The only problem with your dreamy interpretation of events, T, is that this wonderful intell machine started a war on bad intelligence; and the thousands killed or captured are closer to hundreds of thousands, many of whom were civilians with no political or military interest aside from surviving the week. Iraq's sandbox is not an ideal ground for drawing the Qeda into a battle not of their own choosing even though that has merit; the ruthlessness of sacrificing a heavily populated area to the clever tactics (if in fact they were even conscious tactics which is debatable) of Bush's war planners is unconscionable. It remains to be seen whether the Taliban in Afghanistan is as finished as you imply. The Iraq army and the Iraq people, both put up as emenmies, had no part in the attacks you mention. YEt you seem tot hink the idea of draggin the whole Iraq nation into the battle against Al Qeda as a sort of shield is highly laudable. I do not concur; I find it despicable and small-minded in the extreme.

A