Ken, I don't know where you're finding your facts, but here are a few starting points:
http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/st...2/excerpt.html
http://jamestown.org/terrorism/news/...icleid=2369635
This issue is so well-documented that I'm a bit surprised that you're willing to debate it. There is no lack of data that the U.S. war in Iraq has contributed to the radicalization of Islamic extremists; that they are spreading into Europe, Africa, the Near East, etc.
No offense intended, but I'm not exactly sure I know what you just said. It sounds like you're saying that the documented increase in al-Qaeda fighters world-wide is "irrelevant", and/or that we "cannot have true numbers". I must have missed the memo that said to ignore whether your enemy is gaining ground, both in numbers of fighters and geographical distribution. I have a hard time believing that that's considered sound doctrine in any nation's military, let alone ours.
To bring this discussion back around to Steve's book, my question still stands for Steve - has this unforseen development been addressed in your book as a factor in our evolving military strategy Post-Iraq?
Bookmarks