I wrote just yesterday how one can look at Somalia and see how the Republicans are leading us not to victory in the war against terrorism, but rather into a long, eternal war against what just might be an emerging new Caliphate. Everything that the Republicans have done since they prevented Clinton from taking out bin Laden when he wanted to has led us in the wrong direction and has done nothing but strengthen the hand of the most extremists elements of Sunni Islam.

And with the nascent war in Iran, possibly already starting through the Kurdish conflict, we are once again looking in the wrong place for our enemies. The people who attacked us are alive and well and are thriving right where Bush claims we have won.

Remember that we pulled large numbers of troops out of Afghanistan and Pakistan so we could invade Iraq, a nation that had nothing to do with 9/11 and was as opposed to al-Qaeda as we were.

Now the Taliban are regrouping right under the watch of the Paksistan army and al-Qaeda is being lauded as heros within the borders of our supposed ally.

From the BBC News:

Taleban fighters battling Pakistani security forces declared a unilateral ceasefire last week to accommodate a religious gathering near Miranshah, the largest town in North Waziristan...

The Taleban seem to be enjoying the ceasefire: the customary tension on their faces replaced with easy smiles...

As the congregation concluded with a collective prayer for a Muslim renaissance, hundreds of devotees could be seen buying posters of Afghan commander Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.

Mr Hekmatyar has recently declared his intent to team up with al-Qaeda to fight the US forces in Afghanistan.

It was difficult to find a place anywhere in Miranshah [Pakistan] where one would not come across some measure of resentment against Pakistan security forces.

[A shopkeeper said,] "[The Taliban] are mujahideen waging a jihad against the Americans. They have no reason to disturb the peace in Waziristan if left to themselves..."

Remember, this is in the nation that is our number one ally in the fight against the Taliban and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan!

We are losing. The Taliban are intact and growing. Osama bin Laden is alive and still in command of a resurgent al-Qaeda that has actually EXPANDED it's reach since we declared war on them. Pakistan is ripe for an uprising by the warlords and religious leaders. Afghanistan would follow immediately after, isolating our forces in a sea of people who hate us. Kashmir is bound to be affected, bringing another nuclear power into play when India has to intervene. If we are already bogged down in Iraq and even Iran, then we will be unable to hold, so Afghanistan and Pakistan (with it's nukes) will fall to the Taliban.

Meanwhile, as I wrote yesterday, al-Qaeda linked Islamic extremists are re-establishing their control in Somalia and Sudan has remained sympathetic to al_Qaeda. Bush never dealt with the Tanzanian gem trade that helps fund al-Qaeda. Bush has never dealt with the Saudi oil industry's funding of al-Qaeda. So the money still flows from two very lucrative industries while in areas like the Sudan, Somalia, Afghanistan and now Pakistan it is the Islamisists who are viewed as the forces of stability while we and our supporters are seen as the invaders who are destabilizing the area.

We have lost the hearts and minds of a swath of the world extending from the Sudan to the border of India. All it awaits is a charismatic leader to come in and unite the whole area.