Sometimes We Forget the Obvious

As we re-debate the decision to invade Iraq and whether re-engaging in Iraq is smart, the idea that it was all a mistake to invade Iraq because Saddam Hussein had nothing to do with the 9/11 attack is again popular.

But the distance from September 11, 2001, makes it easy to forget that while the Afghanistan campaign was about responding to the 9/11 attack to destroy the perpetrators and deny them that particular sanctuary, the Iraq campaign was in large measure about preventing another even worse 9/11 attack in the future.