January 7, 2005
EXACTLY AS PROMISED:
Vanished fear of al-Qaeda: Americans are no longer inundated with fear-mongering warnings of imminent al-Qaeda attacks. But to assume that this means the terror network no longer poses a threat to the US homeland would be a foolish mistake; al-Qaeda, like Washington, is merely tied up with business in Iraq. (Ehsan Ahrari, 1/08/05, Asia Times)
The struggle between the US and al-Qaeda is not about Iraq alone. It is, first and foremost, about reclaiming the Arab Middle East from US dominance. The rest of the Islamic world is the secondary part of its global campaign. For that purpose, engaging the United States in Iraq and bleeding it is a crucial aspect of al-Qaeda's war, but it isn't an end in itself. Al-Qaeda knows that striking the US at home is the most important aspect of its success: taking terrorism to America. Osama bin Laden was quite unequivocal when he said, around the time of the US military campaign against the Taliban regime, "We want you to feel the same terror that we have been experiencing for a long time."
So, he's dead, al Qaeda's toast, its remnants are tied down in the Sunni triangle, the Shi'a are about to take control of Iraq democratically, Americans have forgotten 9-11 already... How's that struggle going? Posted by Orrin Judd at January 7, 2005 8:44 AM
But wait a minute:
Fact: Al Qaeda's No. 1 priority = striking the US Homeland
Fact: US Government's No. 1 responsibility = protecting the US Homeland
onstraints: Al Qaeda can not strike US Homeland because it is focused on fighting American forces in Iraq
Then
American Forces in Iraq are
(a) Distracting Al Qaeda not the US in the war on terror
(b) Fulfilling our government's No. 1 responsibility to its people
(c) Both (and more) unless you live in a college campus.