War Made Us Less Safe

So it's official: Our military adventure in Iraq has left America less safe, not more safe.

That's the reported unanimous conclusion by 16 intelligence agencies within the federal government. The startling joint assessment appears in the National Intelligence Estimate, entitled "Trends in Global Terrorism: Implications for the United States." The conclusion of the report was published in both the New York Times and Washington Post this week, based on conversations with sources inside the agencies.

The sources would not reveal detailed findings, for security reasons, but did disclose that all the spy agencies were in general agreement that the Iraq invasion has fueled Islamic radicalism all over the world, directed mainly at the United States. That has left America more vulnerable to terrorism, not less.

Meanwhile the president, vice president and secretary of defense have been traveling the country for the last month telling people they've made the country safer, thanks to the Iraq war. Now we know for certain that they have been making those statements at the same time the intelligence agencies have been telling them the opposite.

In one respect, it's scary that the U.S. feels it necessary to have 16 intelligence agencies. But it's even scarier that the leaders of our government don’t listen to those agencies, even when they all agree.