Why did there have to be a linkage between Al-Qaeda and Saddam Hussein Gervase?? With regard to the security of the United States of America, both Al-Qaeda and Saddam's Iraq were two completely seperate issues.

Since the war Al-Qaeda has had many mentions and since 11th September, 2001 to date thay have got fewer and fewer. Because of their handling of their "Jihad" in Iraq, where in an "infidel rich" target environment, they were seen to baulk at attacking armed "infidel invaders" and instead killed thousands of fellow muslims in an attempt to foment a civil war in Iraq - That Gervase did not go down too well in the "muslim world". Even Al-Qaeda's No.2 admitted defeat in Iraq.

Ah yes all those Jihadists clustered on the borders - well Gervase, most of them died, figures stand at between 30 to 40 thousand of them so far.

Afghanistan Gervase, I think 2009 and 2010 and going to bring very torrid times for the Taleban. Remember that road transportation exercise that ISAF undertook a couple of months ago to transport the components of the third turbine to the Kajaki Dam. The Taleban lost 250 men attacking the decoy convoy, injuries to ISAF amounted to one man with a broken hand he got while freeing a vehicle that become bogged down.

Oh Carlton-Smith was perfectly correct in that there is no military victory to be had in Afghanistan - but that is as true for the Taleban as it is for ISAF and the Afghan Government forces. At the moment ISAF and the Afghan Security Forces stand a damn sight better chance of lasting the course until the Taleban realise that. The second round of free elections are coming up in both Iraq and in Afghanistan, let's see how they go.

As to how things would have been better if the US had stayed at home:

- Going on his average Saddam would have killed 617,580 Iraqi's possibly more (see below).

- Libya would now have a nuclear weapon.

- Syria would still be occupying Lebanon and be well on its way to acquiring a nuclear weapon capability.

- The Second Iran/Iraq war would now be in its third year. This would be the only way Saddam had of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, or a nuclear weapons capability.

- World oil prices would have gone through the roof at the start of the conflict between Iraq and Iran because of loss of supply from the the middle-east region.

- Terror attacks upon western european countries and the USA would have continued with growing intensity as the co-operation between intelligence and law enforcement agencies round the world would have remained at pre-911 levels.

- Dr.A.Q.Khan's network would have remained undetected and would still be in business.

- The opportunity for an international terrorist group to acquire, or be supplied with, WMD, or WMD technology would be five or six times what it is now.