Al Qaeda's strategic planning

[illman]

And I'm sure bin Laden knew that releasing that video then would drive people toward Bush.

Yeah. That was obviously the reason.

And the reason he offered "truces" with european nations who agreed to not fight al-qaeda was to secretly turn them against him.

[illman]

He was in Kurdistan which was not under the control of Saddam Hussein, but in the no-fly zone patrolled by the US and UK. Whether Saddam Hussein knew he was there or not made no difference. (The al-Zarqawi getting surgery in Baghdad story has been revealed to be a bunch of bunk).

Zarqawi was regularly in Baghdad. He did shuffle between Kurdistan and Baghdad, with Saddams blessing.

[Arctic]

Wasn't suggested Al Qaeda expected Iraq to be invaded--although that worked out nicely for them too--more that they realized the US would invade Afghanistan, and that they were hoping US foreign policy would generally become more militarized and belligerent, etc.

I think Iraq sort of became what they hoped for in Afghanistan.

[Captain_Solo]

Yeah. That was obviously the reason.

And the reason he offered "truces" with european nations who agreed to not fight al-qaeda was to secretly turn them against him.

I fail to see the corrilation. It is obviously in Usama's interests to have Bush in power.

Zarqawi was regularly in Baghdad. He did shuffle between Kurdistan and Baghdad, with Saddams blessing.

And the evidence for this? (And don't say Colin Powell's UN show and tell presentation.)

[Bobby Sands]

He was in Kurdistan which was not under the control of Saddam Hussein, but in the no-fly zone patrolled by the US and UK. Whether Saddam Hussein knew he was there or not made no difference. (The al-Zarqawi getting surgery in Baghdad story has been revealed to be a bunch of bunk).

Zarqawi was regularly in Baghdad. He did shuffle between Kurdistan and Baghdad, with Saddams blessing.

In related news, Chechen jihadis are fighting in Baghdad.