Demagogue

This is hearsay about the unidentified leader of an unspecified "Islamic militant cell." But:

(AP) - LONDON-Two French journalists who were held hostage in Iraq told a British documentary program that their captors believed George W. Bush's re-election as U.S. president would help radicalize Iraqis....

The cell leader trained with terror leader Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan and told them the insurgents supported a Bush presidency because they believed it meant that "there will be confrontation, occupation and radicalization of the Iraqi people," Malbrunot said.

I say not to make too much of this, but why make anything at all of it? Mostly because of lingering annoyance at the silly GOP-inspired speculation last fall about which candidate al Qaeda would prefer to win. The underlying point--that Bush's policies have strengthened the terrorists' position--is one we peaceniks have noticed without any need for the terrorists' help in figuring it out.