"We're fighting the terrorists in Iraq so we don't have to fight them here"?

Question

How is our troops being in Iraq keeping terrorists from attacking us here? What's stopping people like Al-Qaida from saying "hey, forget Iraq, the Americans can have Iraq. Our real targets are in the USA itself, that's where we're going to fight"?

Answer 1

Excellent point. In fact, if it was feasible for them to do it, that would seems the logical thing for them to do.
If you could think of that, does it not seem reasonable to assume that they would have thought of that too. After all they probably think, constantly, how to attack the USA.

Answer 2

I personally think this is to make some Americans feel warm, fuzzy, and safe. For a year or more after 9/11, there was the security level color code at the bottom of almost every channel. Every holiday it would elevate from amber to orange, and go back to amber....after the holiday. If all the terrorists were in Iraq, why didn't it ever go to green?

I guess someone in the White House saw how much of an oxymoron it was broadcasting that colored dot. If we are fighting terrorists in Iraq so we don't have to fight them here, then why would the treat level increase? Remember, we are fighting them over THERE.

Law enforcement is doing a good job, but they only have to miss ONE ATTEMPT. When we fly, passengers and their luggage are checked. Who and how thoroughly are they checking the cargo that goes under the plane? Just yesterday the news reported that there are a number of airports that relax security at night. Only IDs were checked, and nothing else! Who is to say weapons aren't already stagged for a future attack?

The borders are not secure either. If the borders were secure, then why do we have problems with people from South of our border still coming across, along with drugs? What would stop terrorists from flying into a location South of our border, paying a person to bring them across the border with others that are just trying to come here for work? The smugglers don't care, they just want the money.

Look at all the cargo containers that come into the US on a DAILY basis. Only about 1+% of them are even checked. There have even been a few of them containing illegal aliens. Some of those containers opened to reveal the aliens, some found already open with evidence of human cargo. If you were having a major surgery, and the doctor told you that there was a 1-5% chance that you could die. Would you really worry about it? That's a 95-99% chance that the surgery will be successful. For that matter, there aren't to many major surgeries where a doctor would even be bold or arrogant enough to put up those kinds of odds.

Speaking of doctors, how many doctors are in the US practicing with middle east origins? The SUV that ran into the airport terminal in the UK included at least one doctor. I don't recall reading that anyone was killed, so the doctor(s) involved didn't break their oath, but how many that are in a 'trusted' profession would flush it all for the 'cause'? Are we even raising an eyebrow to the thought of a woman carrying out a mission?

It is proven that the terrorists are patient. So, just because the US hasn't been attacked doesn't mean that all the terrorists are fighting in Iraq. Also, if all the terrorists are migrating to fight in Iraq, then why are there attacks in the UK? Were those attacks just committed my terrorists in route to fight in Iraq? Did they just strike UK locations because they were convenient....and didn't require a long plane ride? If I am not mistaken, the countries attacked in the UK also have troops on the ground in Iraq. How come their attackers didn't abide by the rules and attack UK troops in Iraq too?

Iraq is a situation that CAN be won, but nothing RIGHT is being done by enough and with a sense of urgency. The Iraqi leadership is just leisurely going about their business while US and other troops are bleeding on their soil. Why isn't the White House putting more fire under the butts of Iraqi leaders? Now they are planning to go on vacation!!!!??? Again, TROOPS ARE DYING, and they are going on vacation???? What's wrong with that picture?

I am AGAINST being in Iraq, but we are there! Could we at least TRY to win?! The troops are doing what is asked of them, but the politicians aren't doing SQUAT to facilitate a faster win in order to limit the lose of life! Just so it's clear, I mean Bush and the republicans! They were in control from the beginning and they were the ones who LIED about Iraq, and they were/are the ones dismissing military leadership that doesn't agree with his ideas and plans.....that are NOT working by the way.

Answer 3

Good question. What /is/ keeping them from doing that? Because, terrorists /are/ flooding in from all over the Ummah to fight Americans in Iraq (where the Americans are often allowed to shoot back), rather than come here and kill perfectly helpless ones much more efficiently.

The reason might be that 'resisting an occupation' is a more politically correct use of terrorism in the court of global opinion, so as long as they have that option, they might as well take full advantage of it.

Another possible reason is that there's every reason to hope that the American public will tire of the war and insist on giving up, thus granting them a glorious victory over the most Expensive military in the world. Not something you want to pass up if you have a shot at it.

Answer 4

There are two different kinds of arguments. One kind is meant to persuade or convince someone who disagrees or who hasn't make up his mind. The other kind is meant to encourage someone who already agrees with you. This argument is one of those. If you believe the Iraq war is a good thing, you will agree that it's better to fight them there than here. If you don't agree, then the argument leaves you cold, it just sounds really dumb.

President Bush has tried all along to conflate the war in Iraq with the war on terrorism. It reassures people who support the war and gives them an argument to use, but it's pretty clear to everyone, on both sides, that the war is really more about imperialism than terrorism. Terrorism is the new Communism, it justifies continued massive increases in defense spending and unilateral military actions by the US in the third world.

Answer 5

You answered your own question, the terrorists will never give up on a Muslim country. As long as there is a possibility of Iraq becoming free of religious control, we will be the enemy there, and they will concentrate on our presence there. I have no doubt that if they were not worried about Iraq, they would be here, trying to create fear amoung the Christian people, who they view as a group that needs to be eliminated.

Answer 6

Nothing. They can attack you any time if they want. Terror is simple, easy and can plan to very great precision attack when the enemy is unawares and attack can be carried out any time. Any next door neighbor can do it. So it is extremely difficult to stop and get investigated. A good man can become a terrorist even in a single day.

Answer 7

They already have.

Actually. They never stopped targetting the US.

Iraq is just a lot easier to get to.

We are fighting the terrorists over there, so they don't have to come all the way over here to fight us.

And of course, they would be forced to take planes (and be ignored by the Bush administration).

Answer 8

A report came out just this morning that the terrorist orginaizations operating in Iraq (i.e. al Queda) pose the gravest threat to American national security... that's NOT security abroad, that's our security, here, now... kinda bursts the bubble for the Democrats who said "we aren't fighting terrorists in Iraq"...


"It wasn't a Democrat sitting in that classroom on 9/11."-- seriously you want to go that way? you are, of course correct, but it was a Democrat in the White House when al Queda attacked the WTC for the first time in 1993 and when the USS Cole was attacked in 1999 and when bin Laden's "head was offered on a platter" and the offer was turned down... the DNC doesn't exactly have the greatest track record when it comes to dealing with terrorism...

Answer 9

first off the al quaida are cowards and very disorganized, yes they did 9-11 thru a small window of chance, but no way will they start here, why? mini nukes would be sent to the afghan /paki borders and thru out their mountain ranges, also God help the decent arab americans here, they would be in deep troubles,plus as u can see the al quaida helps kill iraqis, how long do u think other major arab countries are going to put up w this BS...

Answer 10

It's pretty ridiculous...but these sorts of scare tactics work. Look at the folks who really believe having a Democrat in the White House automatically means we'll be hit with an attack.

It wasn't a Democrat sitting in that classroom on 9/11.

We are more vulnerable right now than folks realize. Just look at the guy with TB that just waltzed right through the border.