Report: Iraq War Made Terror 'Worse'

**min0 lee** · 09-25-2006, 08:34 PM

Terrorism Has Spread Since U.S. Invasion, National Intelligence Estimate Finds

<H3> CBS News Interactive: Postwar Iraq

(CBS News) The U.S. invasion of Iraq has heightened the threat of terrorism and increased the number of terrorist groups, according to a new report compiled by U.S. intelligence agencies since the Iraq war started.

The report, the classified National Intelligence Estimate, "says that the Iraq war has made the overall terrorism problem worse," one American intelligence official told The New York Times.

Completed in April, the intelligence estimate reflects the views of 16 different spy agencies within the U.S. government. Instead of weakening Islamic radicalism, the report titled "Trends in Global Terrorism: Implications for the United States," says the jihad ideology has spread worldwide since the Iraq war.

The report ends by saying the radical Islamic movement has expanded from a core of al Qaeda operatives and related groups and now includes a class of "self-generating" cells inspired by al Qaeda’s leadership, yet has no direct connection with Osama bin Laden or his top officers, The New York Times reported.

In other developments:

At least 20 people were killed and 37 injured Sunday in scattered violence around Iraq, including a mortar attack on the Health Ministry followed by a car bombing targeting a police patrol. Police also discovered another 13 bodies, the apparent victims of sectarian death squads.

Baghdad police on Sunday raised the confirmed casualty toll in the deadly bombing of a kerosene truck on a crowded street Saturday to 38 killed and 42 injured. A Sunni group claiming responsibility for the attack in Baghdad's Sadr City, a sprawling Shiite slum, said it was in revenge for a Friday attack by a suspected Shiite death squad on Sunni Arab homes and mosques that killed four people in the capital.

Iraq's fractious ethinic and religious parliamentary groups agreed Sunday to open debate on a contentious Shiite-proposed draft legislation that will allow the creation of federal regions in Iraq, politicians from all groups said. The agreement came after a compromise was reached with Sunni Arabs on setting up a parliamentary committee to amend Iraq's constitution, a key demand by the minority.

U.S. military authorities are reporting the deaths of three American soldiers in Iraq Saturday. They say one died in a roadside bombing in Baghdad. Two other troops were killed after a bomb exploded near their patrol in a town 150 miles north of Baghdad. The U.S. command says three other soldiers were injured. No further details have been released.

An al Qaeda-linked group posted a Web video Saturday purporting to show the bodies of two American soldiers being dragged behind a truck, then set on fire in apparent retaliation for the rape-slaying of a young Iraqi woman by U.S. troops from the same unit.

While threats came in a blizzard around the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks — a series of sophisticated videos from al Qaeda's No. 2 warning that the group is still vital and plans to strike — U.S. intelligence agencies and many private security analysts doubt that al Qaeda or its elusive leader, Osama bin Laden, still maintain much if any operational control over far-flung terror cells.

They see no sign of a direct al Qaeda hand in a flurry of recent attacks, such as the assault on the U.S. Embassy in Damascus, Syria or the fatal shooting of a British tourist in Jordan. And a recent French intelligence report that bin Laden may have died last month of typhoid fever merely highlights the uncertainty the West now has about any role he plays in the terror network.

All that means those frightening videos may have been just that —designed to frighten the West and inspire followers — with little real punch behind them.

Bin Laden and his top deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, are now "less like generals and more like talking heads, disseminating their violent ideology via satellite television in hopes of inspiring others to do their bidding," says Eben Kaplan of the Council on Foreign Relations think tank in New York.

Not everyone agrees with that controversial idea. There also are ominous signs in Afghanistan that al Qaeda is trying to make an operational comback as attacks, especially suicide missions, against U.S. and coalition forces increase.

Some experts also fear the absence of a major, Sept. 11-style attack simply means that al Qaeda is taking its time to plan a next spectacular strike.

Yet, five years after the attacks on the World Trade Center, many analysts believe the day-to-day threat from al Qaeda itself has dropped.

