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Lawmaker: Terrorists
right about Democrats 
GOP congressman reacts to militants'
endorsement of 'party of cut-and-run'


Leaders of Mideast terrorist organizations such as the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and Islamic Jihad are right – in one way, according to Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo.

Terrorists interviewed by WorldNetDaily suggested Americans should vote for Democrats Tuesday, because the party's plan to remove U.S. troops from the Mideast would hand their factions victory.

Tancredo today told WND the assessment is hard to dispute.

"I guess the conclusion to which anyone could come ... maybe they recognize that both the general nature of the Democratic Party and the people who are at its head are folks that would rather cut and run than stand their ground on an issue of this nature," he said.

"They're right. I also worry about a lot of things, the way the war has been prosecuted. But beyond Iraq, here's what I believe. I believe that there are more Republicans than Democrats that understand we are in a clash of civilizations.

"In fact the idea that Western civilization has advantages over other civilizations, that is not a concept that most Democrats would buy into, and I think the radical Islamic groups recognize that," he said.

Multiple messages left over the course of two days seeking comment from the Democratic National Committee, the Democratic Leadership Council, the offices of Sens. Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton and others were not returned to WND.

The Republican National Committee also did not return a message asking for comment.

The president's recent statements also have given the terrorists reason to hope for better results should the Democrat Party leadership be in power rather than the existing decision-makers.

"The fighting in Iraq is tough, and I understand it's tough, and you know it's tough, and so does the enemy. They have no conscience. They kill innocent men, women and children. They film the atrocities, they broadcast them for the world to see. They offer no hopeful vision. The only thing they know is death and destruction," Bush said during a recent campaign stop.

"Our goal in Iraq is victory," Bush said. "Victory in Iraq will come when that young democracy can sustain itself, and govern itself, and defend itself, and be a strong ally in the war against terrorists.

"But they hope these violent images will cause us to lose our nerve. They make a big mistake. They do not understand the true strength of the United States. We don't run in the face of thugs and assassins, we'll defend ourselves," he said.

His comments were on the same subject being discussed by those terrorist leaders this week.

"Of course Americans should vote Democrat," Jihad Jaara, a senior member of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terror group, and infamous leader of the 2002 siege of Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, told WND.

"This is why American Muslims will support the Democrats, because there is an atmosphere in America that encourages those who want to withdraw from Iraq. It is time that the American people support those who want to take them out of this Iraqi mud," said Jaara, speaking to WND from exile in Ireland, where he was sent as part of an internationally brokered deal that ended the church siege.

Jaara and others told WND that they believe if the Democrats come into power because of the party's position on withdrawing from Iraq, that ensures victory for the worldwide Islamic resistance.

They rejected statements from some prominent Democrats in the U.S. that a withdrawal from Iraq would end the insurgency, explaining an evacuation would prove resistance works and would compel jihadists to continue fighting until America is destroyed.

They said a withdrawal would also embolden their own terror groups to enhance "resistance" against Israel.

Jaara was the chief in Bethlehem of the Brigades, the declared "military wing" of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party.

Together with the Islamic Jihad terror group, the Brigades has taken responsibility for every suicide bombing inside Israel the past two years, including an attack in Tel Aviv in April that killed American teenager Daniel Wultz and nine Israelis.

Muhammad Saadi, a senior leader of Islamic Jihad in the northern West Bank town of Jenin, said the Democrats' talk of withdrawal from Iraq makes him feel "proud."

"As Arabs and Muslims we feel proud of this talk," he told WND. "Very proud from the great successes of the Iraqi resistance. This success that brought the big superpower of the world to discuss a possible withdrawal."

Bush's comments came on a campaign swing through southern states, where he was stumping for Republican candidates in a mid-term election that could leave either Republicans or Democrats in control of Congress, and terrorists a focal point of many debates.

"We will defeat them," he promised. "We'll defeat them because our commanders on the ground have all the flexibility necessary to make sure that we constantly stay ahead of the enemy. We'll defeat them because we got a fantastic United States military," he said.

