In the year since Osama bin Laden’s death, it has been a comforting thought for Westerners to say that he failed. And that’s certainly true in terms of al-Qaeda, whose scorched-earth jihad tactics alienated Muslims along with everyone else. But in terms of bin Laden’s broader goal of moving the Islamic world away from Western influence, he has done better than we might like to think.
Egypt is a case in point: This has been a year of mostly nonviolent democratic revolution. But it has brought to power some Salafist and Muslim Brotherhood groups that share common theological roots with bin Laden. And the al-Qaeda goal of driving the “apostate,” pro-American President Hosni Mubarak from power has been achieved.
After the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, the al-Qaida chief spent much of his time on the run in Pakistan before moving to what locals called the “Waziristan mansion.” For five years, bin Laden, his three wives and their children lived here.
After months of international interest in the bin Laden home, Pakistani authorities razed the building in February. But former army officer Shaukat Qadir, one of the few investigators given access to the compound, says it will be harder to remove bin Laden’s ideological legacy.
“Pakistani Taliban has their ties with al-Qaida. We also know that al-Qaida still has a lot of following in Punjab, particularly in southern Punjab. So we have a problem, Pakistanis have a problem with al-Qaida,” said former military officer Shaukat Qadir.
Critics say Pakistani authorities often blame outside forces for domestic security problems while ignoring pro-military religious groups.
In the months after the U.S. raid, religious groups rallied behind the military, which called the assault a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty.
In a VOA interview late last year, U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter defended the operation as a benefit to both countries.
“The attack against bin Laden was not an attack against Pakistan. It was an attack on a common enemy. And that what we need to do to right any sense of unhappiness on the Pakistani side is to work even more closely together,” said Munter.
Diplomatic talks in the months that followed struggled to regain trust. Relations fell to a new low when 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed in a cross-border U.S. airstrike.
Recently there have been renewed efforts to mend ties as the U.S. prepares to draw down its forces in Afghanistan.
“I don’t think it would be the same the way they were before May 2nd or last year. But it has to be improved. If they cannot work together, the exit strategy of Obama, I don’t think that it will be materialized,” said Asad Munir, a former officer of the Pakistani spy agency.
After the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, the al-Qaida chief spent much of his time on the run in Pakistan before moving to what locals called the “Waziristan mansion.” For five years, bin Laden, his three wives and their children lived here.
After months of international interest in the bin Laden home, Pakistani authorities razed the building in February. But former army officer Shaukat Qadir, one of the few investigators given access to the compound, says it will be harder to remove bin Laden’s ideological legacy.
“Pakistani Taliban has their ties with al-Qaida. We also know that al-Qaida still has a lot of following in Punjab, particularly in southern Punjab. So we have a problem, Pakistanis have a problem with al-Qaida,” said former military officer Shaukat Qadir.
Critics say Pakistani authorities often blame outside forces for domestic security problems while ignoring pro-military religious groups.
In the months after the U.S. raid, religious groups rallied behind the military, which called the assault a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty.
“The attack against bin Laden was not an attack against Pakistan. It was an attack on a common enemy. And that what we need to do to right any sense of unhappiness on the Pakistani side is to work even more closely together,” said Munter.
Diplomatic talks in the months that followed struggled to regain trust. Relations fell to a new low when 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed in a cross-border U.S. airstrike.
Recently there have been renewed efforts to mend ties as the U.S. prepares to draw down its forces in Afghanistan.
“I don’t think it would be the same the way they were before May 2nd or last year. But it has to be improved. If they cannot work together, the exit strategy of Obama, I don’t think that it will be materialized,” said Asad Munir, a former officer of the Pakistani spy agency.
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