Letter: Al-Qaida is winning

Editor, Daily News:

The new book by Ron Suskind has raised the question as to why al-Qaida hasn't attack the United States since Sept. 11, 2001.

To understand the answer it may help to view the U.S. from al-Qaida's perspective.

Since the U.S. invasion of Iraq:

• al-Qaida has grown tremendously throughout the world, finding it easy to recruit young people to their concept of jihad.

• The U.S. has brought more troops to the Middle East, providing them the opportunity to kill and maim thousands.

• Billions of U.S. dollars have been squandered in Iraq.

• The U.S. reputation as a moral nation worthy of supper power leadership has been dramatically damaged.

• U.S. troops have been removed from Saudi Arabia.

Things have gone so well that Osama bin Laden himself spoke out to successfully support the re-election of his favorite president, George W. Bush.

I guess the answer to the question of why al-Qaida hasn't attacked the U.S. is straightforward: They haven't attacked since the U.S. is providing everything they want and need.

— Bob Erbstein / Naples