Center of the war on terrorism

[Democratic Hawk]

Iraq only became part of the War on Terror by default following the fall of Saddam. Saddam was a potential, rather than, an iminent threat. Unfortunately,  the collapse of Saddam has unleashed an equally nasty can of worms. Saddam and Bin Laden despise one another because Saddam as a secular Ba-athist suppressed Islamist terrorism.

Dave

[Pollwatch99]

Iraq only became part of the War on Terror by default following the fall of Saddam. Saddam was a potential, rather than, an iminent threat. Unfortunately,  the collapse of Saddam has unleashed an equally nasty can of worms. Saddam and Bin Laden despise one another because Saddam as a secular Ba-athist suppressed Islamist terrorism.

Dave

I agree with you except I'm not so sure it's unfortunate that the cans of worms has been released.  The objective in a war in terrorism is to defeat the enemy. on your terms.  If IRAQ does overcome ISLAMIC terrorism, then the ISAMIC's will have failed in both IRAQ and Afganistan.  This would not be a bad thing

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Stop writing Islamic in capitals

[shankbear]

That's right, simply write RADICAL ISLAMISTS in capitals.  They are the ones who want to instill their version of hate worldwide.  They are the ones who kill more innocents than anybody.  They are who this war must fall hardest and swiftest.

[Light Touch]

Iraq was the terrorist crossroads of the Middle East, and Hussein encouraged that fact.

The US in Iraq throws a big interruption into the continuity of the Middle East power structure.  It's simply not as easy for these guys to go from Saudi Arabia to Syria to Iran.  (Afghanistan was similar, breaking up the Pakistan/Iran pathways.)

A brilliant tactical move, IMHO.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

There's no center at all.  The terrorists are spread all over the place, and they are constantly moving.  That's why I don't think any war against another country is in our best interests. 

[Posterity]

Change 'is' in your poll to 'was.' His comment refered to it as a side front in the past.

zachman and I seem to be the only ones who understand verb tenses.  Kerry said Iraq was not the center of the war on terrorism at the time Bush decided to invade it.  Obviously he was not talking about the situation as it is today.