British Report States the Obvious

Tony Blair and members of his Labour Party are upset at the release of a report by the Royal Institute for International Affairs that claimed "the UK is at particular risk because it is the closest ally of the United States." The report's findings concluded that British involvement in the war in Iraq, and the treatment of detainees at Camp X-ray in Guantanamo, Cuba has increased the likelihood of the country falling victim to a terrorist attack. In the wake up the worst attack on British soil since WWII, British politicians have attempted to deny the relevance of the study.

I don't think it takes an expert in quantitative analysis to assert that the war in Iraq has made the United States and Britain a more attractive target for terrorism. How do I have access to such classified information? Hmm...well after attacks, terrorists explain their actions, often via the internet, and cite their actions as a retaliation for the war in Iraq and the unjust detainment of Islamic prisoners in Cuba. And who is at the helm of the war in Iraq and the detainment of prisoners at Guantanamo...the U.S. and Britain (yes, I forgot about Poland and the three Australians in Iraq, but until they send a batallion larger than the size of a cub scout den, I will continue to forget about them).

There is no basis for denying the reality of the study's findings. As a result of the our actions in the Middle East, the U.S. and the U.K. are now high profile targets for terrorists. What remains to be seen and debated is if our respective law enforcement and intelligence agencies are capable of preventing these attacks on our soil and whether or not our behavior abroad will indeed benefit our domestic and international security in the long-run.