State Dept: Iraq Has Been ‘Good For The Effort To Reduce Terrorism’
State Dept: Iraq Has Been ‘Good For The Effort To Reduce Terrorism’
Yesterday, the State Department released its annual terrorism report, showing that the number of terrorist attacks worldwide rose by 20,000 (40 percent) last year. Iraq accounted for nearly two-thirds of last year’s terrorism-related deaths. The number of terrorism “incidents in Iraq rose 91 percent, from 3,468 in 2005 to 6,630 in 2006.”
At yesterday’s briefing on the report, a reporter asked whether, in light of the skyrocketing death count in Iraq, the Iraq war has “been good for the effort to reduce terrorism generally.” Frank C. Urbancic, the State Department’s Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism, agreed and defended the war, stating that “if the battle against terrorism isn’t in Iraq, it’s going to be somewhere else.”
He then added, “I mean, Iraq is at least a relatively friendly place. The people of Iraq are deserving people and they deserve better and it’s good for us to help them”:
The rapid rise of worldwide terrorist attacks was not inevitable. It is a direct result of the Iraq war, as the new State Department report proves. Last year’s National Intelligence estimate also concluded, “The Iraq conflict has become the “cause celebre” for jihadists, … cultivating supporters for the global jihadist movement.” In a recent survey of foreign policy experts, 81 percent said they believe that the world is becoming less safe.
But according to Urbancic’s logic, it is good that the terrorists are in Iraq — rather than in another country — because it is a “relatively friendly place” and the “people of Iraq are deserving people.”
Transcript:
QUESTION: Okay. Great. And then the second question that I had was looking at the fact — and this may be for you, sir — looking at the fact that the majority of deaths clearly occurred in Iraq, do you believe that the war in Iraq ultimately has been good for the effort to reduce terrorism generally?
MR. URBANCIC: You know, if the battle against terrorism isn’t in Iraq, it’s going to be somewhere else. It started out in Afghanistan. The terrorists are looking for places where they can operate and that’s what they’re doing. So we can fight them in Iraq, we can fight them somewhere else. The fact is they are there and they’re going to find other ungoverned spaces and they’re doing that and they’re expanding — they’re expanding their scope. So yes, I mean, Iraq is at least a relatively friendly place. The people of Iraq are deserving people and they deserve better and it’s good for us to help them.
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64 Responses to “State Dept: Iraq Has Been ‘Good For The Effort To Reduce Terrorism’”
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I can see the logic…
I mean, if we’re going to create a breeding ground and training center for worldwide terrorism, its probably a good thing that most of its confined to Iraq.
Not so good for Iraq, though, but this war wasn’t really about them, after all
May 1st, 2007 at 2:08 pmIt’s true, reich-wing domestic terrorism is slightly down. We don’t hear too much lately about GOPigs blowing up abortion clinics.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:09 pmWTF? I hate living in Bush’s Bizzaro America.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:09 pmthey have no shame!
May 1st, 2007 at 2:09 pmAnd gasoline is the preferred liquid to extinguish a fire.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:10 pmExcept for the fact that terrorism has increased 25% globally since we started the Iraq Occupation.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:11 pmwar, assasinations, civilians deaths in the thousands and thousands…plus spending billions to prop up foreign dictators….does nothing but create MORE people that hope to do the U.S. harm.
There IS a different way to handle this. And that’s primarily doing the opposite of what the U.S. government is doing…
May 1st, 2007 at 2:12 pm“What Can We Do About Terrorism?”
http://www.populistamerica.com/ what_can_we_do_about_terrorism
There goes my goddanged WTF-Incredulometer, howling at 110 decibels.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:12 pmDidn’t I see a report yesterday that terror attacks had way increased last year, primarily because of Iraq???
Yes, I did.
Oh, and I unplugged my lyingbastardometer, just to damn noisy this week.
War is peace……we know the drill.
-GSD
May 1st, 2007 at 2:12 pmState Dept: Iraq Has Been ‘Good For The Effort To Reduce Terrorism’
And:
Black = white
May 1st, 2007 at 2:14 pmUp = down
Lies = truth
White is black and black is white. This should not surprise any of us.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:17 pmThe people of Iraq are deserving people and they deserve better and it’s good for us to help them.
