Sympathy for al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden and the Taliban has dropped sharply in Pakistan amid a wave of deadly violence, according to the results of a recent opinion poll.
The survey, conducted last month for the U.S.-based Terror Free Tomorrow organization, also identified the party of assassinated opposition leader Benazir Bhutto as the country's most popular ahead of Feb. 18 elections, and said most Pakistanis want President Pervez Musharraf to quit.
The poll suggests Pakistanis are looking to peaceful opposition groups after months of political turmoil and a wave of suicide attacks.
[...]
Only one percent of Pakistani voters would cast their ballots in favor of al-Qaida if it was running in parliamentary elections, the survey results said, adding that the Taliban would get 3 percent.
A bit like the experience in Iraq where the people, beginning with the Sunni, turned against al Qaeda.
That on the heels of some interesting diary finds in Iraq from al Qaeda outlining their reasons for failure and the "crusader's" success:
The key reasons that caused this pressure on the brothers are:
1. Through the last four years, crusaders learned from their mistakes.
2. Reliance on creating ordeals within the Mujahideen by tempting some factions to fight against the Islamic State with the direction of the traitors.
3. Pressure that was placed on ordinary Sunnis as a result of the killings and random arrests of their children and by demolishing their homes. All these acts were a result of their cooperation or their sympathy with the Mujahideen. And this led to Sunnis feeling that the Mujahideen were the biggest reason for their misfortunes and tribulations, especially with the presence of the traitors and the hypocrites, so that forced numbers of them to desire to receive the Mujahideen and help them.
4. The fierce media campaign led by America, and the traitors on the Islamic State of Iraq, was due to the absence of full empowerment of the State, and to create clashes between groups by encouraging groups to participate in the Iraqi elections as well as to join the Iraqi security forces.
5. Crusaders depended on their last card in Al-Rafidayn Land and after all their excuses and methods failed to end the battle which is similar to the campaign led by Abu Jahil – Pharaoh of the State [TC: Possibly Head of the Iraqi State]. That is what the US is currently carrying out by forcing the Sunnis to apostasy and by closing the doors of religious work due to high living costs and unemployment and opening the doors for corruption and immorality among youth and girls which will lead them to work with military and security under the proxy government and under the slogans of building a democratic Iraq and fighting the Takfireen [TC: Those who claim non followers are infidels]. They will distort their images and call to moral decay and disintegration through opening the nests of prostitution, alcohol, materialism, outward beauty, and immodesty. All these calls are notinfluential as the non-Muslim call that the US is leading by exploiting the tribes both financially and through strategic importance. And by the need to expel The Takfireen will revenge for their sons who were massacred at the hands of Mujahideen by using methods of intimidation and motivation.
Excuses, excuses. But I have to admit, I enjoyed seeing number 1 in writing.
The "TC" you see in there is the translator's notes. The diary was kept by Abu Maysara, a senior advisor to Abu Ayyoub al-Masri, killed last November. As MNFI describes the document:
"Overall, the document is a pessimistic assessment of al Qaeda Iraq’s long-term prospects in the al-Anbar area. The author describes the difficulties involved with trying to manage foreign fighters. He states that al Qaeda Iraq has lost popular support in the province. He recommends that al Qaeda Iraq’s remaining foreign fighters in al-Anbar be moved to other areas of Iraq, where the terrorists might have greater freedom of action.
Another diary found was that of Abu Tariq (November of last year). In it he talks about what the change of heart among the tribes has done to his effort:
In these pages, the al Qaeda emir said that the changing turn of events reduced his strength from almost 600 fighters to just 20 or fewer terrorists.
[...]
Describing the Battalion of Abu-Haydar al-Ansari, the al Qaeda emir claimed that it once had 300 fighters well equipped with weapons and vehicles. He then tells that the leader of this unit deserted just before the Awakening movement was organized. After this, the unit’s strength declined to just 16 fighters, and then later only two. Of these two, the emir wrote that one was arrested and the other captured as well. The rest of the fighters joined Awakening groups.
Seems a terrorist in Iraq or Pakistan just can't catch a break.
"The rest of the fighters joined Awakening groups."But don’t worry they are totally committed to our side, and the Shia central government, now. Oh yeah, and Iraq will turn in to an Al Qaeda safe-haven if we leave.
