READ THIS - Study: War in Iraq & Afghanistan may have helped Al-Qaida, hurt war on terror

This study was done by the International Institute of Strategic Studies, one of THE top defense think tanks in the world. Any of you who don't work in this area need to know, this study coming from THIS source is a BIG BIG BIG deal. I don't even know where to begin. According to the study, Bush has:

1. Helped Al-Qaeda grow stronger

Far from being crippled by the U.S.-led war on terror, al-Qaida has more than 18,000 potential terrorists scattered around the world and the war in Iraq is swelling its ranks, a report said Tuesday.

Al-Qaida is probably working on plans for major attacks on the United States and Europe, and it may be seeking weapons of mass destruction in its desire to inflict as many casualties as possible, the International Institute of Strategic Studies said in its annual survey of world affairs....

The report suggested that the two military centerpieces of the U.S.-led war on terror - the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq - may have boosted al-Qaida.

Driving the terror network out of Afghanistan in late 2001 appears to have benefited the group, which dispersed to many countries, making it almost invisible and hard to combat, the story said.

2. Taken resources AWAY from the war on terror

And the Iraq conflict "has arguably focused the energies and resources of al-Qaida and its followers while diluting those of the global counterterrorism coalition that appeared so formidable" after the Afghan intervention, the survey said.

3. We may need 500,000 troops to quell Iraq

It could take up to 500,000 U.S. and allied troops to effectively police Iraq and restore political stability, IISS researcher Christopher Langton told the news conference.

4. Al Qaeda wants to kill 4 million Americans

The United States is al-Qaida's prime target in a war it sees as a death struggle between civilizations, the report said. An al-Qaida leader has said 4 million Americans will have to be killed "as a prerequisite to any Islamic victory," the survey said.

The London-based institute is considered the most important security think tank outside the United States.