The war in Iraq: "if Osama was a Christian it was the Christmas present

[AussieDave]

he'd always asked his parents for but would have never believed it would actually be delivered. Ah, it broke the back of American counter-terrorism efforts and counter-terrorism policy. Iraq is smack in the heart of the Arab homeland. And it's going to be a magnet for mujaheddin for the foreseeable future." - Michael Scheuer CIA 1982-2004

This is a quote from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's current affairs program Four Corners - a report called "The Making of Zarqawi".

The program alleges:

- that Zarqawi was framed for the 2002 murder of American diplomat, Lawrence Foley in Amman, Jordan

- that "Mr Bush had Mr Zarqawi in his sights for almost every day for a year before the invasion of Iraq. And he didn't shoot because they were wining and dining the French in an effort to get them to assist us in the invasion of Iraq." (Michael Scheuer)

- "The jihad was flagging before the United States and its coalition partners invaded Iraq. It was really on the ropes. The invasion of Iraq changed that, because in a moment, really, the United States and its coalition partners validated every little bit of bin Laden's story." - Steven Simon, Council on Foreign Relations

- that many of the insurgent attacks in Iraq and elsewhere are not on the orders of Zarqawi or Bin Laden, but simply "inspired" by them by Muslims wishing to identify with the jihad - all influenced by the increasingly sophisticated use of the internet.

Program webpage, with links to the full transcript of the program and interviews with some of the people mentioned in the program:
http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2006/s1625897.htm

It makes for scary reading, and makes clear that the terrorism isn't going away any time soon.

[electropop]

1. Exactly. Bush and Bin Laden need each other.

Neither would have any followers without the other.

Plus, the Bush-Laden oil family is making billions on the deaths of thousands of Americans and Iraqis.

[AussieDave]

2. Who knows - Bin Laden may be "captured" around November 3....

:tinfoilhat: