Al Qaeda is back and stronger than ever and it's largely because we invaded Iraq.

While George Bush has American forces bogged down in Iraq,

Senior leaders of Al Qaeda operating from Pakistan have re-established significant control over their once battered worldwide terror network and over the past year have set up a band of training camps in the tribal regions near the Afghan border, according to American intelligence and counterterrorism officials.

This, I would argue, is what Iraq has cost us. The decision to divert a majority of forces and focus into Iraq has allowed the situation in Afghanistan to fester.

The Taleban and Al Qaeda were rocked in the overthrow of Afghanistan, and this administration then chose to take the pressure off, allowing them time, irreplaceable time, in which they have relocated, restructured, restaffed, and managed the politics.

In 2002, they could not have convinced Musharraf to take on this "tribal peace" which has allowed them a new safe haven in which to operate. In 2002, the anti-US sentiment was not anywhere close where it is in the current environment.

We had them disorganized and falling back, and a decision was made to pull key special forces out of Afghanistan (and Pakistan) so that they could be staged for Iraq. We had them, and this President chose to let them go.

Iraq has made the terrorists stronger. Iraq has made the terrorists stronger. Iraq has made the terrorists stronger.