--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But the real concern is not so much the…" description: "\"“But the real concern is not so much the vulnerability of merchant ships as it is their use by terrorist groups. Osama bin Laden is said to own or cont..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c4/william-langewiesche-47000_bin-laden_but-the-real-concern-is-not-so-much-the_2173940.jpg" --- # But the real concern is not so much the vulnerability of… ![“But the real concern is not so much the vulnerability of merchant ships as it is their use by terrorist groups. Osama bin Laden is said to own or control up to twenty aging freighters--a fleet dubbed the 'al Qaeda Navy' by the tabloids. To skeptics who wonder why bin Laden would want to own so…” quote by William Langewiesche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c4/william-langewiesche-47000_bin-laden_but-the-real-concern-is-not-so-much-the_2173940.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c4/william-langewiesche-47000_bin-laden_but-the-real-concern-is-not-so-much-the_2173940.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c4/william-langewiesche-47000_bin-laden_but-the-real-concern-is-not-so-much-the_2173940.jpg) > ““But the real concern is not so much the vulnerability of merchant ships as it is their use by terrorist groups. Osama bin Laden is said to own or control up to twenty aging freighters--a fleet dubbed the 'al Qaeda Navy' by the tabloids. To skeptics who wonder why bin Laden would want to own so many freighters, the explanation quite simply is that he and his associates are in the shipping business. Given his need for anonymity, this makes perfect sense--and it reflects as much on the shipping industry as on al Qaeda that the details remain murky. Such systematic lack of transparency is what worries U.S. officials when they contemplate the sea. The al Qaeda ships are believed to have carried cement and sesame seeds, among other legitimate cargoes. In 1998 one of them delivered the explosives to Africa that were used to bomb the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. But immediately before and afterward it was an ordinary merchant ship, going about ordinary business. As a result, that ship has never been found. Nor have any of the others.”” [William Langewiesche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-langewiesche/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The use of civilian shipping by terrorist groups shows how ordinary infrastructure can be exploited for illicit purposes. **In simple terms:** Terrorists can hide in normal trade routes. Key Takeaway Monitor and secure commercial shipping. Themes security terrorism maritime trade transparency Mood concerned serious Type analytical informative When to use this quote - policy making - shipping logistics - risk analysis - intelligence gathering Key Concepts risk assessment global security law enforcement Questions to Reflect On - How can transparency be increased without harming commerce? - What safeguards balance security and trade? A Different Perspective Complex geopolitical factors can limit effective oversight. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [None of us, remember, knew that 9/11 was gonna happen. 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Obviously Bin Laden didn't choose Taylor Gang.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-gang/taylor-gang-or-die-obviously-bin-laden-didn-t-choose-taylor-gang/) [Taylor Gang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-gang/) > [Osama Bin Laden is dead. Killed not by a massive troop deployment but by a commando raid carried out by a few dozen highly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/osama-bin-laden-is-dead-killed-not-by-a-massive-troop-deployment-but/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [“New Rule: The White House doesn't have to release the dead Bin Laden photos, but don't pretend we can't take it. We've seen pictures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-the-white-house-doesn-t-have-to-release-the-dead-bin-laden/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [With Benghazi, I don't see anyone saying, 'Hey look, I am overall responsible for this and therefore, I take responsibility for what happened. 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