Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), who is proposing surrender in Iraq, said this on the situation in Iraq yesterday, via the flawed analysis by Michael Abramowitz at the Washington Post:
“Iraq has helped to energize” al-Qaeda… Changing our strategy in Iraq (see surrender) and narrowing our military mission to countering al-Qaeda terrorism(?)– as a bipartisan majority in the Senate now favors — would be the single greatest thing we could do to undermine al-Qaeda’s ability to use Iraq as a recruiting and propaganda tool fueling the growth of regional terrorist groups,” he said in a statement.”
This flawed thinking that “appeasing terrorists will secure stability” is still the central plank of the Democratic platform to fight radical Islamic terrorists. We all saw how well it played out on 9-11.
Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) regurgitated this line of thinking this weekend during an interview on FOX News (Video HERE). Levin agreed that:
“Al Qaeda is strong because of US policy” and that “the ‘occupation’ of an Arab land by the US (despite the fact that the democratically elected Iraqi government wants us to stay) is making Al Qaeda stronger in Iraq today than ever before.”
** Of course, if democrats really believe that “invading and occupying Iraq helped to energize Al Qaeda” they must also agree that invading and “occupying” Afghanistan also “helped to energize Al Qaeda.”
So is America safer today than prior to 9-11?
Democrats like to argue that America is “less safe” today than before 9-11.
But, how true are these allegations?
In Iraq- 45 out of Iraq’s 55 Most Wanted have been captured or killed.
In the overall War on Terror- 18 of the top 25 Al Qaeda members have been captured or killed.
56 of the top 58 most wanted al Qaeda linked terrorists in the Saudi Kingdom have been killed or captured. 
Since 15 of the 19 hijackers on 9-11 were Saudi Arabian, wouldn’t you think this news from Saudi Arabia would be good news for the US?
Here are more numbers on the War on Terror via Security Watchtower from last year:
Al Qaeda Global losses in the War on Terror (2001-2006)
* “In the ensuing war on terror, some 2,000 Al Qaeda fighters have been killed or captured.” – Strategic Survey’s estimate in May 2004 (Source)
* “…nearly 80 percent of Al Qaeda’s operational leadership and membership in 102 countries has been killed or captured.” – Rohan Gunaratna in summer 2004 (Source)
* “Since September 2001, over 3,000 al-Qaida suspects have been detained in over 90 countries.” – White House on 1 July 2003 (Source)
* “…about 3,000 al Qaeda members have been detained or arrested by about 90 countries, of which 650 are under U.S. control.” – CRS Report for Congress on 10 February 2005 (Source)
* “Altogether, more than 1,600 terrorists and their supporters have been arrested or detained in 95 foreign nations.” – White House on 20 Apr 2002 (Source)
* “Of the top 37 top al Qaeda operatives identified by U.S. agencies after September 11, 2001, 15 have been captured or killed.” – CRS Report for Congress on 10 February 2005 (Source)
* “Over 400 individuals and entities have been designated pursuant to Executive Order 13224, resulting in nearly $150 million in frozen assets.” – White House on 5 Dec 2005 (Source)
* “…more than 55 terrorist leaders and planners had been captured or killed since 9/11” – Department of Defense in April 2003 (Source)
* “Between 2,000 and 4,000 Al Qaeda-linked individuals have been detained in dozens of countries.” – Free Press Washington on 11 September 2004 (Source)
* “Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla, spoke with reporters about the terror threat and said that “no country in the world has caught more terrorists than Indonesia”, citing over 200 terrorists who have been captured or killed, many of whom were tied to al Qaeda’s southeast Asian arm, Jemaah Islamiyah.” (Source)
Democrats want you to believe that doing nothing will help keep America safe and free from attacks-
Doing nothing, as they propose, will ensure violence and Sharia Law- That is about all.
Democrats are wrong.
Previously:
If 56 of 58 Top Saudi Terrorists Are Finished is America Less Safe?
Big Mistake! Saudi Al Qaeda Members Need to Rethink Decision
Update: Andy McCarthy at the Corner adds:
Memo to Speaker Pelosi & Leader Reid: Even if you were right that we caused al Qaeda to be in Iraq — and you’re not — they’re there now! It’s not responsible to leave while that is the case, regardless of how we got to this point.