Paradoxically, however, the threat from Islamic extremist terrorists overall may have grown — and become broader, more diverse and more complex, and thus harder to combat.

"The absence of a formal, single organizational structure has contributed to making the fight against this brand of terrorism more elusive and difficult," the British think-tank Chatham House said in a report this month as the videos were airing.

After the U.S. and its allies ousted the Taliban in 2001, al Qaeda apparently transformed itself into an ideological movement of self-sustaining cells that operate with little or no central direction, many analysts and intelligence officials believe. That makes them difficult to track — until they strike or make a mistake that leads the authorities to them.

But the goals, methods and targets of those far-flung radicals now vary widely. And not all extremist groups share al Qaeda's vision of global struggle against the West, preferring in some cases to fight instead for some specific national political agenda.

Across the world, that means the threat is fractured into many parts — with the need to tailor defenses accordingly.

In Iraq, the fight has mostly morphed into a sectarian conflict between Sunnis and Shiites for control of Iraq's future, although some foreign fighters inspired by al Qaeda seem to still be involved.

In Britain, mostly homegrown militants of Pakistani descent seem intent on waging the kind of big, spectacular attack that bin Laden used on Sept. 11.

Elsewhere, however, militants have diverged sharply from bin Laden. The Sept. 12 assault on the U.S. Embassy in Damascus, Syria which came just a day after al-Zawahiri's warning tapes were aired serves as a prime example.

In Syria, militants have focused on getting rid of President Bashar Assad and there is no sign they receive any operational direction from al Qaeda.

In places like Sudan and Somalia, Muslim militants are fighting for local power and control. They may have links to bin Laden from the past — but their only real connection seems to be when they invoke his name to resist the West.

</H3>

**fufu** · 09-25-2006, 08:35 PM

sigh

**The Monkey Man** · 09-25-2006, 08:37 PM

**TJ Cline** · 09-25-2006, 08:38 PM

GWB and his admistration made Terrorism worse

**BigDyl** · 09-25-2006, 09:26 PM

*Waits for a post from DOMS that defends the president*

**fletcher6490** · 09-25-2006, 09:47 PM

First time you will ever see me post this horrible, copied, unoriginal saying. But I feel as though it is appropriate.

TRUE STORY

**maniclion** · 09-26-2006, 05:51 AM

Well could you just imagine that shit....slipping into darkness....take my mind beyond my dreams

You been slippin into darkness, oh, oh, oh
Pretty soon you're gonna pay

"Silhouette of the memory
You're eyes are getting heavy
And when I speak
You sleep on cue
3, 2, 1"

" And preparin' for sleep
But you and me are just not gettin' outta bed
Wakin' up
Sunbathing on the shores of a nightmare"

" Sweet honeycomb and lockjaw
Sting like a bee and say aaaaaaahhhhhh!"

**Tatyana** · 09-26-2006, 05:56 AM

Not surprised, terrible shame.

**I Are Baboon** · 09-26-2006, 06:02 AM

Yes, but Liberty must be spread at all costs.

**DOMS** · 09-26-2006, 07:45 AM

Originally Posted by BigDyl

*Waits for a post from DOMS that defends the president*

Who says that I want to defend Bush? I think he's a fucking moron, but he's still better than anyone that the Democrats would have put forward.

As for the increase in possible terrorist attacks? They've been on the rise since 1993. You do know that they existed before 2000, don't you? And more terrorist groups? Or course. The largest groups are being hit the most, so they're splintering off.

I'll also take this time to point out that you, as always, are The Cock Rider. Not a cock-rider, but The Cock Rider. You're always trying to ride the coattails of other people's posts.

Why do you even bother to post here? How mentally stimulating can posting "True story." or the equivalent of "What he said" be?

**BulkMeUp** · 09-26-2006, 08:02 AM

Originally Posted by DOMS

Who says that I want to defend Bush? I think he's a fucking moron, but he's still better than anyone that the Democrats would have put forward.

