Al Qaeda warns President-elect Barack Obama not to follow President
W. Bush's policies.

An Obama spokeswoman in Washington said the president-elect's office was
not planning to comment.

REUTERS -
Al-Qaeda's second-in-command emerged on the airwaves, urging Muslims to
keep up attacks on the United States and slamming President-elect Barack Obama
for promising to back Israel.

Ayman al-Zawahri warned Obama of failure should he pursue the policies of
President George W. Bush, according to a tape published by the SITE
Intelligence Group.

White House spokesperson Dana Perino dismissed the remarks.

SOUNDBITE: White House spokesperson Dana Perino, saying (English):
"These were more despicable comments by al Qaeda
terrorists."

An Obama spokeswoman in Washington said the president-elect's office was
not planning to comment.

Covert military operations around the globe have been a part of U.S. policy
for decades and have been pursued against al Qaeda since the September 11,
2001 attacks.

During his election campaign Obama condemned Bush's counter-terrorism as
ineffective and advocated more diplomacy.

But he also vowed to strike al Qaeda leaders in Pakistan if the United
States had good intelligence and that nation failed to act -- setting the
stage for a continuation of Bush's policy in the region.

Malou Innocent of the Cato Institute.

Malou Innocent of the Cato Institute, saying:
"Given that President elect Obama has stated his commitment go
after al Qaeda, there might not be too much of a difference. Maybe Barack
Obama may be more discreet than President Bush right now, but at least in
terms of nuts and bolts polices it might actually continue."

But beyond the nuts and bolts, Obama's approach to the war on terror is
likely to be very different, says Eric Rosenbach of Harvard University.

Eric Rosenbach of Harvard University, saying:
"It will start with the realization that keeping America safe isn't
something that is predicated on eliminating evil for the world as president
Bush used to say, it will focus on Al Qaeda as a very specific
threat."

U.S. strikes against al Qaeda targets, particularly in Pakistan, have
increased in the past year, raising protests from the government, in part
because of civilian casualties.

Starting in January, it will be Barack Obama balancing the opportunities
and risks of any covert strikes.

Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters.