They know that they can count on people like the democRats to divide us while trying to gain their own power from the kaos that the terrorist are creating. If we would stand united against the terrorist they would gain nothing. But as long as there is possibility for change that the democrats can capitalize on, they'll squeal like little piggies to get their power back.
The jihadi or Wahhabi fanaticism has spread widely to countries hostile to the US and would no doubt continue to conduct terror attacks even when we have all the al Qaeda leadership captured or dead. I have no doubt that local cells, splinter groups and individuals will go on blowing up things to get what they want for many years to come. Every time someone caves in to them like Spain, they become emboldened.
But this decentralizing of command works both ways. The terrorists (and the Democrats) think that by taking down the leader of a resisting country they can win. Wrong-o. If they manage to get Kerry elected or do some catastrophic attack on our government, the leadership of the fight against the jihadists is now becoming decentralized too. There are many groups and individuals who will carry on and intensify the war against terror without central leadership. Many are holding back from any direct action now because we still have a strong leader and direction. But if we get an appeaser in the White House and he starts caving in to the terrorists, watch out because, to paraphrase a line from al Qaeda, "there are millions of George Bushes".