Growing threat for the U.S.

Date: 12/29/2010

It can now be confirmed that our 2003 invasion of Iraq proved to be a monumental mistake which has thwarted our ability to combat specifically those responsible for the 9/11 attacks. Not until our pre-emptive strike of Iraq did terror cells across the globe even care, for the most part, what the U.S. was doing. Most terror groups and criminal gangs were pre-occupied fighting their own turf wars. But the Bush administration's decision to attempt a five-state transformation across the Middle East, starting with Iraq, dramatically changed the focus of various clans to shift their attention to the western occupiers. What should have been containment of a mere few hundred jihadists in training camps in Afghanistan has instead blossomed into an imposing nightmarish threat from across the region. In 2003, Al Gaeda allied with the Baathist government's intelligence services. The group went to Iran and then to Suleimaniya, a Kurdish province. They were led by military strategist Sayf Al Adel. They later united with fighters from Syria, Iran and elsewhere. Since then our conflict has spread from Yemen to Pakistan and beyond. We were forewarned by all Arab Nations that Iraq be best left alone.

Bill Paul

Chicopee