Two problems with that formulation. The first is that we were attacked by Al Q, not some general, free floating label called terrorists. It's Al Q we need to focus on.
And the major problem with your analysis is that the various middle-eastern terrorist groups are in some form of coordination on a mission per mission basis. It might only be providing surveillance and targeting support for another group, but it's still cooperation.
Al-Qaeda is like the management of a loosely formed terrorist "cooperative". Bin-Laden, and his cronies worked to coordinate financial resources and logistics, while the individual cells determined their targets.
Thus, just because the "coordinating committee" may be dead, are we to ignore those organizations that once cooperated with AQ?
Organizations who may have, once more, decentralized their operations?
John, if you REALLY believe that these terrorist movements exist independent of the support of foreign governments, you're deluding yourself.
Terrorists groups are, in general, "tools" behind which governments, or powerful interests, often carry out "false flag" operations. They find a group of disaffected radicals, or an existing terrorist cell; provide them training and support, often through other terrorist groups (in order to maintain anonymity of government/interest), and then have them carry out actions that benefit their mutual interests.
The second is that Saddam will give WMD to other groups. Very much up for debate.>o?
It all depends... If he can find a group willing to take such a weapon to US shores, and can arrange that his regime maintains plausible deniability... YOU BET HE WOULD!!!
That's his personality... He was willing to risk trying to assassinate GWB41, which is just about the greatest act of aggression against a nation.
SH's nature is to do whatever he thinks he can get away with, as well as that which adds to his prestige (or fearful respect).
And so long as we're willing to permit him to "get away with it", he'll continue to be a thorn in our side in greater and greater degrees..
Especially if he's hiding behind a nuclear shield protecting him from ever facing .
And even if the US/UN is willing to "permit" Saddam to achieve such a protective shield, Israel likely will not.
And it is a VITAL US interest that Israel NOT be backed into a situation where they feel compelled to destroy Saddam themselves.
Hawk |
