IT WOULD BE NICE IF THE GENERAL WOULD CLARIFY EXACTLY WHO HE MEANS WHEN HE USES THE GENERIC TERM “AL QAIDA;” IS HE REFERRING TO THE VETERAN AFGHAN MUJAHEDEEN OR THE IMPORTED ARAB AND MUSLIM RADICALS GATHERED FROM THE JAILS OF THE MIDDLE EAST, OR OSAMA BIN LADEN’S ORGANIZATION “WORLD ISLAMIC FRONT FOR JIHAD AGAINST THE JEWS AND CRUSADERS,”

OR IS HE REFERRING TO THE TALIBAN, THE “PAKISTANI TALIBAN,” OR SOME OTHER GROUP THAT WANTS AMERICA OUT OF THE MIDDLE EAST?

THERE IS NO “AL QAIDA,” ONLY GROUPS THAT OUR GOVERNMENT AND ITS “FREE PRESS” CALLS BY THAT MADE-UP MONIKER!!

Defense Intelligence Agency Director Army Lt. Gen. Michael Maples testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee regarding ongoing and future national security threats and opportunities on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 10, 2009. (UPI Photo/Roger L. Wollenberg)

Maples: Al-Qaida returning to Afghanistan

WASHINGTON, March 11 (UPI) — The director of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency says al-Qaida has expanded its presence in Afghanistan seven years after the fall of the Taliban.Testifying Tuesday before the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, DIA Director Lt. Gen. Michael Maples said while the terrorist group isn’t entrenched in the country as it was before the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, its renewed presence was a key reason for a U.S. decision to send in more troops, the Los Angeles Times reported.

“I believe al-Qaida’s presence in Afghanistan is more significant, although still at a relatively minor scale, than we have seen in the past,” Maples said.

During the hearing, Maples also said intelligence is showing Iran is becoming more active in supporting the Haqqani network, a militant group based in Pakistan that has been attacking U.S. and Afghan forces.

“We are seeing some increased activity between Iran and the Haqqani network,” Maples testified.