Totally destroying their country while costing thousands of people their lives is now referred to as ‘helping them’.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:18 pmSomehow I don’t believe there are very many people that are falling for the endless BS and lieing anymore.
Impeach already.
These people are scared to death to say anything against the Bush fantasy Policy. Too afraid to say it’s worse and getting terribly worse to the point of making ridiculous absurd statements, even in the face of reality. They are immune to just how stupid they appear.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:20 pmTotally destroying their country while costing thousands of people their lives is now referred to as ‘helping them’.
Comment by Keith H.
Bushco also calls American hunger “low food security” to throw off statistics.
the Republiscum have no lows too low to stoop to.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:22 pmWell that settles it. The Iraq War is great!
May 1st, 2007 at 2:23 pmThat’s all they can say at this point- try to wield the “fear factor” in front of people’s noses. lalalalalalal! It won’t work so they should not bother peddling this smut and lies all together.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:23 pmI’d like to know how so many people’s souls became filled with so much evil that there is not one decent human left in the Republican party! “ShapeShifters - all of them”.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:24 pmRemember “Bagdad Bob” during the invasion how with bombs going off in the background he was in complete denial………….
You can cut the irony with a knife.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:26 pmThe people of Iraq are deserving people…
yes, millions of them have decided they are truly deserving of a better place to live since 2003, so they’ve left the country.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:27 pmMy god what were this guys qualifications for his job, head dog catcher somewhere?
May 1st, 2007 at 2:27 pmIt’s only terrorism if it kills Americans or Isrealis
May 1st, 2007 at 2:31 pmMy Gawd, you can’t make $hit like this up, even if you tried.
It’s like an old 80’s sitcom, without Suzanne Somers
May 1st, 2007 at 2:31 pmBecause “the people of Iraq are deserving people and deserve better” we give them shock and awe and then we completely destroy their country and then we become their occupiers, which attracts terrorists from all over the world. WTF
May 1st, 2007 at 2:32 pmTokyo Rose, Hanoi Hannah, Baghdad Bob — and now the Bushies with their very own version — Potomac Pete.
King Georgie and his court jesters in action — beyond pathetic.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:33 pmIraq is at least a relatively friendly place
What laws of relativity are your refering to?
Like the safety of a potential presidential candidate walking down the streets of bagdad (clad in a bullet proof vest, accompanied by hundreds of soldiers)?
Or the ability to attend a funeral without being massacred?
Seriously, stop the Bull$hit! You sound exactly like valiantthefluffer!!!
May 1st, 2007 at 2:34 pmHe then added, “I mean, Iraq is at least a relatively friendly place. The people of Iraq are deserving people and they deserve better and it’s good for us to help themâ€
And this brings to mind the phrase, “Who needs enemies when we have friends like you?” And a “relatively friendly place?” Is that relative to a country’s people that 100% think it’s justified to kill Americans…vs. the 70% in Iraq? It seems to me that the Iraqi people do NOT need our help, since it has resulted in the deaths of at least one-half milliion of them.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:36 pmIs Frank Urbanic neurologically impaired? He certainly has lost all credibility with these statements which fly in the face of realistic fact. Just another lock-step lying Bushie! So, what else can we expect these days?
May 1st, 2007 at 2:37 pmI think we need to ship Urbanic to Iraq since it’s such a “nice, friendly place”. Let’s all pool together for his one way airfare there, shall we?
May 1st, 2007 at 2:37 pm“if the battle against terrorism isn’t in Iraq, it’s going to be somewhere else.â€
Can in be in Afghanistan and the tribal areas of Pakistan?
Please?
