Al Qaeda Training Manual
Abstract
America’s strategy to combat terrorism, resulting from Al-Qaeda’s 2001 attacks, falls short of its intent to defeat transnational terrorism. While the tenets of the current counterterrorism strategy were written broadly to enable global employment, this template approach proved ineffective. While focusing its efforts on dismantling terrorist organizations in Afghanistan and Iraq, America neglected parts in Southeast Asia that provided sanctuary to Islamic terrorists. Such sanctuaries facilitated the regrouping, recruiting, and training of Al-Qaeda operatives to conduct subsequent attacks against America and its allies throughout the world. The central research question is: What strategy can I employ to eliminate Al-Qaeda’s influence throughout the Southeast Asian countries of Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines? Recommended strategy changes were generated from applying a three-step analysis approach. First, analyzing the adversary established a foundation from which to develop recommendations to counter Al-Qaeda’s operations. Second, analyzing three Southeast Asian governments’ responses to terrorist threats within their country assisted in the formulation of a counterterror strategy for the region. Finally, the analysis of the current counterterror strategy resulted in recommended adjustments to each of America’s instruments of national power--diplomatic, informational, military, and economic-to facilitate elimination of Al-Qaeda’s influence in Southeast Asia.
As mentioned, some of the most detailed information on the military structure of al-Qaeda has come from a training manual found in a computer file seized in Manchester, England by the FBI. The introduction of this document defines the three main principles of the al-Qaeda military organization: 1. Military Organization commander and advisory council. 2. The soldiers (individual members). 3. A clearly defined strategy. Immediately, these three components can be viewed as being bound to one
America’s strategy to combat terrorism, resulting from Al-Qaeda’s 2001 attacks, falls short of its intent to defeat transnational terrorism. While the tenets of the current counterterrorism strategy were written broadly to enable global employment, this template approach proved ineffective. While focusing its efforts on dismantling terrorist organizations in Afghanistan and Iraq, America neglected parts in Southeast Asia that provided sanctuary to Islamic terrorists. Such sanctuaries facilitated the regrouping, recruiting, and training of Al-Qaeda operatives to conduct subsequent attacks against America and its allies throughout the world. The central research question is: What strategy can I employ to eliminate Al-Qaeda’s influence throughout the Southeast Asian countries of Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines? Recommended strategy changes were generated from applying a three-step analysis approach. First, analyzing the adversary established a foundation from which to develop recommendations to counter Al-Qaeda’s operations. Second, analyzing three Southeast Asian governments’ responses to terrorist threats within their country assisted in the formulation of a counterterror strategy for the region. Finally, the analysis of the current counterterror strategy resulted in recommended adjustments to each of America’s instruments of national power--diplomatic, informational, military, and economic-to facilitate elimination of Al-Qaeda’s influence in Southeast Asia.
As mentioned, some of the most detailed information on the military structure of al-Qaeda has come from a training manual found in a computer file seized in Manchester, England by the FBI. The introduction of this document defines the three main principles of the al-Qaeda military organization: 1. Military Organization commander and advisory council. 2. The soldiers (individual members). 3. A clearly defined strategy. Immediately, these three components can be viewed as being bound to one
References: “Al Qaeda Training Manual.” United States Department of Justice. Feb. 23, 2004. http://www.usdoj.gov/ag/trainingmanual.htm