So, Are We Safer ?

In light of the bomb attacks on London I think it's worth re-thinking whether we are safer now than before we started the Iraq war. I always thought that that would not be the case even before we went to war.

I think it's fairly simple. We are attacked by al-Quaida. Al-Quaida and Osama bin-Laden are in Afghanistan. We wisely, and with worldwide support, go into Afghanistan to get the Taliban and bin-Laden. We are just about to get bin-Laden at Tora Bora and we stop and put most of our troops in Iraq. Now, I don't care how many times you say it we didn't take the war to the terrorists. The terrorists were not in Iraq before the war, but there sure are a hell of a lot of them there now.

Sadaam's in jail and Osama's -- on the run? -- well I haven't heard much about him lately. When was the last time Bush mentioned him? It's all Iraq all the time. So, if you look at this logically, we've put a country into chaos at the expense of $200 billion that became a training camp for terrorists. We, in fact, are subsidizing terrorism not eradicating it.

The logic that the administration uses is that we haven't been hit yet. But, that's the same logic as not having health insurance because I haven't had any use for it. It's kinda like taking those health insurance premiums and going to the casino and betting it all away. Basically, that's what's happening to the $200 billion in Iraq.

Think about what the $200 billion would do for homeland security in this country. If you think about it our borders are porous, our shipping docks are only about 5% inspected. Terrorists are able to purchase weapons and most transportation safety goes to airlines. So, if I'm a terrorist and I can easily get myself into this country, why attack immediately? Why not gather a plan together and hit a bunch of soft targets like they did in London?

Since we don't have the funds to protect those targets, thanks to that big casino we call Iraq, I think they would be able to coordinate something like London only on a larger scale. Imagine a situation like the one in London only they would be coordinated attacks in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, St. Louis, etc.

As Steve Chapman, a member of the editorial board for the Chicago Tribune, said "We may be distracted by Iraq, but the terrorists are not. If anything our messy occupation of a Muslim country works to the advantage of Islamic militants by inspiring new recruits every day".

Even in Iraq, the head of the U. S. Defense Intelligence Agency has said that despite all the insurgents we have killed, their numbers are growing. If our enemies are multiplying in Iraq, they are bound to be multiplying elsewhere, where the hazards they face are much less formidable.

We are fighting the wrong war in the wrong place for far too long a time at far too great an expense, financially and in the cost of human life. It's like watching the Keystone Kops. As I'm writing this, there is a breaking story on NBC News about a bomb threat on the one of Chicago's El stations. It was a phoned-in threat, which I believe may be a hoax. But stuff like that'll certainly keep you on your toes. Be vigilant, I guess.