As for the increase in possible terrorist attacks? They've been on the rise since 1993. You do know that they existed before 2000, don't you? And more terrorist groups? Or course. The largest groups are being hit the most, so they're splintering off.

I'll also take this time to point out that you, as always, are The Cock Rider. Not a cock-rider, but The Cock Rider. You're always trying to ride the coattails of other people's posts.

Why do you even bother to post here? How mentally stimulating can posting "True story." or the equivalent of "What he said" be?

Sounds like BigDyl hit a nerve!

**Tatyana** · 09-26-2006, 08:15 AM

Gee, didn't Hitler think all Jewish people should be killed.

Past life?

x
x
x

T

**DOMS** · 09-26-2006, 08:22 AM

Originally Posted by Tatyana

Gee, didn't Hitler think all Jewish people should be killed.

Past life?

x
x
x

T

Listen man, the Jews weren't going around blowing people up or doing a tenth of the shit that the Jews were doing.

**DOMS** · 09-26-2006, 08:25 AM

Originally Posted by BulkMeUp

Sounds like BigDyl hit a nerve!

Yeah, but not in the way that you think. Calling me into a debate is something that I like. I enjoy debating various issues. What "hits a nerve" is the cock riding that BigDyl does. That and his thousands, upon thousands, of content-free posts.

**Tatyana** · 09-26-2006, 08:26 AM

Originally Posted by I Are Baboon

Yes, but Liberty must be spread at all costs.

Ok what do you mean at all costs?

How do you define liberty?

**Decker** · 09-26-2006, 08:26 AM

Originally Posted by DOMS

Who says that I want to defend Bush? I think he's a fucking moron, but he's still better than anyone that the Democrats would have put forward....

Either Al Gore or John Kerry were right about handling terrorism as a police problem.

It was GW Bush that treated it as a military exercise and the grievous error has cost the US in terms of lives, money and prestige not to mention exacerbating terrorist activities worldwide.

There's little doubt now that the military reaction is the wrong approach to battling the terrorist problem. Bush was wrong and Gore/Kerry were right.

**Tatyana** · 09-26-2006, 08:30 AM

Originally Posted by DOMS

Listen man, the Jews weren't going around blowing people up or doing a tenth of the shit that the Jews were doing.

I think you will find that the German military thought they were justified in their actions due to the 'Jewish Conspiracy' to take over the world.

My knowledge of WWII is a bit limited, but I think that the American Government bought into that one as well.

Hell, I think I want to get in on this action.

Kill all Christians, they bomb medical centers.

Just as logical.

Do you even know any Muslim people?

**I Are Baboon** · 09-26-2006, 08:34 AM

Originally Posted by Tatyana

Ok what do you mean at all costs?

How do you define liberty?

I'm sorry your sarcasm meter seems to be broken.

**Tatyana** · 09-26-2006, 08:45 AM

Originally Posted by I Are Baboon

I'm sorry your sarcasm meter seems to be broken.

LOL, sorry, usually I am good at picking up sarcasm. One of my fav forms of humour.

If you can't tell yet.

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x
x

T

**Witmaster** · 09-26-2006, 08:45 AM

I used to think quite highly of you till now...

Very sad...

**DOMS** · 09-26-2006, 08:47 AM

Originally Posted by Decker

Either Al Gore or John Kerry were right about handling terrorism as a police problem.

It was GW Bush that treated it as a military exercise and the grievous error has cost the US in terms of lives, money and prestige not to mention exacerbating terrorist activities worldwide.

There's little doubt now that the military reaction is the wrong approach to battling the terrorist problem. Bush was wrong and Gore/Kerry were right.

Gore & Kerry ane nothing more than than armchair quaterbacks. Not only that, but they're using hindsight to make their calls. To bad GWB couldn't see into the future to make his call back in 2000.

Go back to 2000 and look at the average Dem reaction back in 2000. It was the same as the Republicans and the same as nearly every American: Revenge.

