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Length: 2:05
LOU DOBBS: Al Qaeda
remains one of the most dangerous threats to our
troops three and a half years after the war began.
The United States killed the leader of al Qaeda in
Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in June. But that appears
to have done little or nothing to reduce the number
and threat of al Qaeda attacks. Michael Ware reports
from Baghdad. Michael?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Lou, the war in Iraq
has made al Qaeda stronger, not weaker, according to
a secret U.S. government report. The top 16 American
intelligence agencies have told President Bush that
al Qaeda and Islamic militants across the world are
growing in reach and in influence as a result of the
war in Iraq.
Indeed, the report says -- as many people forewarned,
as much as two years ago -- that Iraq is now the
platform on which the next generation of al Qaeda
leaders are being built. It's from here that they say
there is now ever-increasing risk to see an export of
terrorism.
This is the fulfillment of Osama bin Laden and the
late terrorist leader Abu Musab al Zarqawi's vision.
They were looking for a platform after Afghanistan to
create this new breed of al Qaeda. And according to
these U.S. intelligence agencies, that's precisely
what has happened now. This significantly undercuts
President Bush's strategy for the global war on
terror. It suggests that the very thing the president
came to Iraq to prevent, he has in fact fostered.
And that's coming from his own intelligence agencies.
What brings into question now is why was this report
leaked or revealed now? Perhaps it's a reflection of
the growing friction that we see here on the ground
between U.S. military commanders and intelligence
agencies, and their political masters back in
Washington, D.C. -- Lou.
DOBBS: Michael Ware, reporting from
Baghdad.