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Wednesday, July 24, 2013

The Real War

Ever since we rescued a beaten but not defeated Northern Alliance in Afghanistan to defeat the Taliban, I've liked to remind people that "winning" a war is not the same as "victory"--it is a verb that describes the process of reaching the noun.

We defeated al Qaeda on the battlefield of Iraq. But we did not achieve victory over them. There was a remnant al Qaeda in Iraq after we left. That's one reason I wanted to remain in Iraq--to help Iraq achieve victory over al Qaeda.

Hey, how's that fight going without us?

As many 500 prisoners were freed, including hardcore militants, a victory for al Qaeda-linked groups On Tuesday, al Qaeda's affiliate in Iraq claimed responsibility for violent attacks on the high-security prisons of Abu Ghraib and Taji, which, according to Iraqi officials, resulted in up to 500 prisoners escaping — including convicted al Qaeda militants.

The deadly raids involved a blitzkrieg of coordinated attacks utilizing rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, and suicide bombers. Iraqi officials put the death toll at 56, which included security forces, prisoners, and militants, while al Qaeda claimed that 120 government forces were killed.

Al Qaeda in Iraq didn't get the memo that the tide of war is receding. Al Qaeda is just relieved that it really means the tide of our power is receding.

My contempt for the idiocy of our administration in pretending we are not at war--while spying on us and unleashing drones on foreigners like we are at war--knows few bounds.

Hey, since the administration also says the war in Afghanistan is over, is the war against al Qaeda in Iraq the real war on terror now?