And how do we stop them in this country without being accused of ethnic profiling and religious discrimination? Because they are expanding their reach beyond the battlefields of Iraq and into the rest of the Middle East -- and into the West.

“There are some operational parallels between the urban terrorist activity in Iraq and the urban environments in Europe and the United States,” Mr. Pluchinsky wrote. “More relevant terrorist skills are transferable from Iraq to Europe than from Afghanistan to Europe,” he went on, citing the use of safe houses, surveillance, bomb making and mortars.

A top American military official who tracks terrorism in Iraq and the surrounding region, and who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the topic, said: “Do I think in the future the jihad will be fueled from the battlefield of Iraq? Yes. More so than the battlefield of Afghanistan.”

Which is, of course, a good reason for decisively ending the terrorist threat in Iraq by wiping out every last vestige of al-Qaeda there, and by ruthlessly uprooting al-Qaeda where ever it rears its ugly jihadi head -- preferably with the help of our allies, but going it alone if necessary.

Provided, of course, that the American people are wise enough not to elect a president from a party that doesn't see terrorism as real threat to America.