Top Pentagon Intelligence Officer: Al Qaeda Will Make Gains In Syria And Afghanistan In 2015

DIA Director Marine Lt. Gen. Vincent Stewart, center, testified before the House Armed Services Committee Feb. 3 about worldwide threats. Stewart joined Army Lt. Gen. William Mayville, Joint Staff director for operations, and Mark Chandler, acting director for intelligence for the Joint Staff, for the open and closed sessions. (Photo by DIA)

Thomas Joscelyn, Business Insider/The Long War Journal: High-ranking US intelligence official: Al Qaeda will make gains in Syria and Afghanistan in 2015

WNU Editor: Lt. Gen. Vincent R. Stewart's testimony can be read here. So much for President Obama's claims in 2013 that Al Qaeda was "decimated".

Former Al Qaeda Operative: Saudi Princes Wanted To Shoot Down Air Force One With A Stinger Missile

Air Force One plane (Reuters / Soe Zeya Tun)

SKY News: 20th Hijacker's Plan To Take Down Air Force One

Update: ‘Saudi princes planned to down Air Force One with missile’: 9/11 terrorist gives damning testimony -- RT

WNU Editor: U.S. officials are denying these claims .... US officials: 9/11 plotter's claims Saudi royals aided al-Qaida 'inconceivable' (The Guardian) ... and they are probably right. As I had said in the previous post .... absent any hard proof, these are just wild accusations.

The Islamic State And Al Qaeda Are Now Focusing On 'Soft Targets'

FOX News: Terrorists' 'soft-target' strategy puts anyone -- and everyone -- in danger

WNU Editor: These terror groups have always focused on 'soft targets' .... nothing new here.

Former Vice Chief Of Staff Of The U.S. Army: al-Qaeda Has ‘Grown Fourfold In The Last Five Years’

PJ Media: General Tells Senators al-Qaeda Has ‘Grown Fourfold in Last Five Years’

WNU Editor: With the exception of FOX News and a few blogs .... no one is covering this incredibly important story. But the best part of Gen Keane's (Ret.) testimony today was the following ....

.... “U.S. policymakers choose to ignore the very harsh realities of the rise of radical Islam. In my view, we became paralyzed by the fear of adverse consequences in the Middle East after fighting two wars. Moreover, as we sit here this morning, in the face of radical Islam, U.S. policymakers refuse to accurately name the movement as radical Islam. We further choose not to define it, nor explain its ideology, and most critical, we have no comprehensive strategy to stop it or defeat it.”

Yup .... ever since I started this blog 7+ years ago .... I still do not understand what is the U.S. strategy to combat radical Islamic groups like Al Qaeda and their affiliates ... and neither does former Gen. Keane himself who spent years waging war against these groups.