NYT: Spy Agencies Say Iraq War Worsens Terror Threat: "jihad metastisized"

[DeepModem Mom]

Spy Agencies Say Iraq War Worsens Terror Threat
By MARK MAZZETTI
Published: September 24, 2006

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 — A stark assessment of terrorism trends by American intelligence agencies has found that the American invasion and occupation of Iraq has helped spawn a new generation of Islamic radicalism and that the overall terrorist threat has grown since the Sept. 11 attacks.

The classified National Intelligence Estimate attributes a more direct role to the Iraq war in fueling radicalism than that presented either in recent White House documents or in a report released Wednesday by the House Intelligence Committee, according to several officials in Washington involved in preparing the assessment or who have read the final document.

The intelligence estimate, completed in April, is the first formal appraisal of global terrorism by United States intelligence agencies since the Iraq war began, and represents a consensus view of the 16 disparate spy services inside government. Titled “Trends in Global Terrorism: Implications for the United States,’’ it asserts that Islamic radicalism, rather than being in retreat, has metastasized and spread across the globe.

An opening section of the report, “Indicators of the Spread of the Global Jihadist Movement,” cites the Iraq war as a reason for the diffusion of jihad ideology....

***

More than a dozen United States government officials and outside experts were interviewed for this article, and all spoke only on condition of anonymity because they were discussing a classified intelligence document. The officials included employees of several government agencies, and both supporters and critics of the Bush administration. All of those interviewed had either seen the final version of the document or participated in the creation of earlier drafts....National Intelligence Estimates are the most authoritative documents that the intelligence community produces on a specific national security issue, and are approved by John D. Negroponte, director of national intelligence. Their conclusions are based on analysis of raw intelligence collected by all of the spy agencies....

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/24/world/middleeast/24terror.html?hp&ex=1159070400&en=003f596f66422cfd&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[indepat]

1. Who would have thunk it? Now those who relished perpetual war can

rejoice in their triumph of ideology and religiosity over reason, sanity and humanity.

[upi402]

5. perfect statement, sums it up for "the righty smug file"

They've done what Osama couldn't.

Way to go BushBots!

[HereSince1628]

2. We're fight'n em over there so everyone can fight them everywhere

GOOG JOB GEORGIE. Now you can send American mercenaries all over the world to pursue them and overturn governments that don't want to play your game.

[struggle4progress]

3. In my crystal ball, I see further purges of the intelligence agencies,

as wingnuts rave about the "disloyalty" of intelligence analysts ...

[Kolesar]

14. Another round of polygraph scans

bush* thought he taught them a lesson by ruining Valarie Plame's career.
Then there was a round of purges when Porter Goss (?) took over, IIRC.

[bananas]

4. Treatments for cancer: radiation, chemo, surgery.

In some peoples eyes, this will justify nukes and BCW.

[Davis_X_Machina]

6. I don't think it's fair to categorize the invasion of Iraq as a failure.

Insofar as it has delivered two elections, and is poised to deliver a third, I don't think it is accurate to label the invasion of Iraq a 'failure'.

Continuing control of the government here in the US, with the ability to bestow direct favors in the form of business and indirect favors in the form of a reshaped tax and regulatory environment that goes with it, has produced a return-on-investment for those positioned to take advantage of it that far outweighs the relatively small cost in lives and money expended in Mesopotamia.

Iraq isn't a war, or an occupation -- it's just a rather expensive campaign commercial.

And since this week revealed that there's no opposition party left in the US, I'd have to say it was an effective campaign commerical.

Mission accomplished.

[niallmac]

17. It's a rather bloody commercial as commercials go.n/t

[rodeodance]

25. well, this "campaign commercial"---is turning SOUR.

[gumby]

28. Well, snap my suspenders!

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[aaronbees]

30. Perceptive analysis...

But all that means it's a failure for people who have to live their lives as the collateral damage for this nonstop commercial.

[goforit]

7. The Jihad/Crusade Bush always wanted.

[rodeodance]

8. oh cows. this is great!

[rodeodance]

9. "the Iraq war as a reason for the diffusion of jihad ideology."---SEND to

your congress critters and all you know.

SHOUT IT FROM THE ROOFTOPS

[ck4829]

10. K&R

[rodeodance]

23. and another one.

[Rose Siding]

11. Is it just tacky to say,

"We TOLD you so"? boneheads :grr:

[gratuitous]

12. You're rather polite

I would have said, "We fucking told you so."

[mahatmakanejeeves]

13. discussing a classified intelligence document

"More than a dozen United States government officials and outside experts were interviewed for this article, and all spoke only on condition of anonymity because they were discussing a classified intelligence document."

This is what stands out for me - that government officials are discussing a classified document. Regardless of how bad the report makes * look, this is highly improper.

Flame away.

[pinkpops]

15. illegal, yes, but when things are classified just to hide the truth,

I think exposing the parts that are put out for the public to see are not only proper but patriotic.

