From the NY Times

 

 

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 — A stark assessment of terrorism trends by American intelligence agencies has found that the American invasion and occupation of Iraq has helped spawn a new generation of Islamic radicalism and that the overall terrorist threat has grown since the Sept. 11 attacks.

 

 

The classified National Intelligence Estimate attributes a more direct role to the Iraq war in fueling radicalism than that presented either in recent White House documents or in a report released Wednesday by the House Intelligence Committee, according to several officials in Washington involved in preparing the assessment or who have read the final document.

 

 

The intelligence estimate, completed in April, is the first formal appraisal of global terrorism by United States intelligence agencies since the Iraq war began, and represents a consensus view of the 16 disparate spy services inside government. Titled “Trends in Global Terrorism: Implications for the United States,’’ it asserts that Islamic radicalism, rather than being in retreat, has metastasized and spread across the globe.

 

 

An opening section of the report, “Indicators of the Spread of the Global Jihadist Movement,” cites the Iraq war as a reason for the diffusion of jihad ideology.

 

 

The report “says that the Iraq war has made the overall terrorism problem worse,” said one American intelligence official.

More than a dozen United States government officials and outside experts were interviewed for this article, and all spoke only on condition of anonymity because they were discussing a classified intelligence document.

 

The officials included employees of several government agencies, and both supporters and critics of the Bush administration. All of those interviewed had either seen the final version of the document or participated in the creation of earlier drafts. These officials discussed some of the document’s general conclusions but not details, which remain highly classified.

Nothing too surprising here. From a big picture standpoint, the Iraq war will go down as one of the biggest blunders in U.S. history.

Nothing too surprising here. From a big picture standpoint, the Iraq war will go down as one of the biggest blunders in U.S. history.

:thumb: :thumb:

It may not have created terrorism....but it sure turned it up a notch.

No question about it.

I posted this thread 24 hours ago.

 

There have been 4 responses, all from liberals or moderates.

 

In that same time, there have been 18 posts in a thread centered on Bill Clinton, mostly jokes about 'Slick Willys' honesty. I have questions about W's honesty, and I think they're a little more important.

 

"Today, we are safer, but we are not yet safe."

I posted this thread 24 hours ago.

 

There have been 4 responses, all from liberals or moderates.

 

In that same time, there have been 18 posts in a thread centered on Bill Clinton, mostly jokes about 'Slick Willys' honesty. I have questions about W's honesty, and I think they're a little more important.

 

"Today, we are safer, but we are not yet safe."

 

Waiting to get their talking points tomorrow.

Nothing too surprising here. From a big picture standpoint, the Iraq war will go down as one of the biggest blunders in U.S. history.

 

We'll need to compare notes in 20-30 years.

We'll need to compare notes in 20-30 years.

 

Absolutely, let's do that.

 

Of course, while we wait, we'll just have to ignore what the rest of the world, the presidential historians, and all the polls are telling us. It would be terribly inconvenient to have to face the truth during the interim.

 

 

Frances

An incredible irony is that President Bush is using the specter of Osama bin Laden still being on the loose to scare people into voting for Republicans during this mid-term election. And why is he still on the loose?

 

Because we focused on Iraq instead of getting bin Laden. And now he is scary again. BOO!

Please, some liberal calculate the deaths due to terrorism before 9/11 with the deaths due to terrorism after 9/11.

"Liberal" is the last tag on Earth I would ever have put on me...they are more dangerous than all of the foreigners that openly state they want to kill us, IMO...

Please, some liberal calculate the deaths due to terrorism before 9/11 with the deaths due to terrorism after 9/11.

"Liberal" is the last tag on Earth I would ever have put on me...they are more dangerous than all of the foreigners that openly state they want to kill us, IMO...

 

You make an excellent point. I would like some proof that terrorist activity is higher because of the Iraq war. I guess we are to believe that the terrorist would have left us alone if we had just left them alone. You can say the war was a bad idea and make a valid arguement but this is a reach.

 

Did the writer of this article actually see this report or are they strictly go on the word of anonimous sources? I ask in sincerity becasue I refuse to sign up for the NYT.

 

The terrorist and the States that sponsor them will not stop as long as Isreal exist and we will always be a target because of are support of Isreal. Iraq or no Iraq. Terrorism was here before Iraq and will go on until the Lord returns, mark it down.

Please, some liberal calculate the deaths due to terrorism before 9/11 with the deaths due to terrorism after 9/11.

"Liberal" is the last tag on Earth I would ever have put on me...they are more dangerous than all of the foreigners that openly state they want to kill us, IMO...

 

Is that the best response you can come up with?

The terrorist and the States that sponsor them will not stop as long as Isreal exist and we will always be a target because of are support of Isreal. Iraq or no Iraq. Terrorism was here before Iraq and will go on until the Lord returns, mark it down.

 

 

So you agree that starting a war in Iraq had little hope of actually reducing the threat of terrorism?

Is that the best response you can come up with?

 

Didn't address my question.

 

Please, some liberal calculate the deaths due to terrorism before (and counting) 9/11 with the deaths due to terrorism after 9/11.