May 1st, 2007 at 2:38 pmSICK….SICKER….SICKEST! TAKE YOUR PICK THESE DAYS. IT’S A CAVALCADE OF BUFFONS TO CHOOSE FROM. NONE OF THEM HAVE A HONEST BRAIN IN THEIR HEADS. SICKOS, ALL OF THEM.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:39 pmI can just see the new tourist ad : “Please, come to Baghdad — for a great vacation!”
friendly, may ass.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:39 pmmy lyingbastardometer
Comment by RUCerious
I missed that instrument, and it’s operator. Welcome back and I hope/trust all is well.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:40 pmOK wait a minute, I thought the newest battlecry was “Fight them over there so we don’t have to fight them here?” Am I missing something or has the objective changed again? I’d like to see Frankie boy take a walk in the park at this friendly place.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:41 pmIt’s only terrorism if it kills Americans or Isrealis
Comment by klyde
Nice job there.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:43 pmI am grateful as well for the precision instruments you bring to TP,
May 1st, 2007 at 2:46 pmR U Cerious, welcome back, sending you light and life !
Say What? I’m sorry — I don’t get this at all. The logic (or lack of it) leaves a lot missing.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:47 pmThis type mentality would ruin the best of nations. And it seems that it has. Render this guy to the trash heep. Wow.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:47 pmRemember guys, this is comming from our State Department, so nobody but themselves and a small “invisible” part of our population believe this kind of crap.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:53 pmThe arrogance is just sickening: we had to fight terrorism somewhere, so it might as well be in Iraq, they deserve it.
Let’s take a worldwide vote and see who gets to host the war on terror. We could take a step toward world-wide democracy and have a democratic vote: majority rules.
Of Course, it would be like “The Lottery” where the ‘winner’ gets to be stoned to death.
Who would win such a vote? The beacon of human rights and liberty for all? The defender of every human’s right to a fair and speedy trial? The country where basic human rights are self-evident? The land of opportunity and free speech?
May 1st, 2007 at 2:53 pmTick tock….tick tock….Bush’s impeachment clock is ticking down. The moment he vetoes this bill for money for our troops, his presidency will effectively be Over! The people will never forgive him for sending our children to war without body armor or humvee armor to begin with. Add to that, this threatened veto and his “legacy” will be sealed and the remainder of his presidency doomed.
Once he vetoes this bill, EVERY Republican candidate’s fate will also be sealed. The people will not elect another Republican to the white house for decades to come.
Bush thinks he’s engaged in a pissing contest with Congress; we’ve got bid news for this Shrub-in-Chief - he’s drawn a line in the sand with the American People. Emperor Georgie’s reign will come to a screeching halt when he vetoes this bill and the people will reign supreme.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:56 pmLet’s all chip in for Urbanic’s one way ticket to Iraq, shall we? If it’s such a nice, friendly place, perhaps he shoud take up permanent residency there??
May 1st, 2007 at 2:56 pmI have to join in here, RUCerious, welcome back, and to your great sounding machines, as well! (Did you ever get the Flatulomoter working?)
Raven, wanted to add that I’ve enjoyed your posts to date. Sharp mind and a sense of humor. Two things abjectly absent in our Chimp ‘N Chief.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:57 pmFear Factor Frankie: Take a hike. Your fear tactics will no longer work here! Take a nice long hike to say, Iraq, perhaps?? You know that friendly, nice place where bombs are exploding overhead? Yeah, Frankie, take a hike to Iraq.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:58 pmRUCerious: I love it! The LyingBastardometer! Too perfect!
May 1st, 2007 at 2:59 pmIt’s one thing to engage in war with congress; it’s another thing all together for the President to engage in war against the american people! Shrub’s day is nearing, that’s certain….and he will be held accountable for all of his lies, crimes, and misdemeanors. It’s the law of “just desserts”.
May 1st, 2007 at 3:01 pm“I mean, Iraq is at least a relatively friendly place.”
With friends like these… we don’t need enemies!
May 1st, 2007 at 3:24 pmSay What? I’m sorry — I don’t get this at all. The logic (or lack of it) leaves a lot missing.
Comment by Helen Rainier — May 1, 2007
What’s not to understand? Terrorist attacks are increasing. That means we’re winning and we’ve got them on the run, see? Everyone knows that terrorist acts are just the desperate last-resort actions of a nearly-defeated abstract concept.
Simple!
May 1st, 2007 at 3:26 pmI unplugged my lyingbastardometer, just to damn noisy this week.
Comment by RUCerious
LMAO
Glad to see you back =)
May 1st, 2007 at 3:28 pmOh now I get it inorder to fight terrorism, first stirr up all the terrorists and have them attack, then we can get them all and maybe there will be a decrease.
