Terrorists "Flooding In" To Iraq

from CNN today:

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Iraq's interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi has warned that "terrorists" are flooding into his country from across the Muslim world.

His comments on Monday echoed those of UK Prime Minister Tony Blair who said the day before that Iraq was now the "crucible" in which the future of global terrorism would be determined.

Allawi, who is visiting London, told GMTV at the end of one of the bloodiest weeks since the end of major conflict in Iraq: "It's not a second conflict per se, it's really an international conflict.

"Terrorists are coming and pouring in from various countries into Iraq to try and undermine the situation in Iraq. They're coming from Afghanistan, Pakistan, from Europe, from Morocco, from Syria and so on.

"Iraq is on the front line of fighting these terrorists. And, God forbid, if Iraq is broken or the will of Iraq is broken, then London would be a target, Washington will be a target, Paris will be a target, Cairo will be a target, as we have seen in the past."

But former British foreign secretary Robin Cook, who resigned from the Cabinet over the Iraq war, disputed that argument.

"There were no international terrorists in Iraq until we went in," he told The Times newspaper.

"It was we who gave the perfect conditions in which al Qaeda could thrive."

Allawi made his comments on British TV on Monday ahead of talks with UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon and International Development Secretary Hilary Benn.

Monday's negotiations would focus on what more Britain can do to support the interim Iraqi administration before January's scheduled elections, CNN's Paula Hancocks said.

Improving the country's shattered infrastructure would also be on the agenda, she said.

Part of Allawi's agenda in London, Hancocks said, was to project a positive message from Iraq to the international community; he has previously blamed the media for focusing on the violence without reporting on the progress that was being made.

Monday's discussions came on the second day of the Iraqi premier's visit to London and followed a three-hour meeting with Blair on Sunday.

After their meeting, Allawi said the trial of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein would begin in Iraq as soon as next month.

Appearing on ABC's "This Week," Allawi said: "I think [it will be] October, with some of his supporters who are detained; will be in court. Maybe he will appear in November or December, but definitely in October the whole issue will start -- of the trial." (Full story)

In another interview published on Monday, Allawi said Saddam was depressed and had begged for mercy.

"He is distraught and depressed," Allawi said of Saddam, who is awaiting trial for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

"Saddam and his colleagues are not the giants that the media sometimes talks about. Saddam sent us an oral message in which he begged for mercy. He said that they were working in the public interest and did not mean any harm," Allawi said in an interview with the Arabic al-Hayat newspaper.

That is exactly what I has been saying all alone and so many other members in here, Iraq did not had terrorism but the one that Sadamn was doing to their own people.

Who should we blame?

After the successful invasion US forgot about the protection of the country's borders, Whomever was the masterminded of the operations in Iraq from the US, forgot about terrorist coming through the borders or It got caught up in the victory and overconfidence took over.

Can we blame the Iraqis or should we blame US?


Very nice point, Bushblows.

Iraq is becoming the Afghanistan of the 80's. For those of you that don't remember, the Soviets invaded Afghanistan and muslims around the world flooded into the region to fight the holy war against the infidels. The war was Russia's Vietnam, with the US "secretly" aiding the muslims in the form of weapons and training. The CIA armed and trained many of the future most wanted terrorists during this time. Charlie Wilson's War tells the story best.

There is a strong risk of uniting the entire muslim world against us. (not just the wahaabi and other extremists). The war in afghanistan was a major factor in the demise of Soviet communism. I'd hate to see us wind up in a position to do to ourselves what we did to the Soviets.

Originally posted by marg6043
That is exactly what I has been saying all alone and so many other members in here, Iraq did not had terrorism but the one that Sadamn was doing to their own people.
Who should we blame?
After the successful invasion US forgot about the protection of the country's borders, Whomever was the masterminded of the operations in Iraq from the US, forgot about terrorist coming through the borders or It got caught up in the victory and overconfidence took over.
Can we blame the Iraqis or should we blame US?
Very nice point, Bushblows.

Thank you Marg. You are right - those who supported this war forgot
the middle east is a huge place. Common sense dictates muslim extremists from all over the globe would flood Iraq to join the anti-American cause.



[edit on 21-9-2004 by bushblows]

Originally posted by Crakeur
Iraq is becoming the Afghanistan of the 80's. For those of you that don't remember, the Soviets invaded Afghanistan and muslims around the world flooded into the region to fight the holy war against the infidels. The war was Russia's Vietnam, with the US "secretly" aiding the muslims in the form of weapons and training. The CIA armed and trained many of the future most wanted terrorists during this time. Charlie Wilson's War tells the story best.

There is a strong risk of uniting the entire muslim world against us. (not just the wahaabi and other extremists). The war in afghanistan was a major factor in the demise of Soviet communism. I'd hate to see us wind up in a position to do to ourselves what we did to the Soviets.

Crakeur - thank you for the "alien abduction avoidance tip" in your signature quote. Lord knows we need all the tips we can get!

Few people mention the Russian Afghanistan Fiasco on this board.
(Which is kinda scary if you think about it).
You are right - it mirrors our current plight in Iraq.

Sending ground troops abroad is unwise. The Russians in Afghanistan....US troops in Vietnam.....the British during the American Revolution......

Will the populas ever learn?

I am unfamiliar with Charles Wilsons War but will look into it - thank you
for sharing the information.









[edit on 21-9-2004 by bushblows]

In other words, "Terrorists playing into the hands of the CIA."

I can't help but wonder if this was actually intentional. The CIA has worked with the Mujahideen during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, and are largely responsible for the amount of arms the fighters acquired during that time.

I'm sure they knew quite well that foreign Mujahideen would go to Iraq to fight the US. Might there have been additional reasoning for this war that was directly related to the War on Terror? Perhaps it's giving the US a place to fight the potential terrorists, and keeping their focus away from US soil.

Originally posted by electric
...

Perhaps it's giving the US a place to fight the potential terrorists, and keeping their focus away from US soil.

If that is true, you'd hope our leaders would of: 1) Properly outfitted our troops (i.e. body armor) 2) Listened to the Generals (instead of firing them) when they say we needed more troops, and 3) Had some kind of plan as what to do when we won.