Spanish Flypaper Redux Apocalypse Interlude

Warren is back with the intersection of Iraq and Spain:

As the author of the much-mocked "flypaper theory" -- the phrase I used to describe the implicit strategy behind the U.S. invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan -- I am more and more persuaded it has worked. All ground indications are that large numbers of Islamist terrorists who would otherwise remain dangerously under cover, not only across the region but in Europe and elsewhere, are irresistibly drawn towards these theatres of action, where they sooner or later get themselves killed.

As terrorists, they were, almost invariably, in a position to be more effective where they were. They are lured away for emotional reasons, or "spiritual" if that word can be applied to something that is essentially not Godly but demonic. It is the Islamist analogy to the way young socialists, anarchists, and adventurers from across Europe were drawn to Spain during its Civil War in the 1930s.

Not to mention a way too optimistic review of the Apocalypse:

In summary: the Bush administration has done, in the main, the right things to extinguish Islamism. This leaves us with other, and potentially worse problems elsewhere, on which it has done nothing at all, nor yet appears to have anything resembling a plan.

Yes, I said way too optimistic.

More details "soon".