The fallout from the killing of Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad allows for a closer look at US-Pakistani relations, which has been deteriorating for some time.

Against the background of the fall of the autocratic regimes in Tunisia and Egypt, the massive demonstrations in Yemen, Syria and Bahrain, the civil war in Libya and first civil disorders in Oman, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, there is growing apprehension in the West and among secular and liberal circles in the Arab world the uprisings could result in the coming to power of Islamist movements.

This article was first published in the Turkey Analyst (www.turkeyanalyst.org), a biweekly publication of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute & Silk Road Studies Program Joint Center.

The killing of Osama bin-Laden in Pakistan is an important, even if late, political and psychological success in the war on terrorism: for the American people, for the Western and other democracies in the world and for President Obama personally. The leaders and ideologists of terrorist groups must know that in the end they will pay the price.

The present military escalation in the conflict between Israel and the Hamas controlled Gaza Strip is not the most dangerous development in the prolonged Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

After weeks of targeted operations in March, rocket and mortar attacks on Israel by  Hamas in the Gaza strip have nearly ceased. This is, in the main, a direct result of Israel targeting terrorists and their infrastructure and very little to do with traveling down the diplomatic path. Most importantly, the tactics and strategy never undermined Israel’s overall policy towards Palestinian militant organizations. In the end, it was a strategy of physical attrition that once again proved to be the most effective method in dealing with terrorism: the killing and capturing of the enemy.
 

Overall, US officials claim that in the short and medium term, French counter-terrorism efforts are very effective. However, in the long-term, the integration of its Muslim minorities is fundamental for France’s Counter-Terrorism efforts.

On 26 February 1993, a thunderous blast rocked Tower One of the World Trade Center in New York. A car bomb in the underground parking had been intended to bring down Tower One in such a way that it would collapse into Tower Two, potentially killing thousands. The investigation into the bombing would subsequently bring to light a world-wide network of Islamist terrorists, most of them veterans of the Afghan war, and an obscure financier of terror named Osama bin Ladin. Though few knew it at the time, the attack was the opening salvo of a jihad against the West.

As developments unfold in the Arab World, first and foremost in Egypt and Tunisia, there is one profound conclusion missing in most of the news reports and expert opinions analysing the political, social and/or historical reasons for and consequences of the events; the popular revolts demonstrate to the world the bankruptcy of Al Qaeda’s strategy and tactics. They show that AQ and related groups have failed to come up with effective strategies to channel popular frustrations and grievances and become part of the solution instead of the existing problems.

The popular uprisings in Northern Africa and the Middle East carry a very strong message. They are showing us, professionals involved in the field of counter-terrorism, and our politicians the best way forward in our struggle against political violence. The message is that the best way to take away the support for terrorist actions, and the ideology that fuels them, is supporting socio-political freedom and above all increased political space.
 

The “revolution” in Egypt is still only an uprising, but even so it can be considered a political and strategic earthquake.