The difference in perspective is in your saying that you are baffled by "the link between terrorism and Iraq" but no in the next say there was no significant link between Iraq and Al Qaeda. So you imply that terrorism = Al Queda. I would say that Iraq was one of the links in the chain or terrorism, which is supported not simply by Usama pulling strings in Afghanistan, but by a network of recruiters, trainers, financiers and sympathizers. For a variety of reasons Iraq was a central link in this chain. Perhaps I could put it this way. When Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, the U.S. went to war with Japan, but it also went to war with Germany and Italy. Hitler didn't attack the U.S.; Mussolini didn't attack the U.S. Bu that they were Japan's allies, half a world away, was enough.   | explains it all ® 7 July 2005 16:18 (UTC)