“The Bush Administration never saw the war in Iraq as either a stand-alone operation or as distinct from the generalized war on the Islamist movement that al Qaeda was part of. As clumsy, and at times, as devious the public presentation of the war was, it had a clear logic. Despite ongoing tactical problems in and around Baghdad, the broad strategic goals of the Iraq campaign are being realized. Therefore, the question now is: What will the next stage of the U.S.-Islamist war look like?“

I have to admit that I am very tired of the recent media buzz about faulty MWD intelligence. I am developing a mild case of cyncism toward the administration and the quality of the intelligence community even though I feel Saddam got what he deserved.

This stratfor article is an intriguing analysis of current Iraqi and al Qaeda events. I am looking forward to seeing how well the forecast for Saudi Arabia and Pakistan pans out over this election year. If he is correct this will be a great year for the newscasters.