Bushco is slowly but surely manipulating the country once again: They effectively present Iraq as an

[jerryme1]

al qaeda problem, not as the raging sunni/shia civil war it is. Democratic politicians will be in trouble in 2008 if Bushco propaganda/misinformation is believed by the American public. I suspect a majority of voters will not opt to leave Iraq if Iraq is seen merely as a fight against al qaeda. What say the sheepish Democratic contenders?

[genie_weenie]

1. Why do no Dems ask the numbers of AQ in Iraq?

This would lay bare the lie we are fighting them there instead of here. The vast majority of insurgents in Iraq are Iraqis who wish to expell the American occupiers and will not be following us here.

Of course, this will injure some of the Dems running for office who happily sat around raking in millions for their campaigns during the 90s when Iraq was bombed for 13 years prior to the second invasion.

Addtionally, getting concrete numbers would damage the MNF body count stories and happy feel good stories that Anbar is undergoing a miracle recovery.

[bryant69]

4. I don't know - I kind of buy the idea that Iraq has been a recruiting

bonanza for al-Qaeda and similar organizations.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[genie_weenie]

7. Maybe, I feel only tangentially.

If, for example, a group in Algeria claims to align themselves with AQ, it's on par with The US being aligned with USSR during WWII. And it does not mean that Bin Laden has a network which can be broken down line and block style like a US Army division.

The Occupation of Iraq has been a great tool for AQ, but those fighting us in Iraq are not going to get on a plane and launch attacks in America. Well, not until some poor 5 year old kid whose family was "collateral damage" grows up and wants revenge.

[jerryme1]

8. I suspect that if the U.S. pulled out/reduced troop levels in Iraq that Iraqis would take care of

al qaeda.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. They started that al Qaeda stuff in March... suddenly the Sunni insurgency became

al Qaeda. We need to keep telling the idiot Americans what liars this administration and our 'generals' are.

[w13rd0]

6. But now we're arming the Sunni insurgency...

...so is Eastasia now Oceania?

[madrchsod]

3. remember before the war bush refused to bomb

a known al qaeda camp in iraq? it`s all three-shite against sunni, all three against al-qaeda,and everyone against the us troops. cluster-fuck is putting it mildly

[LaurenG]

5. I really don't think they've been effective in getting too many people to believe them

Last time I checked, bush's approval numbers were at 23% I am not certain but I doubt there are too many people that believe a word they say anymore.