And this surprises us, how?

NYT

Iraq May Be Prime Place for Training of Militants, C.I.A. Report Concludes

A new classified assessment by the Central Intelligence Agency says Iraq may prove to be an even more effective training ground for Islamic extremists than Afghanistan was in Al Qaeda's early days, because it is serving as a real-world laboratory for urban combat.

The assessment, completed last month and circulated among government agencies, was described in recent days by several Congressional and intelligence officials. The officials said it made clear that the war was likely to produce a dangerous legacy by dispersing to other countries Iraqi and foreign combatants more adept and better organized than they were before the conflict.

Notice this isn't "Iraq, perennial terrorist haven, gets even more friendly to Jihadis." Never was a haven, even when Abu Nidal was allowed in to see an Iraqi doctor to fix a bum leg.

Can't argue with the facts on this one. When the cat's away, the mice will play. The reason we, the US, sold Saddam all that bio and chemical ordnance up to 1991 was that he was our Cat in the region. We knew he used an iron fist to keep generic islamist terrorists out of Iraq, and he was handy as a check against post-Shah, Komeini-crazies in Iran.

And now he's gone. Replaced by grass-roots angry young cubs. Whom we completely unprofessionally allowed to snatch 38o tons of RDX/HMX high explosive that's blowing up our troops on roadsides daily. And now it's a terrorist wild-west that makes Deadwood seem like Disneyland.

Congrats, Bush voters. In one swell foop they've broken or abided the breaking of business and war rule Rumber One: Don't enable the competition/opposition. And, for heavens sake, don't make them stronger or motivate them more deeply. If polls and early response to last night's Fort Bragg pantomime are indication, those self-same voters are also struggling with a serious case of November buyer's remorse. They bought a cardboard commando mouthing GI JOE simplisms. You get what you pay for. Or think through.

And yeah, that goes for business, statecraft and warcraft.