The recently discovered al Qaeda handbook, which is primarily devoted to the organization's strategy for forcing Spain from Iraq, contains a few telling quotes which shows al Qaeda's clear understanding related to the importance of President Bush's efforts in Iraq:
Made-up of 54 pages in Arabic, the document has been authenticated by western experts of the Islamic radical terror network of Saudi-born fugitive Osama bin Laden.
The document, entitled "the Iraq of Jihad (holy war): hopes and dangers," was prepared by the "information agency for the support of the Iraqi people — office of services for the Mujahedeen (holy warriors)."
It said the US plan was "to build an Iraqi state as conceived by the United States...and enslave Saudi Arabia politically, fight against Islamic proselytism as a salafist and jihadic movement."
"This would be (for the US) the first step toward the eradication of hardline Islam in the entire world," it said.
In other words, while Bush critics have relentlessly labelled the removal of Saddam and the establishment of a Democratic government in Iraq a "distraction," the members of al Qaeda showed with crystal clarity their understanding of the President's strategy. The difference, of course, is that al Qaeda is doing everything they can to stop this strategy while the President pushes it relentlessly forward, hoping to drive a stake straight into the heart of the Jihadist movement.
Do you see the fascinating irony of the al Qaeda statement? Al Qaeda is in perfect agreement with President Bush regarding the dire impact that a free and democratic Iraq would have on radical Islam. At the same time, al Qaeda's strategy is exactly that of Michael Moore, Al Gore, and other hard left liberals, get coalition forces out of Iraq at all costs!
Hat tip to James Taranto of Opinionjournal.com.
David Flanagan
Viewpointjournal.com
Article comments
1 - Shark
No surprise.
Wonder what Al Kayda's opinion of Iraq was BEFORE Bush decided to invade?
So Bush walked into a trap, and now you're spinning it to sound like they walked into a trap set by Bush.
Kudos!
The good news: Iraq is now full of 'terrorists' that weren't there before -- and we have 130,000 boots on the ground.
The bad news: Iraq is now full of 'terrorists' that weren't there before -- and 130,000 boots on the ground appear to be rather ineffective against 'em.
2 - Lt. Col. Dominic Caraccilo
I have been serving in Iraq for over five months now as a soldier in the 2nd Battalion of the 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment, otherwise known as the "ROCK."
We entered the country at midnight on the 26th of March; one thousand of my fellow soldiers and I parachuted from 10 jumbo jets (known as C-17s) onto a cold, muddy field in Bashur, Northern Iraq. This parachute operation was the U.S. Army's only combat jump of the war and opened up the northern front.
Things have changed tremendously for our battalion since those first cold, wet weeks spent in the mountain city of Bashur. On April 10 our battalion conducted an attack south into the oil-rich town of Kirkuk, the city that has since become our home away from home and the focus of our security and development efforts.
Kirkuk is a hot and dusty city of just over a million people. The majority of the city has welcomed our presence with open arms. After nearly five months here, the people still come running from their homes, in the 110-degree heat, waving to us as our troops drive by on daily patrols of the city. Children smile and run up to shake hands, in their broken English shouting "Thank you, mister."
The people of Kirkuk are all trying to find their way in this new democratic environment. Some major steps have been made in these last three months. A big reason for our steady progress is that our soldiers are living among the people of the city and getting to know their neighbors and the needs of their neighborhoods.
We also have been instrumental in building a new police force. Kirkuk now has 1,700 police officers. The police are now, ethnically, a fair representation of the community as a whole. So far, we have spent more than $500,000 from the former Iraqi regime to repair each of the stations' electricity and plumbing, to paint each station and make it a functional place for the police to work.
The battalion also has assisted in re-establishing Kirkuk's fire department, which is now even more effective than before the war. New water treatment and sewage plants are being constructed and the distribution of oil and gas are steadily improving.
All of these functions were started by our soldiers here in this northern city and are now slowly being turned over to the newly elected city government. Laws are being rewritten to reflect democratic principles and a functioning judicial system was recently established to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the rule of law.
The quality of life and security for the citizens has been largely restored and we are a large part of why that has happened.
The fruits of all our soldiers' efforts are clearly visible in the streets of Kirkuk today. There is very little trash in the streets, there are many more people in the markets and shops and children have returned to school.
This is all evidence that the work we are doing as a battalion and as American soldiers is bettering the lives of Kirkuk's citizens. I am proud of the work we are doing here in Iraq and I hope all of your readers are as well.
Lt. Col. Dominic Caraccilo
"Die dulci fruimini!"
3 - Jim Carruthers
otherwise known as the "ROCK.
Isn't he a Polynesian rassler? What's with the USAian fascination with bullshit acronyms? I can't wait for the USAian junta to pass the BULLSHIT act.