Impeccable thinking.
May 1st, 2007 at 3:44 pmThe tally is in. Neo-Cons ARE dumber than fifth graders.
May 1st, 2007 at 3:50 pmHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha…
No, wait…
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha…
You mean, that…
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha…
You guys continue, I just can’t get it out…
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha…
May 1st, 2007 at 4:00 pmthanks, Zimzone
May 1st, 2007 at 4:20 pmSpeaking of terrorism and spreading fear, the administration (and terrorists) would be proud of Tenet.
This morning on “Live with Regis and Kelly” the two of them briefly talked about Tenet’s appearance on 60 Minutes and Larry King.
Did they mention the administration’s use of “slam dunk” and Tenet’s charge that it was taken out of context and used to sell the “war”?
Did they mention Tenet’s alleged conversation with Richard Perle about targeting Iraq only days after 9/11?
Did they mention Tenet’s revelation of a lack of serious debate within the administration regarding the imminence of the Iraqi threat?
No.
What they were most surprised about was Tenet’s revelation that al Qaeda is in America. Kelly said when she heard that, she wanted to run and hide. Regis appeared similarly concerned.
What idiots. That is exactly what the terrorists want. They want us to be afraid. And this administration feeds off that as well, because if we are all afraid of the big bad terrorists, then we’ll continue to support Bush’s “war” on terror.
Way to go, Reege and Kel.
May 1st, 2007 at 4:51 pmAllow me to amend my previous comment. Regis and Kelly also referenced the revelation that al Qaeda cancelled an attack on the NYC subway system in order to pull off something bigger. That’s what R & K were “afraid” of.
May 1st, 2007 at 4:57 pmComment by WC — May 1, 2007
Whoa whoa whoa - stop right there…
Regis and Kelly are still on the air???
May 1st, 2007 at 4:59 pmOh, and I unplugged my lyingbastardometer, just to damn noisy this week.
Comment by RUCerious
So happy to see you back, RU. :)
May 1st, 2007 at 5:03 pmWelcome back RUCurious!
May 1st, 2007 at 5:46 pmIn this Bizarro world of Bushitler, it is logical that being waterboarded is good for the soul too.
May 1st, 2007 at 5:55 pmWelcome back RU!
May 1st, 2007 at 5:55 pmNo.
What they were most surprised about was Tenet’s revelation that al Qaeda is in America. Kelly said when she heard that, she wanted to run and hide. Regis appeared similarly concerned.
What idiots. That is exactly what the terrorists want. They want us to be afraid. And this administration feeds off that as well, because if we are all afraid of the big bad terrorists, then we’ll continue to support Bush’s “war†on terror.
Way to go, Reege and Kel.
Comment by WC — May 1, 2007 @ 4:51 pm
Well, what the hell do you think they are getting paid to do, if not to scare us?
May 1st, 2007 at 5:57 pmWC; you are wrong! wrong! wrong! It is not al queda that wants us to be afaraid, but the Bushies. They play the fear factor like a violin. Rudy in 2007, recently said that only a Republican can keep us safe from terrorists. Cheney said in 2004, basically, vote Republican or die. Don’t be bamboozled by this Republican fear-mongering, it’s what they want to stay in power. They should be guillotined instead.
May 1st, 2007 at 6:02 pm#47 — Toasterhead, Thanks for ’splaining this to me. I didn’t have my reptilian brain in gear when I listened to the clip. IOW, I had Mr. Spock channel on.
May 1st, 2007 at 8:26 pmNote that the Bush-lovers are singularly silent on this thread. EVEN THEY know abject idiocy when they see it….or step in it.
May 1st, 2007 at 11:49 pmHell, I can only afford a second hand dolticator, but even that has run it’s battery flat this week.
The guy is a freakin nutcase. Given the cast of characters in the Bush Administration, I really do believe that the 30% are absolute idiots. Chimpy and Co are talking their language in all areas of the government. The only intelligent people are probably in Treasury. Where they got this idiot… wow. They have got to be smoking pot, and seing who can keep a straight face. It is the only sane explanation. Anyone ?
May 2nd, 2007 at 12:03 am