What Is Our Enemy's Goal?

Who is our enemy? I love this quote from the NCIOC of the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course in his welcome speech to the new Security Forces candidates - "Somewhere a True Believer is training to kill you. He is training with minimum food or water, in austere conditions, day and night. The only thing clean on him is his weapon. He doesn't worry about what workout to do---his rucksack weighs what it weighs, and he runs until the enemy stops chasing him. The True Believer doesn't care 'how hard it is'; he knows he either wins or he dies. He doesn't go home at 1700; he is home. He knows only the 'Cause.' Now, who wants to quit?"

Specifically examining Al Qaeda, they have several stated goals (per bin Laden's 1996 and 1998 fatwa (religious decree)):
- Drive the US out of the Middle East (particularly Iraq and Saudi Arabia)
- Destroy Israel
- Topple all non- Muslim governments in the Middle East
- Wage a holy war (jihad) against American citizens and Jew an non-supporting Muslims
- Ruin the US financially, similar to what happened to the Soviet Union in Afghanistan
The final goal was clearly articulated in the Friday, October 29, 2004 bin Laden Tape: “We, alongside the mujahedeen, bled Russia for 10 years until it went bankrupt and was forced to withdraw in defeat." Bin Laden went on to say, "We are continuing this policy in bleeding America to the point of bankruptcy. Allah willing, and nothing is too great for Allah."

Did Al Qaeda and the mujahedeen “bleed” the Soviet Union dry during the ten plus year war in Afghanistan? One could argue both sides, but certainly, the protracted war and the need to keep up militarily with the United States accelerated the demise of the former Soviet Union. Based upon their perceived experience, they fully intend to attempt to accomplish a similar feat against the United States. And the unfortunate fact is; the United States Government might actually be sleeping with the enemy. The current distraction’s view that they’d spend a billion dollars to smoke a camel might seem more humorous if it wasn’t the American taxpayers picking up the tab.