This isn't exactly a huge surprise, but it's nevertheless a heartbreaking reminder about why the administration and its allies have Iraq backwards. Indeed, we learned last September from the National Intelligence Estimate that the war is "shaping a new generation of terrorist leaders and operatives," creating a "cause celebre" for jihadists, which in turn "cultivat[es] supporters for the global jihadist movement." Or, put another way, the war in Iraq is making it harder, not easier, to combat global terrorism, and in the case of al Qaeda, our presence has become something of a cash-cow.Many observers believe that the "Long War" against terrorism was invented by the US military-industrial complex to ensure continued global profits in the wake of the Cold War. News like this is only going to reinforce such beliefs.
And given that our own governments cannot explain why they went to Iraq, or why we refuse to leave, who can blame them?
