Cannon fodder, yes. But this isn't a gang of thieves, coming to loot Iraq. If that were the case, they wouldn't be from four different countries. Especially in that part of the world, criminal gangs tend to be from the same extended family. Those outside the clan aren't often trusted.

I doubt there are huge deposits of cash buried underground all over Iraq. Only fools hide thier money under matresses. Numbered Swiss bank accounts is more likely.

Which brings us to the "terrorist" / "foreign fighter" distinction. These fellows were brought to Iraq from four different countries and provided with cash and arms. As you say, >> After the US invasion of Iraq, the call went out for martyrs to rush to Iraq to "defend a Muslim land against the infidel invaders". << So they came to Iraq to kill Americans.

Fine, don't call them terrorists. But this isn't some indigenous liberation movement. It's now known that the Somali fighters who killed 18 Americans in Mogodishu were trained and equiped by al Qaeda operatives from Sudan. Al Qaeda backs fighters in Chechnya, Kashmir, and Algeria.

>>Perchance are you one of the 72% of Americans who believes that Saddam Hussein was behind 9/11?<<

No, I don't believe that. I do believe that Saddam was involved with al Qaeda from the mid-90s, but I highly doubt that he knew about the 9/11 attacks. Saddam did know about the attempted Ricin attacks in France, Spain and Britian in early 2003, however.

Al Qaeda has pretty much vacated Afghanistan. And the big fish have left Pakistan, especially after Khalid Shiek Mohammed was caught. Most of al Qaeda's top leadership is in Iran right now. But al Qaeda's center of gravity is in Saudi Arabia. Syria is also a strong backer of terrorism. Iraq is right in the middle of all that. That is why we are in Iraq, instead of Pakistan.

They can't ignore us there. If the US succeeds in buiding a decent civil society in Iraq, al Qaeda's radical ideology will be weakened. (Note that I'm not saying all-out democracy. That will take a long long time if it ever happens.)

Instead of sending gullible cannon fodder to attack the US and Europe, they're now sending cannon fodder against Iraq. We've got them reacting to us, not the other way around. That's a victory right there.

Iraq will eventually serve as a base to put serious pressure on Iran, Syria, and Saudi Arabia.