**Decker** · 09-26-2006, 08:49 AM

Originally Posted by Witmaster

I used to think quite highly of you till now...

Very sad...

Well, dispute her factual contentions. Is she right? The conclusion of Kill All Americans is comedy. But is she correct about her other assertions. If so/not, then how does that affect your own thinking on the matter.

**Tatyana** · 09-26-2006, 08:51 AM

Originally Posted by Witmaster

I used to think quite highly of you till now...

Very sad...

Why?

Just stating a few facts.

Making a point as the "gee guys, not all Muslims are terrorists" doesn't seem to work

**assassin** · 09-26-2006, 08:52 AM

I don't know why is killing all people is so easy for you to talk about (doms) ... do you think they are second degree human beings or what ...they are humans just like you they have families just like yours ... and when you kill them they think of killing you. it's not so complicated , israel killed thousands of innocent people and destroyed other thousands of civilian houses , do you think that was fair...i think if you calculated all people that have died at terrorist attacks they won't count as 1/10 what israel have killed in the last few years .....i'll tell you again doms go read the history of the world from a trusted neutral place and read about islam and i'm sure you'll find that islam brought peace and that nothing tells muslims to kill innocent people or any crap like this ....

**DOMS** · 09-26-2006, 08:53 AM

Originally Posted by Tatyana

They go around the world killing all sorts of people after their government has fucked with the country.

That's the way it should be. You fuck with us and you die. That is how the world works (as it should). Step out of your fantasy land and look around the real world.

Originally Posted by Tatyana

Their shit food is making the world obese and costing BILLIONS in medical costs.

You think that food manufacturers make people obese? Bwahahahahahahahaha. And you said this on a bodybuilding forum to boot!!!

**DOMS** · 09-26-2006, 08:53 AM

Originally Posted by Decker

Well, dispute her factual contentions.

Done.

**DOMS** · 09-26-2006, 08:54 AM

Originally Posted by Witmaster

I used to think quite highly of you till now...

Very sad...

How could you think highly of a man pretending to be a woman? Or, if it really is a woman, an abashed attention whore?

**Decker** · 09-26-2006, 08:55 AM

Originally Posted by DOMS

Gore & Kerry ane nothing more than than armchair quaterbacks. Not only that, but they're using hindsight to make their calls. To bad GWB couldn't see into the future to make his call back in 2000.

No. Not armchair quarterbacking. In Gore's case he commented that the Iraqi invasion was the wrong-headed approach to battling terrorism prior to the attac.

Kerry fell for Bush's blatant manufacturing of a nuclear threat posed by Iraq. The legal justifications for invading Iraq were WMDs foremost and links to terrorism secondary.

Originally Posted by DOMS

Go back to 2000 and look at the average Dem reaction back in 2000. It was the same as the Republicans and the same as nearly every American: Revenge.

Yes, revenge against Al Qaeda. And we all know that Hussein had nothing to do with Al Qaeda. It was the Bush administration that said, "Hussein has contacts with Al Qaeda" when it damn well knew those contacts were negative--Hussein rebuffed Al Qaeda and arrested any suspected Al Qaeda operatives in his jurisdiction. Are those "contacts" with Al Qaeda?
Technically yes. Does it show a working relationship? No, just the opposite. But the truth matters little the Bush administration.

**DOMS** · 09-26-2006, 08:56 AM

Originally Posted by assassin

read about islam and i'm sure you'll find that islam brought peace

I needed a good laugh.

Originally Posted by assassin

nothing tells muslims to kill innocent people or any crap like this ....

How about the Koran and Muslim leaders around the world?

**Witmaster** · 09-26-2006, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by Decker

Well, dispute her factual contentions. Is she right? The conclusion of Kill All Americans is comedy. But is she correct about her other assertions. If so/not, then how does that affect your own thinking on the matter.

Was it comedy? i missed that assertion.

Somehow I just don't buy in to the wholesale slaughter of all americans as a viable approach to peace.

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