A SENIOR MOMENT IN BAGHDAD

I was reading the news this morning and saw that a joint operation in Iraq netted the capture of some senior al-qaida operatives.

I think that's GOOD news when they use the "senior," right?

Or are we being hoodwinked by the MSM (mainstream media, for the acronymically challenged)? Why do I get the feeling we're going to find out someday that "senior" is just the politically correct way of saying "over the age of 60." Operation Terrorist Nursing Home is a success, the latest sweep of Baghdad nets a dozen really feisty ex-insurgents complaining of arthritis and spicy food.

No - I'm sure "senior" means something to somebody over there. Perhaps it's the distinction between an insurgent with 2-3 years of resistance fighting experience versus your more seasoned extremist who has a decade or more under his belt. You never hear about the capture of "junior" operatives. Not newsworthy for some reason.

BREAKING NEWS! U.S. Forces Storm Insurgent Stronghold and Capture Seven Junior Operatives

I'm also thinking it's because many in government don't want to admit that there are any "junior" operatives. Because if there ARE "junior" level al-qaida operatives, that would support the argument that U.S. foreign policy may be in part responsible for the proliferation of an extremist population. And that would undermine the entire argument that the war in Iraq is making us safer (somehow) - a claim fewer and fewer Americans actually believe, yet one that a number of "senior" politicians insist on making.

The blowback from our invasion and occupation of Iraq is going to have tragic consequences at home and abroad. Why did we invade again? Oh yeah - the weapons of mass destruction. I keep forgetting. Good thing we verified they didn't have any of those. I feel MUCH safer now.