The story of the day needs no reiterating from me, but here it is anyway. Afghanistan’s President Karzai, at a White House press conference today, on our mutual enemy and on how much we’ve forgotten:

They came to America on September 11th, but they were attacking you before September 11th in other parts of the world. We are a witness in Afghanistan to what they are and how they can hurt. You are a witness in New York. Do you forget people jumping off the 80th floor or 70th floor when the planes hit them? Can you imagine what it will be for a man or a woman to jump off that high? Who did that? And where are they now? And how do we fight them, how do we get rid of them, other than going after them? Should we wait for them to come and kill us again?

The video of that exchange and more is available via Hot Air.

And then there’s the release of the extended National Intelligence Estimate (rather than just the Cliff Notes which the Democrats prefer). Full document in pdf form here. Money quote here:

The Iraq conflict has become the “cause celebre” for jihadists, breeding a deep resentment of US involvement in the Muslim world and cultivating supporters for the global jihadist movement. Should jihadists leaving Iraq perceive themselves, and be perceived, to have failed, we judge fewer fighters will be inspired to carry on the fight.

Instant analysis from RWB here:

DUH!! You win by winning.

Another quote that speaks to the far-sighted and long-term strategy that was put into effect by President Bush within days of the September 11th attacks :

Greater pluralism and more responsive political systems in Muslim majority
nations would alleviate some of the grievances jihadists exploit. Over time, such
progress, together with sustained, multifaceted programs targeting the
vulnerabilities of the jihadist movement and continued pressure on al-Qa’ida,
could erode support for the jihadists.

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