"al Qaeda in Iraq"

In several posts I've made a point of referring to the so-called al Qaeda in Iraq.

The issue was raised at yesterday's Presidential news conference:

"THE PRESIDENT: That's an interesting comment. If al Qaeda is securing a al Qaeda base -- yes, well, that's exactly what they've been trying to do for the past four years."
[Press Conference of the President, 28 Feb 2008]

W continues to assert al Qaeda's presence in Iraq.

A little history (drawn from Wikipedia):

Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) is a term to describe [a] group which is playing an active role in the Iraqi insurgency. The group was led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi until his death in 2006; it is now believed to be led by Abu Hamza al-Muhajir (aka Abu Ayyub al-Masri).

The group is a direct successor of al-Zarqawi's previous organization, Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad. Beginning with its official statement declaring allegiance to the Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda terrorist network in October 2004, the group identifies itself as Tanzim Qaidat Al-Jihad fi Bilad al-Rafidayn (QJBR) ("Organization of Jihad's Base in the Country of the Two Rivers").
[Wikipedia entry, Al-Qaeda in Iraq]

Now, a plausible reading of this brief history is that al-Zarqawi wanted to enhance both his reputation and the reputation of his jihadist organization, Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad.

What better way to enhance one's reputation in jihadist circles than to claim affiliation with al Qaeda? Note: bin Laden didn't establish this group, but has - to his organizational & PR credit - used it to his advantage.

We see similar "reputation by association" ploys all the time - frequently by politicians. McCain gave the 2006 commencement address at Falwell's Liberty University for much the same reason: to establish a link with Falwell and, by extension, establish his credentials with the Christian Right. Whenever a candidate accepts the endorsement of some group - labor union, think tank, etc. - he or she is playing this same game: seeking to identify, at least in part, with the endorsing organization.

Al-Zarqawi was in Iraq before he asserted his allegiance to al Qaeda. His activities didn't change after he pledged allegiance to al Qaeda and changed his organization's name. The only thing that changed was now he could claim to be an al Qaeda affiliate. He surrendered no operational control to any established al Qaeda operatives. HE JUST CHANGED THE NAME OF A PRE-EXISTING TERRORIST GROUP, largely for the perceived publicity benefits... and it worked!

To claim that this pre-existing but renamed entity represents the al Qaeda responsible for 9/11 is simply dishonest - though VERY CONVENIENT for W and his minions.

I will continue to identify AQI as the so-called al Qaeda in Iraq.