Bush can fly into al-Anbar Province in Iraq, the former al Qaeda stronghold, while the only thing Osama can fly into is a rage."