Global terror increasing, says US state department Posted by Adam Blickstein

Five years since mission accomplished in Iraq and instances of terrorism across the globe, according to the State Department, grew once again last year. While Iraq constituted 60 percent of terror-related fatalities globally last year (in 2006, before the surge, that number was 52 percent), and seemingly 99 percent of America's focus in the region, the report also contained yet another description of where the greatest threat actually exists:

"[al Qaeda] has reconstituted some of its pre-9/11 operational capabilities through the exploitation of Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas, replacement of captured or killed operational lieutenants, and the restoration of some central control by its top leadership, in particular Ayman al-Zawahiri," it says.

So while we continue to referee internecine violence in Iraq with 150,000 troops, al Qaeda reconstitutes itself along the Afghanistan/Pakistan frontier. Why, then, do we only have 27,000 troops in Afghanistan? Why do we spend nearly $100 billion less annually in Afghanistan than we do in Iraq? Why do we still lack a coherent strategy for dealing with Pakistan's tribal regions? And why does seemingly every report coming out from this Administration contain ominous warnings of a reconstituted al Qaeda, and yet the White House is doing nothing about it?

These questions are too important to remain unanswered. Perhaps the President's nominee for CENTCOM Commander might eventually provide some clarity...

Comments

[Don Bacon]

The US spends less effort in Iraq than in Afghanistan because Iraq has the second or third largest oil reserves in the world, and a large water supply. That's what the recent Basra operations were about, trying to secure this oil-rich region. Afghanistan only has the world's largest supply of opium poppies.

Regarding Iraq, the US (unfortunately) is doing more than refereeing internecine violence. The US for five years now has been imposing a brutal military occupation upon the Iraqi people which has led to a significant resistance movement. This is state terrorism, which of course isn't really terrorism according to the US State Dept., just as US torture isn't really torture. Even after five years of occupation this resistance shows little sign of abating. General Petraeus has recently said that the situation in Iraq is fragile and reversible, and last month the US suffered more casualties than any month since September last.

The US lacks a coherent strategy for dealing with Pakistan's tribal regions because they are Pakistan's tribal regions, and Pakistan has been going through a bit of political turmoil recently. Just a bit. Recenly Pakistan has been using diplomacy (what a concept!) to lessen their terrorist threat.

In any case, whatever terrorism threat to the US there is, which is actually statistically miniscule, is better countered by intelligence and police units than by military units, which just go in and bust everything up and kill a lot of innocent people, thereby creating more animosity toward the USA and a higher (though still tiny) threat of terrorism.

It is not the duty of the CENTCOM commander to determine US foreign policy. That is a congressional responsibility, which of course they are shirking for the most part leaving foreign policy up to brains over there in the cowboy boots. It would probably be wise not to depend upon any general for a coherent strategy on anything. Harry Truman had a relevant thought on this: "It's the fellows that go to West Point and are trained to think they're gods in uniform that I plan to take apart."

[Mike M.]

Hold on, I'm all for pulling troops our of Iraq but don't set up the argument so that those same troops get sent into Afghanistan. Our troops need to be pulled out of combat zones right now. They're battle fatigued. Giving up the Iraq quagmire for a quagmire in Afghanistan is not an answer.

[Toplu Email]

t is not the duty of the CENTCOM commander to determine US foreign policy. That is a congressional responsibility, which of course they are shirking for the most part leaving foreign policy up to brains over there in the cowboy boots. It would probably be wise not to depend upon any general for a coherent strategy on anything. iş ilanları
Harry Truman had a relevant thought on this: "It's the fellows that go to West Point and are trained to think they're gods in uniform that I plan to take apart."

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