NEW AL QAEDA TACTICS – AT 8:49 A.M. ET:  The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the post-bin Laden leadership of Al Qaeda is focusing on new targets:

WASHINGTON—Al Qaeda is expected to shift strategy under new leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, placing a higher priority on attacking the U.S. and Western targets overseas, where plots are easier to execute than on the U.S. homeland, say U.S. officials.

This broader attack strategy advocated by Mr. Zawahiri better aligns the goals of al Qaeda's leaders in Pakistan and affiliates, particularly in Yemen, which are increasingly becoming the group's frontline operators.

The modus operandi of al Qaeda's branch in Yemen is to conduct any type of attack possible, whether or not it will have a spectacular result, U.S. officials say.

As a result, the U.S. may have to alter its approach to counterterrorism operations, especially if al Qaeda's Yemen and North African branches try to seek out U.S. or other Western targets in Europe or Africa. Such attacks would be reminiscent of al Qaeda's first U.S. attack—the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania for which Mr. Zawahiri has been indicted.

"I would not be surprised to see potentially 1990s-style attacks at the U.S. embassies and consulates overseas whether it's in Pakistan or Africa or possibly even Afghanistan," said Seth Jones, a political scientist at Rand Corp., who is writing a book on al Qaeda.

He added that he would expect al Qaeda to target military, diplomatic or other U.S. government institutions overseas.

COMMENT:  Obviously, it's a relief if Al Qaeda is taking its focus off the American homeland, and probably a tribute to the measures put in place by President Bush.  But American targets overseas will be under greater pressure.  I fear a repeat of the 1983 bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut, which killed 242 U.S. Marines.  We have to be on guard, and that may mean greater reinforcement and security for our embassies and intallations.  At a time of budget cutting, what are the chances of getting that? 

July 19, 2011