Yesterday President Bush released what he claims was formerly classified information that proves that al-Qaeda in Iraq is linked to al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He then made his old argument that we can not leave Iraq until al-Qaeda in Iraq has been destroyed. As usual Bush choose to make his assertions at a military base before a captive audience.
Most intelligence and military leaders accept the link between al-Qaeda in Iraq and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan/Pakistan. It is also true that although al-Qaeda did not operate in Iraq when we invaded Iraq the fact is they are there now. Where the President’s argument breaks down is that the majority of the 160,000 U.S. Military fighting in Iraq are NOT fighting al-Qaeda. The majority, about 85-90%, is being employed in the major population areas and is in the middle of the fighting between Sunni and Shea factions in Iraq. Thus if the REAL danger, as Bush stated again yesterday, is the Foreign Terrorists like al-Qaeda, we need to END the use of American Forces in the sectarian conflict and redirect our forces to destroy al-Qaeda and other foreign terrorist elements.
That is what several of the plans coming out Congress have called for. That would enable the majority of the American Forces to be redeployed either to Afghanistan or back to the U.S. for rest and retraining. What Bush said yesterday does not justify continuing the Surge. The fight to deal with the Iraq vs. Iraq fighting must be turned over to the Iraqi military and police we have trained. It is time for Congress to force a change in our policy to insure the MAJOIRITY of our military forces are being employed against the REAL enemy in Afghanistan, Pakistan and in Iraq. We must end the involvement of American troops in the sectarian conflict in Iraq.