[lyonn]

18. What stands out to me is that this info isn't made available

to we the people. OK, take out the really secret stuff, bush just loves to make all things secret tho.

Do you wonder why there are leakers on this info? I would imagine it has to do with the security of our country and the fact we are losing it. We are being lied to on a daily basis. Heads are literally rolling all over Iraq and this doesn't tell people that there is nothing going right in Iraq?

[rodeodance]

21. well, perhaps Bush will go after them?? AND this is a NYTimes peice.-

[DemoTex]

19. In this case, leaking is a patriots' game .. fraught with high risks.

IMHO, these individuals are leaking as whistle-blowers. They are scared shit-less as to the direction of this country under Bu$hco. We don't have much time (if we have any at all), and these folks know it. Thank goodness the truth sometimes slips out. God protect the Patriots!

Mac

[rodeodance]

26. improper???

[gumby]

29. "Classified"??

Just like Jr's poop?

No flames, just a Hearty :rofl:

[niallmac]

16. Spy agencies say what? Spy agencies cost how much money?

Look everyone. I have to accept the fact that with no budget at all I am apparently
an international political genius.
Our government can save billions if they just call me at home.
Years ago I would have told them that the war in Iraq would create thousands
more terrorists who hate America and not for our freedoms.
Heres some advice that the million dollar State Department study
groups will discover in a year or two but I will hand out the information
today for free! The word is:........
Torture is a big stupid mistake. It will discredit us once and for all with the
rest of the world. It will give us no basis upon which to expect fair treatment
of our troops when held prisoner.
Our churches will also one day (where are our churches?) proclaim
torture a not very moral way to behave as a 'Christian' nation.

[rodeodance]

20. and more bad news--the US gets a D+ only from Coun. on Glob. Terr:

....More recently, the Council on Global Terrorism, an independent research group of respected terrorism experts, assigned a grade of “D+” to United States efforts over the past five years to combat Islamic extremism. The council concluded that “there is every sign that radicalization in the Muslim world is spreading rather than shrinking.”

[rodeodance]

22. SEND to allyour congresscritters NOW---bad news for the Repugs.

[rodeodance]

24. "the Iraq war has made the overall terrorism problem worse,”--How many

times has the WH denied this!!---

[savemefromdumbya]

27. That 'things aren't going awfully well in Iraq' should be conveyed to

The general public who are mostly clueless in what is going on should be told o ver and over again about this.

What did they expect to happen?

[krispos42]

31. Okay, DUers and lefties, on the count of 3...

One...

Two...

Three!

DUH!!!!!!!

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

Only a Bush-worshipper would NOT make that connection. And if they haven't made it by now, they're not going to.

[sofa king]

32. Nobody could have predi--oh, hell with it.

The only people who didn't predict it are the ones still defending it as a good idea--a dwindling number, one would hope.

[rodeodance]

33. this information was gathered last April already.

[zanne]

34. WP article; US war in Iraq spreads terrorism;

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/23/AR2006092301130.html

[Binka]

35. No Way. You're Shitting Me Right? How Could The Great Decider Be Wrong?

We were supposed to be spreading DEMOCRACY. I am crushed at this turn of events. :sarcasm:

[onehandle]

36. This story is on the cover of the NYTimes And WaPo.

Rove must have forgotten to mail their checks last week.

[SpiralHawk]

37. D'oh

Crusaders stir up Jihadists.

Christfascists provoke Islamofascists.

BushCo & republicon cronies rake in massive oil & munitions profits.
http://www.isn.net/pjohnburden/cartoons%20+%20issues%2001/war-profits.jpg

[Rose Siding]

38. The WP version is the top story on the MSN home page now.

Amazing- Bush's War On A Word tactics have Made. Us. Less. Safe. and now everyone will know.

[DuaneBidoux]

39. file this one under the category of "duh"

[newspeak]

40. one would think this was their plan all along

never ending war--they are not stupid-this war has not only increased terrorism, but is an excuse for more control and power. It's a brilliant perpetual war based upon fear, and the ones who profit most are making a killing while draining the US coffers. It's actually brilliant in a psychotic sort of way. We, along with the rest of the world, are being used and manipulated.

[Karenina]

41. BINGO!!! PNAC: Creative destruction

It's in their manifesto.

[AnnieBW]

42. Well, DUH!

The Intelligence Community told * that BEFORE he decided to go into Iraq. But nooooo.... he didn't listen!

[krispos42]

44. Oh, he listened all right...

To that little voice in his ear that he calls "God" but sounds suspiciously like RoveChenFeld.

<edited typo>

[truthisfreedom]

43. i can't wait for cheneybush to trot out their broken-record message again

saying they've made us safer. but we're not safe yet.

[Iceburg]

45. "cyberspace has become a haven for terrorist operatives"

also in the report ...

"It also examines how the Internet has helped spread jihadist ideology, and how cyberspace has become a haven for terrorist operatives who no longer have geographical refuges in countries like Afghanistan."
...
Is it time for el diablo to shut down the Internets?