War On Terror Status Update

In order of importance (in my view) post 9/11

1. Prevention of Al Queda (or other Islamicist inspired) terror attacks against the US and our allies. Grade: A-

Obviously no attacks on US soil. The attacks against Britain and Spain were bad, but it appears that our defensive measures are working fairly well given the string of attacks prior to 9/11.

2. Elimination of Al Queda training facilities. Grade: A-.

Got rid of the camps in Afghanistan and haven't allowed another safe haven to crop up, although areas of Iraq are giving them (and us) battleground training and areas of Waziristan have become Al Queda sanctuaries.

3. Cut off the money to Islamic terrorist organizations. Grade: C.

It is not clear to me we've stopped the flow of money at all. Hezbollah, Hamas, and insurgent groups in Iraq seem to have no money troubles at all.

4. Deny Al Queda (and like minded groups) access to WMDs. Grade: B-.

This is a really tough one because it's all about knowing what we don't know. We don't know how close they've been or how close they currently are to getting their hands on something. On the one hand, we now know Saddam isn't going to hand one over, on the other hand, Iran now has nuclear arms as their number one strategic goal. Pakistan still is in major danger of being taken over by an Islamic regime.

5. Get Muslims to fight Al Queda with us. Grade: B.

Initially, it looked like the Northern Alliance and Pakistan were becoming good allies in the WOT fight. At times, Sunnia and Shiia tribes in Iraq have been out killing Al Queda. But overall, the momentum in this category never really got going and it appears in Pakistan they signed a truce for Waziristan and in Iraq, the Sunni insurgents have decided to work with Al Queda against the occupation. Not to mention Iran's dubious relationship with some of Al Queda's former leadership in house arrest in Iran and supplying them with arms in Iraq. Also, at times it seemed like the Saudis and Jordanians were helping, but it's only really been when it suited them.

6. Retributive Justice against the leadership and everyone who had anything to do with 9/11. Grade: C-.

Bin Laden is not captured or confirmed dead. But for a megalomaniac like him to not be heard from in what...1.5-2 years, it does seem like a 50/50 chance that he is dead. Zawahri, on the other hand, is clearly alive and kicking. Mullah Omar is still around. It would be nice to see them meet justice sooner rather than later.

But we did get a lot of the second and third tier guys.

7. Reform Conditions in Middle East to prevent future generations of terrorists. Grade: C.

This is what Iraq was all about. And I do think, even if we leave and a more full scale civil war breaks out, there will be some long term benefits to the US. Just undoing the malignant stagnation of the Saddam era Middle East will at least change the calculations made by the actors over there - evidence being Khadaffy's surrender of WMDs. Who knows what future dictator will think twice about thumbing their nose at the world (and the US, in particular) knowing the fate Saddam and his sons eventually faced. Hitler - remember - when questioned about whether he could actually get away with the "Final Solution," pointed to the Armenian genocide and said, "No one remembers the Armenians." Well, maybe not, but now at least there is a counter example to any future would-be Arab strong man.

8. Lower Anti-American sentiment in the Middle East. Grade: C.

I would give this even a lower grade, but I think it's such a difficult task... Basically, whatever we do, they hate us. They hate us because they're miserable and behind and poor and uneducated and live in unfair, unjust, and corrupt societies. Their best and brightest have few options. They hate us because we have the American Dream and they do not. They see us supporting their hated leaders because we're scared (and rightfully so) of the alternative. They are sensitive about cultural pride and "respect" because that's all they really have. Their societies are split and factionalized. All of our criticisms are met with hurt and our compliments are met with cries of hypocracy. Our actions are interpreted as aggression, our inaction as weakness. Basically, we're stuck dealing with a bunch of immature crybabies with a lot of small arms. And it sucks.

OVERALL: B-