The NIE

One of the alleged reasons that “President” Bush invaded Iraq was to fight al-Qaeda and to ensure they don’t attack us on our own soil again.

Mission. Failed.

There is a new National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) out (you can read it HERE).

The estimate, a comprehensive reporting containing views from the entire U.S. intelligence community, took 8-months to complete… and it points out some things that… well, you read some of them and let me know what you think:

Al Qaeda has “regenerated key elements of its Homeland attack capability”: Al-Qa’ida is and will remain the most serious terrorist threat to the Homeland, as its central leadership continues to plan high-impact plots, while pushing others in extremist Sunni communities to mimic its efforts and to supplement its capabilities. We assess the group has protected or regenerated key elements of its Homeland attack capability, including: a safehaven in the Pakistan Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), operational lieutenants, and its top leadership.

Iraq has strengthened al Qaeda, which will seek to “leverage the contacts and capabilities” gained in the war: Of note, we assess that al-Qa’ida will probably seek to leverage the contacts and capabilities of al-Qa’ida in Iraq (AQI), its most visible and capable affiliate and the only one known to have expressed a desire to attack the Homeland.

Al Qaeda’s association with “al Qaeda in Iraq” (AQI) helps to “energize the broader Sunni extremist community” and “recruit and indoctrinate operatives”: In addition, we assess that its association with AQI helps al-Qa’ida to energize the broader Sunni extremist community, raise resources, and to recruit and indoctrinate operatives, including for Homeland attacks.

But at least being in Iraq is helping to stem the tide of terrorist activity in this country. After all, that’s why we’re there right?

That’s why we put all our military eggs into one basket so to speak.. that’s why we diverted resources from Afghanistan (where bin Laden was hiding) and sent them to Iraq so we could keep our country safe.

Not so fast says Rep. Silvestere Reyes (D-TX), chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, who said that today's assessment shows that the invasion of Iraq “diverted needed resources from eliminating the threat from al Qaeda” and the “NIE released today points out that the real threat to the U.S. homeland emanates from Afghanistan and Pakistan, not Iraq…”

Wait a minute… what about all that “if we leave now they’ll follow us home” nonsense that republicans have been feeding us… that isn’t true???

Well I’ll be damned…