Larry Kudlow has a great piece out in National Review Online.
Our last best hope in Iraq — General David Petraeus — reminded Pentagon reporters this week of a critically important fact long forgotten by most observers: Our real enemy in Iraq, the true source of all the murders, mayhem, and instability, is not sectarian strife. And it’s not the Sunnis or the Shiites either. The real enemy we face in Iraq is al Qaeda.
According to the top American commander in Iraq, al Qaeda’s number one priority is defeating the United States in Iraq. The general called this organization “public enemy number one,†adding that “Iraq is, in fact, the central front of al Qaeda’s global campaign.â€
Without question, it is a near certainty that Iran and Syria are helping al Qaeda with money, arms, and explosives. And yes, if we leave now, al Qaeda will have an open field in which to expand their operations and prepare for the ultimate attack on the United States. In fact, the Defense Department and the CIA just nabbed a high-ranking al Qaeda operative known as al-Iraqi. He was a key link between the Taliban in Afghanistan, al Qaeda in Iraq, and al Qaeda members in Iran. And while it’s great news we got him, he’s one more reminder that this network is strong and playing for keeps.