OpEdNews - Diary: Does the Iraq-Creates-Terrorism Argument Resonate with the American Public?

We don't mind creating terrorists. We just don't want them anywhere near us.

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In the National Intelligence Estimate the administration was forced to release, 16 of the government's intelligence agencies signed off on the view that our invasupation* of Iraq has intensified terrorism. The "well, duh"-ness of it aside, the sneak preview of the NIE released by the House Intelligence Committee was notable for how giddy it made progressives. For instance, blogger Alternate Brain called it the nine-pound hammer we've been looking for to pound the administration into pieces. More to the point, even a crack blogger like Glenn Greenwald wrote, "This report alone ought to dictate the outcome of the election." Their optimism, however, strikes a poignant note. Take the word of someone who's spent his life around Middle-Americans. First of all, Middle-Americans have no problem with the idea of preemptive war. Second, as long as no one steals their credit card information, they're down with illegal wiretapping. Third, in torture they trust. Not only that -- progressives just don't get this -- the last thing they're worried about is creating terrorists. The American public may be afraid of terrorists once they're created. But there's no way it responds to the argument: Our policies create terrorists. Traditionally America created enemies because it was right. Nowadays, we may not always be right, but, hey, we're the least wrong. Or so most of the public thinks. Besides, worrying about creating enemies is for pocket-sized European countries and wimpy liberals. (And those 16 national intelligence agencies.) *invasupation n. invasion and occupation all in one.