Terrorists Take Responsibility

" panel discussion we wanna do more on this also talked a little bit about some of the broader issues in play in that area -- arcade as. Is the director of the national security project at the Progressive Policy Institute. Peter brooks is a senior fellow at Heritage Foundation. Peter let me -- get your quick reaction to the launching of this this. Missile into -- Mona."

" Well the bad news is that was launched in these missiles are on guided and they certainly can. Be targeted at innocent civilians hopefully nobody was hurt in this case. The the good news is that there was only one -- so far so hopefully. Did nothing will come of this but it's still we have to remember despite -- our focus on Iraq and Iran. That that part of the Middle East is also very unsettled. And some could easily destabilize the area of the of the world."

" And what would you look to next Peter in terms of whether or not this was -- sort of a rogue missile that was fired by the you know an offshoot group. As -- suggested may be the case or whether something more."

" I here to see more missiles because one of these -- like I said I'm Martha there unguided so they can't be targeted at anything particular -- you fired at a city would hope that they will. -- create civilian casualties so we see a lot more these I think that would be a sign of something and once again Hezbollah is a very powerful group in that part of the world. And they still have not decided to lay down their arms against Israel so this everybody's probably sitting on pins and needles right now seeing what happens next."

" No doubt and that's a lot of areas in the broader region that are sitting on pins and needles right now and Jim arcade -- wanted to bring -- and talk a little bit. About the intense violence really that we've seen in Iraq since the middle of August. And the most recent attacks -- 160 people were killed 24 of them. Were innocent children. Who were killed coming out of it a daycare center. What do you think is happening there ahead of this January election and you know what is the unrest that's causing this recent -- of terrible violent."

" Well of course you know violence continues in Iraq and that we can never assume that as Dick Cheney did in 2005 that the insurgency is is in its last throws. Iraq continues to be a very dangerous place and the minute we start to assume that were on the verge of victory we can pull out. That's what it really starts to get get dangerous so just another point to highlight I think it's very important to frame this discussion in terms of the status of forces agreement. And the effectiveness of the American military going forward. This is status of forces agreement negotiated under the Bush Administration just before he left off office. And it restricted it pulled back the American troop presence -- habitat are away from the towns in the cities and made them subservient to the Iraqi forces. So as this kind of violence continues. What we're really looking at is a situation where they're gonna be diminishing returns for what the American military can hope to accomplish."

" You know we're looking at these incredible pictures Peter and it -- it's sort of feels as though we you know maybe -- a lot of critics would say to grab the ball a little bit Afghanistan and put it back very much in Iraq. And now the reverse is happening and we're seeing violence coming back in Iraq. -- Peter is is. The series -- have you heard that question but it's basically you know we've refocused on Afghanistan now and we're seeing more -- Pakistani connection."

" Well I know there's no direct connection between the two but this is really a question of resources between two administrations. The Bush Administration decided that they were gonna go into Iraq and really diverted so many critical resources that we could've used for eight years and Afghanistan. Into Iraq and you know essentially it was a war built on a faulty shaky premise and now we're dealing from the fallout. Far from that it would have been much better. Had we had a rational discussion like the Obama administration is currently doing. As to decide our strategy in Afghanistan have we have the Bush Administration had that discussion several years ago and perhaps come to a more reasoned decision about what our strategic interest."

" Car and London and the -- yeah as you well now I know -- about what happened in the past you know until you know -- for the rest of the day I'm sure. -- but what I want to talk about a little bit right now Peter is is the simmering situation in Iraq that we're seeing 24 children were killed coming out of a daycare center. 160 people -- bombing attacks and what we're hearing from. And from remote formality there is that there's concern that this is it as is insurgent group that may hasn't had to Syria they're calling it missing al- Qaeda is involved in this as well. And that is that you know different sort of Iraqi based al- Qaeda group that he -- well now. What -- what you -- concern about Iraq right."

" Now. Well I think this is in the run to the elections -- the elections are in January it probably is an al- Qaeda group this is the second deadliest attack in two years in fact we had -- another horrible attack remembered August. So these are meant to be spectacular nine elevenths style attacks and to tell the Iraqi People that the voting for Maliki in the future is not going to. Insure your security which of knowledge he has talked about he says yeah I really don't care if you like me very much but the fact of the matter is is that. I can keep you safe so there are significant security challenges here the Iraqis have to step up remember American forces have left the city's. And there waiting to be called upon if necessary. By the Iraqis to help them with this but what's against the counter terrorism sort of issue. They ended as opposed to a major counter insurgency problem but it's al- Qaeda and yet they haven't said Martha about that is be careful. This is what we could see in Afghanistan if we don't get the plan right."

" All right well it is -- situation as you say and Sunni and Shia continue to go head to head in Iraq. And we'll see if the Iraqi military can step up to to that task is difficult -- market is thank you very much for being with us today. And Peter brooks thank you as well."