If the US leaves Iraq now, Al Qaeda wins. Period!

Whether the United States should have gone into Iraq is completely irrelevant now to Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden. If the United States leaves Iraq while Al Qaeda can roam across Iraq attacking American's, Iraqi's, or any other assorted infidels, then Al Qaeda will have won.

The proof?

In declaring war against the United States in his August of 1996 Fatwa, Bin Laden stated,
Few days ago the news agencies had reported that the Defence Secretary of the Crusading Americans had said that "the explosion at Riyadh and Al-Khobar had taught him one lesson: that is not to withdraw when attacked by coward terrorists".

We say to the Defence Secretary that his talk can induce a grieving mother to laughter! and shows the fears that had enshrined you all. Where was this false courage of yours when the explosion in Beirut took place on 1983 AD (1403 A.H). You were turned into scattered pits and pieces at that time; 241 mainly marines solders were killed. And where was this courage of yours when two explosions made you to leave Aden in lees than twenty four hours!

But your most disgraceful case was in Somalia; where- after vigorous propaganda about the power of the USA and its post cold war leadership of the new world order- you moved tens of thousands of international force, including twenty eight thousands American solders into Somalia. However, when tens of your solders were killed in minor battles and one American Pilot was dragged in the streets of Mogadishu you left the area carrying disappointment, humiliation, defeat and your dead with you. Clinton appeared in front of the whole world threatening and promising revenge , but these threats were merely a preparation for withdrawal. You have been disgraced by Allah and you withdrew; the extent of your impotence and weaknesses became very clear. It was a pleasure for the "heart" of every Muslim and a remedy to the "chests" of believing nations to see you defeated in the three Islamic cities of Beirut , Aden and Mogadishu.

Confronting radical islamic terrorists needs to finally gets resolved once and for all and that battlefield is now Iraq. Leaving Iraq will only delay, the inevitable.

More evidence of Pre-Iraq war Yellowcake in Iraq

According to a CNN article from October 12, 2004:

"IAEA inspectors did travel to Iraq in early August for the agency's semiannual inventory of nuclear material, which now consists mostly of "yellowcake" enriched uranium, a spokeswoman said.

Except for an amount that U.S. officials notified the agency it was removing to the United States, the IAEA verified that the yellowcake remaining in Iraq was the same as before the war.

In his letter to the Security Council, ElBaradei said that in late September the Iraqi Ministry of Science and Technology asked the agency to assist in selling the remaining yellowcake, dismantling and decontaminating former nuclear facilities and resuming the IAEA's monitoring and verification activities.

ElBaradei said the discussions about the requests are still taking place. Kadhim said the Iraqi interim government has indicated it would welcome the IAEA's return, but that the Security Council must back the agency's presence there.

Senator Rockefeller, what was the 'Bush lie'?

On October 10, 2002, while addressing the Iraq Resolution, Senator John D. Rockefeller IV stated,
"The President has rightly called Saddam Hussein’s efforts to develop weapons of mass destruction a grave and gathering threat to Americans."

"By my vote, I say to the United Nations and our allies that America is united in our resolve to deal with Saddam Hussein, and that the U.N. must act to eliminate his weapons of mass destruction. By my vote, I say to Saddam Hussein, "Disarm, or the United States will be forced to act."

DID SADDAM HUSSEIN DISARM? No.

The evidence?

SECURITY COUNCIL 7 MARCH 2003
Oral introduction of the 12th quarterly report of UNMOVIC
Executive Chairman Dr. Hans Blix

the question is now asked whether Iraq has cooperated “immediately, unconditionally and actively” with UNMOVIC, as required under paragraph 9 of resolution 1441 (2002).

It is obvious that, while the numerous initiatives, which are now taken by the Iraqi side with a view to resolving some long-standing open disarmament issues, can be seen as “active”, or even “proactive”, these initiatives 3-4 months into the new resolution cannot be said to constitute “immediate” cooperation."

Senator Rockefeller's assessment of Iraq in 2002

Statement of Senator John D. Rockefeller IV
on the Senate Floor
On the Iraq Resolution
October 10, 2002

"There is no doubt in my mind that Saddam Hussein is a despicable dictator, a war criminal, a regional menace, and a real and growing threat to the United States."

"There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five years."

"Saddam’s existing biological and chemical weapons capabilities pose a very real threat to America, now."

"He is working to develop delivery systems like missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles that could bring these deadly weapons against U.S. forces and U.S. facilities in the Middle East."

"And he could make those weapons available to many terrorist groups which have contact with his government, and those groups could bring those weapons into the U.S. and unleash a devastating attack against our citizens. I fear that greatly."

"We cannot know for certain that Saddam will use the weapons of mass destruction he currently possesses, or that he will use them against us. But we do know Saddam has the capability. Rebuilding that capability has been a higher priority for Saddam than the welfare of his own people -- and he has ill-will toward America."

"I am forced to conclude, on all the evidence, that Saddam poses a significant risk."

"At the end of the day, we cannot let the security of American citizens rest in the hands of someone whose track record gives us every reason to fear that he is prepared to use the weapons he has against his enemies."

"There has been some debate over how "imminent" a threat Iraq poses. I do believe that Iraq poses an imminent threat, but I also believe that after September 11, that question is increasingly outdated. It is in the nature of these weapons, and the way they are targeted against civilian populations, that documented capability and demonstrated intent may be the only warning we get. To insist on further evidence could put some of our fellow Americans at risk. Can we afford to take that chance? We cannot!"

"The President has rightly called Saddam Hussein’s efforts to develop weapons of mass destruction a grave and gathering threat to Americans."

Yellowcake and Precursors were found in Iraq

Retired Army Major General James "Spider" Marks is a CNN military analyst and was a senior intelligence officer during the 2003 Iraq war. General Marks was involved with the initial search for WMD in Iraq.

On Sunday November 13,2005, around 6:30pm CST, CNN Live Sunday anchor Carol Lin interviewed General Marks regarding WMD in Iraq. The General stated that the Defense Intelligence Agency had a list of 900+ WMD sites in Iraq that he started out with and that the sites weren't ranked in order of importance. General Marks stated that Iraq "had the mechanisms" for producing WMD and that precursors and yellowcake were found in Iraq.

When Anchor Carol Lin asked whether Iraq "had the stuff" General Marks responded "absolutely".

Update: Here is the transcript of the interview. (Posted 11-14-2005 at 1:13pm CST)

Events dispute Binalshibh's no Saddam and Osama link.

In refuting Mohamed Atta's meeting with an Iraqi agent in Prague in April of 2001, the 9-11 Commission cites statements made by a key member of the Hamburg Cell Ramzi Binalshibh:

"Binalshibh also stated that Bin Ladin was upset with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein for committing atrocities against Iraqi Muslims, and that Bin Ladin would never have approved such a meeting. Intelligence report, interrogation of Binalshibh, Oct. 4, 2002."(Notes Chapter 7 The Attack Looms #70)

Al Qaeda in Iraq, headed by Zarqawi, is deliberately targeting Shia Muslims in Iraq.