He kept us safe after 9/11

[JohnnyD]

It is impossible for me to accept that any domestic, terrorist threat has been thwarted due to us dropping bombs in Iraq.

[spence]

Originally Posted by JohnnyD

It is impossible for me to accept that any domestic, terrorist threat has been thwarted due to us dropping bombs in Iraq.

I think the reasoning would be that al Qeada was so consumed with the front in the Middle East they'd not have the resources to attack us at home.

Contrary to this you have the argument that the bulk of the violence has been local insurgents, militants and recruits from nearby countries. In effect that we've just called more to the fight rather than distract those that were already there.

There's evidence to support both arguments, and clearly Bin Laden has seen a US failure in Iraq to be a strategic objective.

This is key to the bigger picture...

-spence

[Bronko]

Originally Posted by spence

and clearly Bin Laden has seen a US failure in Iraq to be a strategic objective.

This is key to the bigger picture...

-spence

Where do you come up with this stuff? Did Bin Laden tell you this or did you just read the footnote version of his latest audio message from the folks over at Dailykos? This is a genocidal maniac who has been wearing the same clothes for 7 years. His strategic objective is to kill every non-islamic human being on earth...period. He puts an emphasis on Jews and Westerners because their deaths get him more bang for the buck. He knows a busload of British or American tourists reap greater rewards than a discotech full of Sri Lankans. Listen to the terror experts, they'll tell you Bin Laden has been stymied since 9/11. He wants the big stage, but our military/special forces/clandestine ops/homeland security will not give it to him.

So instead he is playing a forced hand running around the mountains of Afganistan taking credit for car bombs in Bagdad.

[spence]

Originally Posted by Bronko

Where do you come up with this stuff? Did Bin Laden tell you this or did you just read the footnote version of his latest audio message from the folks over at Dailykos?

Well, actually I heard President Bush state it quoting Bin Laden's own words.

This is a genocidal maniac who has been wearing the same clothes for 7 years. His strategic objective is to kill every non-islamic human being on earth...period.

Nah, if they killed all the super consumers there'd be no market for the Saudi oil that Bin Laden wants to control.

I've never bought into the Bin Laden as "doomsday cult leader anyway". 9/11 was an attack on our economy in the hope that we would pull back from our assertive positions in Islamic lands. If their real goal was genocide, there would be far more effective methods than highly dramatic and selective attacks.

He puts an emphasis on Jews and Westerners because their deaths get him more bang for the buck. He knows a busload of British or American tourists reap greater rewards than a discotech full of Sri Lankans.

And yet, aside from 9/11 it's been mostly Muslims killed in global terror attacks.

Listen to the terror experts, they'll tell you Bin Laden has been stymied since 9/11. He wants the big stage, but our military/special forces/clandestine ops/homeland security will not give it to him.

We certainly appear to have kept a lid on the pot, but this has been a global multi-national effort with many facets. If you're listening to the terror experts you'll know that Bin Laden is but a player in the bigger production...the global insurgency that follows no clear leadership and is empowered by mainstream Islamic issues.

Ultimately though, this is all just side discussion. I'm not trying to argue that the war on terrorism hasn't been without success.

-spence