Is power struggle in Qaeda next?

Osama bin Ladens death is a stunning victory for America and justice. But make no mistake about it: the war on terrorism will continue. Here are a few other implications of the remarkable intelligence and special forces raid (which included Navy SEALs) that resulted in bin Ladens death. In the short run, paradoxically, the threat to Americans and American targets overseas targets will increase as die-hard militants will seek to carry out retaliatory attacks to avenge the killing of their leader. Soon after President Obamas speech, the State Department put all US embassies on alert and issued a travel advisory to Americans living and travelling overseas. But Ben Venzke, of the IntelCenter, which tracks Al-Qaeda statements and writings, noted that large-scale plots by organised groups are not likely to occur in the coming days, but rather months to a year or more from now, given the time required to plan and carry out such attacks. The death of the Al-Qaeda leader is likely to place the organisation under even greater pressure. Though Venzke says that the organisations leadership is likely to have planned for such a contingency, this is likely to set off a power struggle within Al-Qaeda, whose number two and chief strategist, Ayman al Zawahiri, may attempt to use bin Ladens death to consolidate power within his badly fractured organisation. The fact that Osama bin Laden was hiding in a house in Pakistan means that the US-Pakistani relationship is likely to face further stress in the coming months as Americans push for greater cooperation and buy-in from Pakistans intelligence, military and political forces. The death of bin Laden makes it easier for President Obama to being withdrawing some of the initial surge forces from Afghanistan, although it is unclear whether bin Ladens death will affect the calculations of the Taliban inside Afghanistan and Pakistan. The raid will restore the reputation and standing of the image of Americas military and intelligence throughout the world, and deservedly so. Coming as it does four months before the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, it highlights Americas reach, its capacity for strategic patience, and its determination to pursue all of its foes for as long as it takes for justice to be done. Judith Miller is a writer, Fox News contributor and Manhattan Institute Scholar. Fox News

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