Iraq War Helping al Qa'ida Regroup

Terrorists "on the march" rather than "on the run"

An Update on the so-called "War on Terror"^TM

In case there was any doubt left, here's more evidence that the war in Iraq is nothing more than a distraction from the actual war on terror.

Terrorism expert Bruce Hoffman of Georgetown University told the House Armed Services Subcommittee that al Qaida has had a chance to regroup and strengthen its forces thanks to the American invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq. He testified to his belief that President George W. Bush's planned "surge" of nearly 22,000 additional troops is "exactly what al-Qaida wants."

"Iraq, for them, has been an effective means to preoccupy American military forces and distract U.S. attention while al-Qaida has regrouped and reorganized since the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001," he said.

Others agree.

Daniel Benjamin of the Brookings Institution agreed that al-Qaida "appears to have recovered" from any damage inflicted during the expulsion from Afghanistan. Al-Qaida now is based in tribal areas of Pakistan along the Afghanistan border, where the Pakistani government "shows little inclination to dislodge it," he said.

The U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq "gave the jihadists an unmistakable boost," he said. Among "self-starter jihadists," the U.S. invasion and occupation is universally cited as justification for terrorism. The U.S. presence in Iraq has turned the country into "a sanctuary for jihadists better than Afghanistan ever was," he said.

As of this moment, 63% of Americans oppose the surge.