Al Quida signaled us out many times before 9-11 finally galavenized this country. Iraq had not occured at that time.
Madrid was hit, they elected zapatero who pledged to withdraw. Then later were hit again. Capitulation did not protect them.
I believe one of the reasons given for the 9-11 attacks was support of Israel. Madrid and London they state the cause is Iraq.
The Truth is that they desire what Hitler desired. To advance their power and their ideology by using terror as a means to intimidate or remove those in their way. Hitler used a nation state as a base. These terrorists have no nation state, but they thrive in countries ruled by Theocrats and dictators. Such as Saddam Hussein.
Bottomline: Iraq is no justification for mass murder of innocent civilians. That is the purest form of evil that will draw from any flimsy pretext an excuse to do what it desires. Which is to kill us.
They didn't blow up people because a dictator was removed. They didn't cause massive destruction because people oppressed are now able to vote in free elections. They murder because they hate Freedom and they hate Free people.
It is a propaganda point for AQ to link attacks on the UK with Iraq and hence that link will be made. Strategically, that isn't necessarily why they are doing it though, but they'll most certainly *say* that's why they are doing it.