Of Course They're Not Going to Follow Us

This is the best and most comprehensive analysis I have seen to put the lie to Bush's lame, and eye-roll prompting, insistence that Al Qaida is going to follow our troops here if we pull out of Iraq. The argument is so manipulative and fact-free on its face that it hardly requires rebuttal, but he keeps saying it. It has become his mantra because no can prove the negative, that they will not follow us.

The topper, which he has recited several times before, is that if we fail in Iraq, the terrorists will follow us home. He uttered a few variations of the line this morning: "If we were to fail, they'd come and get us. … If we let up, we'll be attacked. … It's better to fight them there than here."

Clearly, this is nonsense, on three levels.

First, the vast majority of the insurgents have nothing to do with al-Qaida or its ideology. They're combatants in a sectarian conflict for power in Iraq, and they have neither the means nor the desire to threaten North America.

Second, to the extent that the true global terrorists could attack us at home, they could do so whether or not U.S. troops stay or win in Iraq. The one issue has nothing to do with the other.

Third, what kind of thing is this to say in front of the allies? If our main goal in bombing, strafing, and stomping through Iraq is to make sure we don't have to do so on our own territory, will any needy nation ever again seek our aid and cover? Or will they seek out a less blatantly selfish protector?