Al Qaeda has a very flat organizational structure is all that is happening her.
That, or like being the drummer for Spinal Tap.
A cursory googling reveals this has happened a fair number of times in the last 3 years or so. It’s a bit tricky, since al-Qaida is spelled a few different ways, as are the names of their numerous #2s.
Abu Qaswarah, the #2 we just killed
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2008-10-15-iraq-mosul_N.htm?csp=34
Hamad Jama al-Saedi, yet another #2, was arrested by Iraqi authorities in 2006, which is debateably “us”
Ayman al-Zawahiri, often referred to as a #2, has been reported killed, but turned up alive, now they’re saying he may be dead again, but that’s not verified.
Back in Sept. 2005, we also apparently killed #2, Abu Azzam.
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,16740136-1702,00.html
I think there may be more, but to tell you the truth, it’s really kind of tedious trying to sift through them all. It’s quite common knowledge that there have been a few.
As far as thesis goes, I believe I stated in the OP that I believe that it’s a combination of there having been a fair number of #2’s and there having been some amount of bullshit coming from the Pentagon/CIA/al-Qaida Busters-R-US.
I didn’t mention that some of it appears to be oversimplification by the media, as xtisme suggested, and I agree that’s likely a factor, as well.
It seems to me that the ::trumpets blaring:: We got #2!!! thing is getting diminishing returns anymore.
This all reads like an allegorical 'Sixties British television show:
Number 6: Where am I?
Number 2: In the Village.
Number 6: What do you want?
Number 2: We want in-formation.
Number 6: Whose side are you on?
Number 2: That would be telling. We want in-formation. In-formation. In-formation.
Number 6: You won’t get it.
Number 2: By hook or by crook, we will.
Number 6: Who are you?
Number 2: The new Number 2.
Number 6: Who is Number 1?
Number 2: You are Number 6.
Number 6: I am not a number, I am a free man.
Stranger
Jeez, this big brother stuff gets old.
In February the #3 Al Qaida leader, Abu Laith alLibi, was killed in Afghanistan.
There are plenty others.
I know of a company where a retiring vice president receives a handsome bonus, a rich pension, an office, and research space & funding (it’s a pharmaceutical company). Executives on the verge of retirement would eagerly beseech their pals on the board to get them promoted. This company, at the time my informant left, had 50 vice presidents, and a org chart like a bowl of cappellini tossed in olive oil.
Maybe Osama bin Laden offers generous retirement benefits to his #2’s?
72 virgins and a gold pocketwatch?
Thanks for the Prisoner references. You do realize though, that…
(on preview: note that this really is a spoiler for the show, not just a spoiler for a lame joke. Do not read if you intend to watch the show)
…if you take it to its logical conclusion, then the conspiracy theories that Bush et al were the actual masterminds/participants of 911 fit like a glove.
Of course there’s puffery involved – but even in a more structured organization you can have several and varying V.P.s or whatnot that can arguably be described as second in commands.
As for overstating, I’m more sickened by the continual reference to the number of “insurgents” killed. No, I don’t doubt that a lot of them have been targets, but it always sounds so clean to say that after such-and-such a firefight, X number of insurgents were killed. I don’t know, sounds… contrived.
No wonder we’re killing so many #2s - we’re camping their spawn points!
Number 6: [referring to the chess game] Why do you use people?
Chessmaster: Some psychiatrists say it satisfies the desire for power. 'the only opportunity one gets here.
Number 6: That depends what side you’re on.
Chessmaster: [quickly] I’m on my side.
Number 6: [quickly] Aren’t we all.
Chessmaster: You must be new here. In time, most of us join the enemy - against ourselves.
Stranger
Win.
That was my first thought, on seeing the thread title!
[Austin Powers] Who does Number Two work for? [/Austin Powers]
The US government takes credit for capturing or killing al-Qaeda’s number three no fewer than five times already:
Mohamed Atef aka Abu Hafs al-Masri in 2001
Khaled Sheikh Mohamed 2003
Abu Faraj al-Libi 2005
Hamza Rabi’a 2005
Abd-al-Hadi al-Iraqi 2006.
That’s for greater al-Qaeda. This latest guy is the number two in al-Qaeda in Iraq.
From here.
and it certainly does speed up door closing on some elevators (like the apartment building where I live).