Iranians in Iraq

In a piece of news missed by virtually everyone, FoxNews is reporting that 2 Iranian intelligence agents were captured in Baghdad yesterday. The two were carrying explosives to make a car bomb. Why has no one else reported this story?

Clearly national security issues will play a large part in this election. So far the largest aspect of this issue has been Iraq. This is backward looking; Iraq is, for all intents and purposes, stabilized. Undoubtedly there will still be bombings and meddling by foreign powers. Nevertheless, Iraq is moving towards a consensual government that has strong support among Iraqis. The issue going forward, one that many want to ignore at this point, is Iran. Iran's meddling in Iraq, its nuclear weapons program, and its support for terror organizations - including Hezbullah and al Qaeda - will need to be confronted. This will be the next front of the War on Terror.

From many of John Kerry's utterings, it seems clear that he is in the accomodationist camp. As Jonah Goldberg points out, his choice of VP along with many of his statements, confirm that he does not view the War on Terror as a primary issue.

Simply put, if Kerry really thought the war on terror was as big a deal as Bush does, there's no way he would pick John Edwards. Edwards is simply not qualified to be one heartbeat from the presidency in the world George Bush describes. Indeed, during the primaries even Kerry asked his aides about Edwards, "What makes him think he can be president?"

Clearly, Kerry has answered that question to his own satisfaction. And that answer has to be that the war on terror isn't that big a deal. We've had hints to this effect for a while. Several times he's suggested that he considers the war on terrorism a "law enforcement issue." And, in February, Kerry was asked at the Minnesota Democratic debate if he considered himself a "war president" the way Bush does. Kerry responded: "I'd see myself first of all as a jobs president, as a health care president, as an education president and also an environmental president. So I would see myself as a very different kind of global leader than George Bush."

Kerry and Edwards are still living in a September 10 world, and this should be a major issue of the Presidential campaign.