BOB KERREY. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. And thank you Dr. Rice....as somebody who supported the war in Iraq I'm not going to get the national security adviser 30 feet away from me very often over the next 90 days. And I've got to tell you I believe a number of things. I believe first of all we underestimate that this war on terrorism is really a war against radical Islam. Terrorism is a tactic. It's not a war itself. Secondly, let me say that I don't think we understand how the Muslim world views us. And I'm terribly worried that the military tactics in Iraq are going to do a number of things and they're all bad. One - please do not do that. Do not applaud. I think we're going to end up with civil war if we continue down the military operations strategy that we have in place. I say that sincerely as someone that supported the war in the first place. Secondly, I don't know how it could be otherwise. Given the way that we're able to see these military operations, even the restrictions that are imposed upon the press that this doesn't provide an opportunity for Al Qaeda to have increasing success at recruiting people to attack the United States. It worries me. And I wanted to make that declaration. You needn't comment on it. But as I said I'm not going to have an opportunity to talk to you this closely. And I wanted to tell you that I think the military operations are dangerously off-track. And it's largely a U.S. Army, 125 out of 145, largely a Christian army in a Muslim nation. So take that on board for what it's worth. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/08/politics/08RICE-TEXT.html
http://squawk.ca/lbo-talk/0202/0844.html Islamism is the new bolshevism
The campaign to eliminate the terrorist threat must also end our unfinished business in Iraq
Margaret Thatcher Tuesday February 12, 2002 The Guardian