Are the Taliban the real enemy?

[rov1200]

///A Japanese tanker was damaged in a terror attack, UAE says A Japanese tanker damaged last week in the Strait of Hormuz near Oman was the target of a terrorist attack, the United Arab Emirates state-run news agency has said.

It said remains of homemade explosives had been found on the hull of the M Star, which was damaged on Wednesday while travelling from Qatar to Japan.

Two days ago, an al-Qaeda linked group said it was responsible///

This new threat could be another step to destabilise the world's economy by attacking important shipping lanes by al Qaeda.

[rov1200]

posted recently with a similar flavour:

/// Mark as Best AnswerReport This(10:02 on Thu 29/Jul/10)
Question Author
Remember the US Cole which was attacked some years ago and 16 US sailors killed from terrorists operating from the Yemen. Its not the hijacking of ships from Somalia thats the real problem but Al Qaeda operting from a country thats ungovernable and which they take over. Just look at the Geography of the region. Yemen is a short distance across the Red Sea from Somalia. Between thiese countries the majority of the world's shipping has to pass most notably to the Gulf from the Suez Canal. ///

[jno]

the Taliban were the former, and maybe future, rulers of Afghanistan. While in power they sponsored al-Qaeda, which became an international 'movement' ('organisation' would be too strong a word for it). The Taliban are trying to fight their way back into power in Afghanistan but I don't think they're a threat much beyond the immediate region. Al-Qaeda may be, but less of a threat than they would like you to think - or than the western security industry would like you to think.