Feeling Safer?

If this is true, it is yet another example of the Bush administration putting short-term interests ahead of targeting terrorists.

"'In June 2002, U.S. officials say intelligence had revealed that Zarqawi and members of al-Qaida had set up a weapons lab at Kirma, in northern Iraq, producing deadly ricin and cyanide.

"The Pentagon quickly drafted plans to attack the camp with cruise missiles and airstrikes and sent it to the White House, where, according to U.S. government sources, the plan was debated to death in the National Security Council.

. . .

"'The Pentagon drew up a second strike plan, and the White House again killed it.  By then the administration had set its course for war with Iraq.'

"In and of itself, this is bad, but the real scandal is the reason we didn't strike the camp:

"'Military officials insist their case for attacking Zarqawi’s operation was airtight, but the administration feared destroying the terrorist camp in Iraq could undercut its case for war against Saddam.'"

Zarqawi, you may recall, is the fellow military intelligence say is the author of the letter calling on Sunnis in Iraq to start targeting Shias, to foment a sectarian civil war [a claim that may or may not be true].

He may also be the author of yesterday's attacks during the Shia holy day. And the casualty count for that attack continues to rise.

If we still had three branches of the federal government, there would be an investigation.