An absurd assumption that gets tossed around very cavalierly. Sunni extremists are not restrained in Iraq like flies in flypaper. While AQI is a powerful terrorist group, most of al-Qa'ida is still outside of Iraq.
The only thing that's holding terrorists out of the United States is better intelligence collection and cooperation between our various defense and law enforcement agencies, and those of other countries. The Patriot Act and the Terrorist Surveillance Program are 100x more valuable to counterterrorism efforts than occupying Iraq. This summer's foiled airliner attack (remember that?) was by Pakistani extremists who've never set foot in Iraq.
If the country breaks up, then the Sunni Triangle is likely to become another Gaza. Do we need that?
So Abizaid, Vallely and a host of others who have commanded divisions and brigades in Iraq and Afghanistan are "absurd" when they state such things and your's is the voice that Americans should heed?
You'll understand if I disagree with you of course.
Right, destroying the Taliban and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan has had nothing to do with their ability to command and control. Likewise maintaining offensive tactics is not sa dterrent to their ability to command, control and execute missions in continental America.
The Patriot Act and the Terrorist Surveillance Program are 100x more valuable to counterterrorism efforts than occupying Iraq. This summer's foiled airliner attack (remember that?) was by Pakistani extremists who've never set foot in Iraq.
Abandoning Iraq now makes Iraq the new pre 9/11 Afghanistan where terrorists and those withan animus toward America can plot at their leisure using oil money to command, control and execute offensive operations in the United States and Europe.
There's nothing real hard about this. That's what will happen and if you think the Patriot Act and the TSP are going to be 100% effective once they have a secure base and funding you're a glass full kind of a guy when there is a hole in the bottom of it.
This is true.