Is Global Terrorism In Decline?

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Terrorism’s Global Decline, Explained In Charts -- Washington Post

One issue likely to come up during tonight’s presidential foreign policy debate is the U.S. effort to curb international terrorism. While President Obama will probably focus on his administration’s success in killing Osama bin Laden and Mitt Romney on its failure to prevent the September attack in Benghazi, Libya, it’s worth looking at the data. Here are some numbers from the National Counterterrorism Center, which released its most recent report in June.

First, here’s the data on the number of terrorist attacks from 2007 through 2011:

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My Comment: These are sobering stats that tell me that there are a lot of terrorist incidents in the world today .... and will probably be with us for many more years to come.

A Look At Somalia's Prisons And The Inmates That They Keep

Somalia’s Prisons: The War on Terror’s Latest Front -- The Daily Beast

The U.S. wants out of the international jailing business. So what happens when we catch a terrorist abroad? In Somalia, they end up in a living hell.

So now it’s official: United States soldiers have been hunting down al Qaeda affiliates in Somalia. When the White House confirmed earlier this month what has long been an open secret, most of the ensuing chatter focused on the need for greater transparency about the expanding war on terror.

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My Comment: Personally .... I am glad that America is out of the detaining and jailing international terrorists business. Best leave it to the countries that these terrorists and fighters for Jihad come from .... after all .... these individuals are their citizens.

A New Sanctuary For Islamic Militants

Broad Valley In Central Asia Becomes Militants' New Sanctuary -- Dallas News

OSH, Kyrgyzstan – The broad Ferghana Valley, where Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan converge, is turning into a key sanctuary for Islamic militants just as NATO troops are becoming more dependent on supply routes in the Central Asian region to wage the war in Afghanistan, authorities say.

Hundreds of militants have moved to the region over the last few months, seeing the valley as a new haven since Pakistan's tribal belt has come under pressure from U.S. missile strikes and Pakistani military operations, authorities say.

A U.N. envoy to the region, Miroslav Jenca, told Voice of America recently that extremists are also rushing into Central Asia to exploit social and economic problems there.

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My Comment: A perfect sanctuary for militants. No central government control, and an indigenous population that will be sympathetic for your cause.

Karachi Has Become The Hub For International Jihadists

Pakistan's Labyrinth of Terror: International Jihadists Use Karachi as Hub -- Spiegel Online

Karachi is the pulsating heart of Pakistan, but the city of 18 million is descending into a maelstrom of violence. While NATO uses the port to support its war in Afghanistan, international jihadism has established strongholds in the metropolis's slums and suburbs.

The circle had to be closed with blood, in order to wipe out the disgrace of the previous day. That's the way of life here -- the way of life in Karachi.

The six men were heavily armed, and yet they still managed to get through all the checkpoints and reach Club Road in the red zone, a highly secured district in the heart of the city. The head of the provincial government has his official residence here, not far from the American consulate, two luxury hotels and the police headquarters, where the office of the young inspector Omar Shahid is located. As the head of the anti-extremism unit, Shahid was at the top of the attackers' hit list.

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My Comment: With a population of 18 million, a dysfunctional government, coupled with many who support Islamic extremism .... Karachi provides a perfect mix of anarchy that provides the ideal environment for many extremist groups .... both in Pakistan and abroad .... to hide and grow.

South Asia And Africa Becoming The Focal Points For International Terrorism

Center Of Jihadism Moves From The ME To South Asia, Africa -- Jerusalem Post

Muslims accounted for well over 50% of terrorism fatalities in 2009.

The US State Department’s recently released “Country Reports on Terrorism 2010” reveals several important trends in the evolution of global terrorism. The good news is that al-Qaida is facing significant pressure, even as the organization and its affiliates and followers retain the intent and capability to carry out attacks.

What remains to be seen is if the dispersion of the global jihadist threat from the heart of the Middle East to South Asia and Africa foreshadows organizational decline or revival for al-Qaida itself and for the radical jihadist ideology it espouses. How governments and civil society alike organize to contend with the changing threat will be central to this determination.

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My Comment: The world is a big place with many regions that will be sympathetic to Al Qaeda and its brand of Jihadism. This is a long war with many battles .... and yes .... Al Qaeda will find a refuge in many of these places.

Global Terrorism is Down. Terrorism Is Higher In Afghanistan And Pakistan

The rise in violence in South Asia was offset by a continued decline in attacks in Iraq, leading to an overall decrease in terrorism worldwide in 2009, compared with 2008. Photo by AFP

Terror Attacks Decline Globally, But Rise In Afghanistan, Pakistan -- FOX News/Associated Press

The struggling nations provide havens for terrorists who are increasingly targeting the U.S. and other western nations.

WASHINGTON -- An increase in terrorist attacks in Pakistan and Afghanistan triggered a spike in the number of civilians killed or wounded there last year, pushing South Asia past the Middle East as the top terror region in the world, according to figures compiled by a U.S. intelligence agency.

Thousands of civilians -- overwhelmingly Muslim -- continue to be slaughtered in extremist attacks, contributing to the instability of the often shaky, poverty-stricken governments in the region, the statistics compiled by the National Counterterrorism Center show.

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More News On Global Terror Attacks

South Asia Becomes Top Region for Terror -- Time Magazine/AP
Terrorist attacks spike in Pakistan, Afghanistan -- AP
South Asia becomes world's worst terrorism hot spot with over 15,000 civilians killed in 2009 -- Today Online
Terrorist Attacks Increase in Pakistan and Afghanistan -- CBN News
Pakistan, Afghanistan make South Asia terror capital -- DAWN