"Al Qaeda has now become Al Qaedaism"

"Today marks four years of war. Four years after the attack on Pearl Harbor, U.S. troops ruled unchallenged in Japan and Germany. During those 48 months, Americans created an unmatched machine of war and decisively defeated two great enemies". Mark Danner: Taking stock of the forever war, 11 Sep 2005

I think Danner may be wrong in concluding that the pressure for the US to withdraw its troops from Iraq will become overwhelming. Any US administration is likely to judge that if US troops are pulled out of Iraq then Kuwait and Saudi will go down too, and with them the more or less ultimate control of what are thought to be two thirds of the world's proven oil reserves.