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Top Al Qaeda leader Who Killed US Troops Now Syria’s Leader Shaking Hands in D.C. // Jimmy Dore
Jimmy Dore | Trusted Newsmaker
When the CIA Welcomes an Al-Qaeda Leader: A Dangerous Game
The U.S. government has long portrayed Al-Qaeda as its sworn enemy, the group behind 9/11 and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Yet recent revelations suggest a stunning contradiction: a former Al-Qaeda leader once carrying a $10 million bounty is now rebranded, dressed in a suit, and welcomed to the United States. Even more jarring, he is meeting with powerful American figures like General David Petraeus and Senator Marco Rubio.
The Petraeus Connection
General Petraeus, former commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan and CIA Director, was once disgraced for leaking classified information but later rewarded with a professorship. Now, instead of being ostracized, he sits across from the very man who led Al-Qaeda in Syria. Observers note the surreal optics: a top U.S. general openly applauding someone Washington once called a terrorist enemy.
From Terrorist Garb to Brooks Brothers
The rebranded figure once wore traditional militant attire and led an armed insurgency. Today, he appears in a Brooks Brothers suit and tie, having dropped his old name and militant identity. This transformation is more than cosmetic. It signals how quickly labels can shift when a former adversary becomes politically useful to American foreign policy.
A Contradiction in the War on Terror
For two decades, Americans were told to sacrifice blood and treasure to destroy Al-Qaeda. Thousands of U.S. soldiers were killed or wounded, and trillions of dollars were spent. Now, those same veterans and families see their leaders applauding a man once hunted as a terrorist. As journalist Glenn Greenwald pointed out, it’s a betrayal that makes ordinary citizens feel like “suckers” who risked everything for a narrative that no longer holds.
Why Washington Plays This Game
Analysts argue this isn’t about forgiveness but utility. The former Al-Qaeda leader in question, now positioned in Syria’s political sphere, is useful to U.S. interests. He represents a counterweight to Assad and Russia, aligning with long-standing American objectives in the region. When geopolitical strategy demands it, yesterday’s enemy can become today’s handshake partner.
Selective Memory and Media Silence
The public has been told to “never forget” 9/11, yet these meetings suggest Washington has done just that. Media coverage remains minimal, avoiding the optics of U.S. officials clapping for someone once accused of mass killings and linked to terrorism. The silence raises uncomfortable questions: is the war on terror a principled fight, or simply a flexible script that changes depending on who’s useful at the moment?
The Israel Question
Commentators in the document note another glaring inconsistency: this Al-Qaeda figure, despite his militant history, never directed attacks against Israel. This raises suspicions that some of these groups are less independent than presented, and may be pawns in a much larger geopolitical chess game involving the U.S., Israel, and regional power struggles.
Public Reaction: Anger and Disbelief
For veterans, families of 9/11 victims, and ordinary Americans, the news lands like a gut punch. Soldiers lost limbs and lives fighting Al-Qaeda. Now, one of its leaders is in the U.S. being praised, not prosecuted. Applause in the room contrasts with disbelief outside it, where many ask how Washington can justify welcoming someone once branded a terrorist mastermind.
The spectacle of U.S. leaders meeting with a former Al-Qaeda commander in Washington underscores a deeper truth: in geopolitics, enemies and allies are not fixed identities but roles assigned based on utility. For the American public, however, the contradiction is corrosive. If the government can pivot from waging war against Al-Qaeda to applauding its leaders, what else about the official narrative of war, terrorism, and foreign policy is negotiable? The answer may be more unsettling than the meetings themselves.
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