Reuters is reporting that earlier this week on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, an Egyptian-born al Qaeda leader named Abu Laith al-Libi was killed in a U.S. airstrike believed to be targeting 2nd and 3rd tier al Qaeda members – but Libi is no low-level lieutenant.  In November, Libi appeared in a propaganda video with Osama bin Laden’s second-in-command and the second most wanted man on earth, Al Zawahri. 

Libi has been previously identified as a field commander in Afghanistan and was becoming a frequent spokesperson for al Qaeda on the internet.  Having been involved in radical Islamic groups since the early 1990's, it was becoming clear that senior al Qaeda leadership had big plans for the rising star.

"It's clear he's plugged in at the senior level," Brachman said. "That's apparently al Qaeda's intent, to raise his operational battle credentials."

During a visit to Afghanistan last February by Vice President Cheney, Libi was believed to have planned a suicide attack outside the Bagram military base where the Vice President was staying.  While Cheney was unhurt, 23 people were killed in the attack, and it is thought that Libi had been training others in Afghanistan to carry out similar assaults.

Libi’s death is a huge blow to al Qaeda and the terrorist coalition’s attempt to further expand into the northern African nation of Libya.  His death proves that while al Qaeda continues to try to grow in reach and influence, the United States and its allies ARE making progress in the global fight against terror.  This further reinforces the need for the U.S. to continue to fight al Qaeda with our allies abroad, and that this truly is a global war against these extremist Islamic factions.