“The threat level is definitely up. Our guys have been told to act as if we have already bombed Iraq,” one senior counterterrorism official told CNN.

Really? I would think that this would be the worst possible time to make a terrorist attack. I mean, I don’t doubt that Bush et al. is going to attack Iraq, but right now he doesn’t have the full support of the country — there are many vocal people out there who question the motives.

Bomb us. Blow something up. Remove all partisan bickering. Yes, surely that would help your cause.

After the bombing starts? Sure, I see that there’s a threat there, because then it might be seen as a ‘desperate response’ — at least it might be spun that way.

But now, with so many people on the fence? If the terrorists were that stupid, we’d have stopped them by now.

Thats a good point. Another good one for NOT going to war. We can hold it over their heads......

These people don't think that way.

After all these are people that wear vests made out of C-4 and dip thier concreate screws in pesticide before they blow themselves and bus stations up.

Terrorists don't think like normal people. Even after the WTC fell there were what a quarter of the population against retaliation? If Iraq gased the NYC subway system Chomsky and Sontang would still blame the US for it, as would every Urban Studies teacher in North America.

Blowing things up at the worst possible time is what got the Palestinians from partners in peace with the Labor party to Sharon winning multiple elections.

Don't think like a person, think like a nut bag. Think what a pound of anthrax in the US Mail would do, or better yet ricin in Norfolk Naval Base chow, thats how these people think.

Well, if they were smart, they wouldn't be terrorists, would they?

Actually, if they're used to dealing with Europeans, then they probably would expect some extra terrorism right about now to divert the US from its course.

Plus, there is the idea that if you kill a couple Americans the Americans will quit.

The mess the UN and the Clinton Whitehouse made of Mog in '93 has shown the terrorists that we'll quit if some blood is spilt.

Terror in London, Rome or Madrid would lead to some smackdown on the terrorists, in Berlin or Paris I think wouldn't get a reaction. After all, France rewarded terrorism in Algeria with a don't ask don't tell policy when it came to Algerians fleeing the Algerian police and government.