Iraq = al Qaeda = Iraq = al Qaeda

juan cole invited dr. david boles to comment on the disturbing trend of equating the iraq insurgency with al qaeda... boles documents the evidence...

• WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Tuesday said she believes al-Qaida spends "every hour of every day" plotting against the United States. (UPI, 2/27)
• KUWAIT CITY, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- Kuwaiti news reports say al-Qaida is preparing to carry out its threat to launch attacks against the country and other Gulf states. (UPI, 2/27)
• WASHINGTON — The U.S. military faces three wars in Iraq simultaneously according to a report which recommends a strategy of targeted U.S. strikes on Al Qaida death squads. (World Tribune, 2/28)
• WASHINGTON — The United States has determined that Iraq deployed far fewer troops than promised for the current offensive against Al Qaida in Baghdad. (World Tribune, 3/2)
• Earlier, the military said coalition forces killed eight militants Thursday in a raid near Baghdad targeting al-Qaida in Iraq. A military statement said the raid took place in the Salman Pak region. (VOA, 3/2)
• Day by day, Iraq's map is being redrawn along Sunni-Shiite lines. Gangs from both sides — including Shiite death squads and al-Qaida inspired Sunni radicals — have waged a nasty war-within-a- war for territory they can call their own. (AP, 3/2)
• The bodies of 14 policemen were found Friday northeast of Baghdad after an al-Qaida-affiliated Sunni group said it abducted members of a government security force in retaliation for the rape of a Sunni woman by members of the Shiite-dominated police. (AP, 3/3)
• In a separate raid in the Taji area on Saturday, nine suspected insurgents were captured, including two believed to be responsible for recruiting and helping foreign militants join the insurgency in Baghdad, the U.S. military said. The suspects were also accused of harboring al-Qaida in Iraq leaders, it said. (AP, 3/3)
• Fallujah police, meanwhile, reportedly arrested three Al-Qaida members, including one suspected of attacking the Saqlawiyah Police Station, KUNA said. (UPI, 3/3)
• Also Friday, Iraqi security forces found the bodies of 14 policemen in Diyala province. An al-Qaida-linked Sunni group said it abducted the men to avenge the alleged rape of a woman last month. (VOA, 3/3)

i'll add this nyt headline from today's edition...

U.S. Airstrikes Hit Qaeda Post in Iraq

boles' comment...

Regardless of what one thinks of the extent of Al-Qaida involvement in Iraq, it seems transparent that the administration and its allies are attempting to shift justification for continuing war in Iraq onto Al- Qaida. This is a dangerous trend that needs to be publicly highlighted.

you have to be a diligent, meticulous analyst of everything the bush administration says or does, and assemble your perspectives from multiple sources to be able to construct the bigger picture of just what the hell they are trying to pull over on you today...

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