September 2006
Breeding Ground
"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."
—Excerpt from "Trends in Global Terrorism," a classified National Intelligence Estimate
In late September The New York Times reports on the details of a classified National Intelligence Estimate titled "Trends in Global Terrorism: Implications for the United States." The document reportedly states that the threat of terrorism has increased since 9/11, and that the Iraq war is a radicalizing event that is helping to give birth to a new generation of jihadists worldwide. According to an intelligence official quoted in the Times, the report "says that the Iraq war has made the overall terrorism problem worse." The report further fuels continuing debates between the administration and its critics over whether the Iraq war has helped to reduce or increase the chances of terrorism hitting U.S. shores again.