If we go there, they will follow. Although it has never been stated, at least I haven't heard it addressed, is that WE chose Iraq as the central battle field. We knew if we went in there, the terrorists would follow us. It gave us the opportunty to fight the terrorists out in the open (if you can call guerilla warfare in the open).This may have been part of the strategy for choosing Iraq as a battlefield. After all, the terrain in Iraq is a lot more favorable then that in Afghanistan. But it looks like it didn't work out. According to General Abizaid the vast majority of the Insurgents are from inside Iraq. If they are loyal to Al-Queda then they're new recruits.
The Fedayeen Saddam (30,000 to 40,000-member Iraqi paramilitary group) would be among those Rumsfeld called dead enders & they would probably have no problem becoming "loyal to Al-Queda".