The New Ground Zero: What's that about no link between Saddam and terrorism?

Opinion Journal ^ | 08/20/03 | editorial board

[Pokey78]

Yesterday's bombing at the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad is a bloody reminder that the epicenter of the global war on terror is now Iraq. This isn't new, but it's taken on new meaning as increasingly desperate terrorists realize just what's at stake.

[sinclair]

We are more in control of Afghanistan and Iraq today than we were prior to September 11, 2001. Now argue that point.

Proudly posting since the Jurassic

[cartoonistx]

[Burkeman1]

What claims? Is not opium production the cash crop in Afghanistan since we came in and deposed the Taliban? Do you deny that? Do you deny that Bush was giving hundreds of millions of dollars to the Taliban in Afghanistan before 9/11? Do you deny that Heroin is now the major economy of Afghanistan and with our tacit approval?

[truth_seeker]

I don't see any proof of your claims. Just assertions. If heroin was bad before, it is still bad. What am I to do with that information?

Am I to give back to the Taliban the ruling role, for the country? Am I to repent, and encourage them to re-open training for jihadis?

And I don't see your plan for fighting Islamist terrorism.

[Rudder]

I can't quote Bush, but a paraphrase is accurate enough:

The Plan was to go after the terrorists on our terms. The Plan was to attack them before they attacked us. The Plan was to not tolerate other countries aiding and abetting terrorism. The Plan was to not stop until the terrorist threat was eliminated. The Plan was to get them (the terrorists) to show themselves so we could attack and kill them. Put all that into one thought, and what we are doing in Iraq is consistent with The Plan.

What you cite is accurate but only a small segment of The Plan. Bush outlined it all clearly, but few seemed to listen carefully.