Al Qaeda Claims Victory

Al Qaeda deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, claimed victory in Iraq last week because President Bush is pulling out the troops. Frankly, I think a much better indication of the victory of radical Islam in Iraq is the failure of the reconstruction effort.

Incessant insurgent attacks finally forced President Bush to end the massive but unsuccessful reconstruction program. Iraqis who are without electricity 18 hours out of 24, who are without clean drinking water and working sewage systems, and who are dealing with gas shortages and worse-than-pre-war oil production are on their own. Say goodbye to hearts and minds.

The root cause of the failure is the unwillingness of President Bush to commit the money, manpower, and political capital to secure Iraq. Everything that makes a successful state -- the economy, civic infrastructure, the rule of law, even democracy -- depends on security. Without security, there is only a failed state.

Perhaps some day Iraqis will arrive at a political solution to the insurgency and the Iraqi armed forces will be capable of securing their country where the Bush administration could not. In the mean time, new terrorist recruits are graduating from Zarqawi's Iraq-based training camps every day.