The world is demonstrably less safe than it was before America invaded Iraq. As a July report by the British House of Commons showed, the "Coalition's failure to bring law and order to parts of Iraq" turned Iraq into a "battle ground" for al Qaeda. And the International Institute for Strategic Studies says the war in Iraq has swelled the ranks of al Qaeda, focusing the energies and resources of the terrorists, while diluting those of the global counter-terrorism coalition. James Fallows writes that among national security officials, "One view prevails: [the war] has increased the threats America faces, and has reduced the military, financial, and diplomatic tools with which we can respond." [more
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