Post by marked on May 9, 2007 16:48:07 GMT -5
The Bush Administration’s failed Iraq policy is creating more terrorists and inspiring increased terrorist activity.
* The number of foreign fighters in Iraq has increased by 33 percent in the past year and now is fifteen times what it was in May of 2003. Today, there are an estimated 1,500 foreign fighters in Iraq. Terrorism experts Daniel Benjamin and Steven Simon warn, “Those migrating to Iraq are not remnants of al Qaeda. Instead…they are newly radicalized individuals with scant experience in Islamist violence.” (New York Times, 6/15/06, Boston Globe, 6/22/06)
* Failure to bring stability and security to Iraq has provided terrorist insurgents with increased access to weapons, training, and other resources. General George Casey, commanding general of the U.S. mission in Iraq, recently stated, “We are quite confident that the Iranians, through their covert special operations forces, are providing weapons, IED technology and training to Shia extremist groups in Iraq, the training being conducted in Iraq and in some cases probably in Lebanon through their surrogates… Since January, we have seen an upsurge in their support.” (Washington Post, 6/23/06)
* The war in Iraq has created a new opportunity for terrorists to coordinate their activities and share tactics. Terrorism expert Barnett Rubin reports that, “whereas before 9/11 Arab jihadists created a base for terrorism in Afghanistan, the war in Iraq now provides a training and testing ground for new jihadi tactics, which have spread to Afghanistan.” (Washington Post, 1/14/05; Council on Foreign Relations, 3/12/06)
* The number of foreign fighters in Iraq has increased by 33 percent in the past year and now is fifteen times what it was in May of 2003. Today, there are an estimated 1,500 foreign fighters in Iraq. Terrorism experts Daniel Benjamin and Steven Simon warn, “Those migrating to Iraq are not remnants of al Qaeda. Instead…they are newly radicalized individuals with scant experience in Islamist violence.” (New York Times, 6/15/06, Boston Globe, 6/22/06)
* Failure to bring stability and security to Iraq has provided terrorist insurgents with increased access to weapons, training, and other resources. General George Casey, commanding general of the U.S. mission in Iraq, recently stated, “We are quite confident that the Iranians, through their covert special operations forces, are providing weapons, IED technology and training to Shia extremist groups in Iraq, the training being conducted in Iraq and in some cases probably in Lebanon through their surrogates… Since January, we have seen an upsurge in their support.” (Washington Post, 6/23/06)
* The war in Iraq has created a new opportunity for terrorists to coordinate their activities and share tactics. Terrorism expert Barnett Rubin reports that, “whereas before 9/11 Arab jihadists created a base for terrorism in Afghanistan, the war in Iraq now provides a training and testing ground for new jihadi tactics, which have spread to Afghanistan.” (Washington Post, 1/14/05; Council on Foreign Relations, 3/12/06)