"We will succeed in Iraq because the Iraqis want to live in a peaceful society. Twelve million – nearly 12 million defied car-bombers and assassins and terrorists and went to vote. … And I believe strongly that they'll become a government of the people, and by the people, and for the people.

"As a matter of fact, I believe the only way we cannot succeed is if we leave before the job is done," he said.

Bush said Democrats have talked a lot about different plans to deal with terrorism.

"They've come up with a lot of creative ways to describe leaving Iraq before the job is done. Sometimes they say, 'immediate redeployment.' Sometimes they say they wouldn't spend another dime on our troops. Sometimes they say the idea that we're going to win this war is an idea that unfortunately is just plain wrong. However they put it, the Democrat approach in Iraq comes down to this: the terrorists win and America loses," he said.

But in a statement on their website, the Democrats said, "We will protect Americans at home and lead the world by telling the truth to our troops, our citizens and our allies. We believe in a strong national defense that is both tough and smart, recognizing that homeland security begins with hometown security."

cont'd

"Democrats have a plan that is comprehensive – from repairing our military, to winning the war on terror, to protecting our homeland security, to ensuring success in Iraq and freeing America of its dependence on foreign oil – and it will finally prepare America for the security needs of the 21st Century. And we honor the sacrifices our troops, their families and veterans by making sure we take care of them when they come home," the statement continued.

A new New York Times poll also indicated that Americans believe the U.S. will pursue a "quicker exit from Iraq" should the Democrats be in control. The survey said Americans believe the Democrats "have coalesced around a general position of finding a way to reduce or end American involvement in Iraq" but it also noted "there is substantial disagreement among Democratic Congressional leaders and candidates about exactly how to accomplish that."

"Nearly 75 percent of respondents, including 67 percent of Republicans and 92 percent of Democrats, said they expected that Americans (sic) troops would be taken out of Iraq more swiftly under a Democratic-led Congress."

The poll said 41 percent of respondents said they expected that troop levels would decrease if Democrats won control, while 40 percent said the party would seek to remove all troops. Forty-one percent said that they expected troop levels to remain the same if Republicans won, while 29 percent said they thought the United States would send more troops if the Republicans continued to control Congress.

Vice President Dick Cheney has reinforced Bush's plans:

"Time and time again, we're seeing examples of Democratic Party leaders apparently having lost their perspective concerning the nature of the enemy we face, and the need to wage this fight aggressively," he said in a campaign stop this week. "No sharper example can be found than the Democratic Party chairman himself, Howard Dean, who said the capture of Saddam Hussein didn't make America any safer."

Abu Abdullah, a leader of Hamas' military wing in the Gaza Strip, told WND the policy of withdrawal "proves the strategy of the resistance is the right strategy against the occupation."

"We warned the Americans that this will be their end in Iraq," said Abu Abdullah, considered one of the most important operational members of Hamas' Izzedine al-Qassam Martyrs Brigades, Hamas' declared "resistance" department. "They did not succeed in stealing Iraq's oil, at least not at a level that covers their huge expenses. They did not bring stability. Their agents in the [Iraqi] regime seem to have no chance to survive if the Americans withdraw."

Abu Ayman, an Islamic Jihad leader in Jenin, said he is "emboldened" by those in America who compare the war in Iraq to Vietnam.

"[The mujahedeen fighters] brought the Americans to speak for the first time seriously and sincerely that Iraq is becoming a new Vietnam and that they should fix a schedule for their withdrawal from Iraq," boasted Abu Ayman.

Many Democratic politicians and some from the Republican Party have stated a withdrawal from Iraq would end the insurgency there.

In a recent interview with CBS's "60 Minutes," House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, stated, "The jihadists (are) in Iraq. But that doesn't mean we stay there. They'll stay there as long as we're there."

Pelosi would become House speaker if the Democrats win the majority of seats in next week's elections.

WND read Pelosi's remarks to the terror leaders, who unanimously rejected her contention an American withdrawal would end the insurgency.

Islamic Jihad's Saadi, laughing, stated, "There is no chance that the resistance will stop."

He said an American withdrawal from Iraq would "prove the resistance is the most important tool and that this tool works. The victory of the Iraqi revolution will mark an important step in the history of the region and in the attitude regarding the United States."