8am: The presence of Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan under the rule of the Taliban has become a contentious issue for Republicans and Democrats in the United States. In the latest development, CNN, citing two American officials, has reported that the revival of Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan seems unlikely. According to the report, these American officials presented an optimistic view of terrorist groups weakening to demonstrate that despite the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, insurgent groups are on the decline. The American officials stated that the Al-Qaeda threat has decreased in recent decades, but Washington maintains the capability to track terrorist threats in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, the United Nations, pointing to the extensive infiltration of Al-Qaeda members within the Taliban structure, emphasizes that this network uses Afghanistan as an “ideological and logistical center.” Nevertheless, security analysts perceive the weakening of Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan as “strategically engineered to justify U.S. policies.” Click here to read more (external link).