Reminding Us

In a few days, the sixth anniversary of 9/11 will arrive. While most attention will be focused on Bush's "Petraeus" report, which will call for a continuation of the surge, the Assministration will certainly play up the 9/11 attack and link it to the insurgents in Iraq. For months now, the Assministration has tried to change the terminology, referring to the Shiite militias and Sunni Baathist insurgents as "al Qaeda," recognizing that America will support that fight, but not as policemen in a civil war.

Contrasting with the Presidunce's story line, bin Laden has shown up on a video, reminding everyone that he's still at large after all these years. It's a reminder that he's not in Iraq, and that neither he nor the terrorists that hijacked the planes on 9/11 are Iraqis. It's a reminder that we took critical resources away from the hunt for him in 2003 to launch a war based on false premises, arrogance and Dumbya's personal grudge against Saddam Hussein.

So al Qaeda continues to gather strength, to build support in the Muslim world, and to plan the next attacks.