Two Brief Notes for a Friday in July

Credit Security: While suicide bomber cars took the headlines, guilty pleas in a London court case brought jihad closer to home. Three self-identified Islamic jihadists were convicted of using the Internet to incite murder, but they did much more. Using information from 37,000 stolen credit card numbers (authorities also found addresses, dates of birth, credit balances and credit limits), they charged more then $3.5 million worth of equipment for their compatriots.

Credit Security: While suicide bomber cars took the headlines, guilty pleas in a London court case brought jihad closer to home. Three self-identified Islamic jihadists were convicted of using the Internet to incite murder, but they did much more. Using information from 37,000 stolen credit card numbers (authorities also found addresses, dates of birth, credit balances and credit limits), they charged more then $3.5 million worth of equipment for their compatriots. GPS devices, night vision goggles, sleeping bags, telephones, survival knives and tents, as well as multi-thousand dollar tabs at Internet gambling sites (money laundering, according to authorities). They bought hundreds of prepaid cell phones (those have been used to detonate bombs) and more than 250 airline tickets. A woman interviewed in The Washington Post had her information stolen when she responded to an e-mail purporting to be from eBay but which was, in fact, the terrorists “phishing.” They also ran websites and chat rooms to exchange information, show videos and spread jihad.

So, despite the jihadists’ belief that the 9th Century Islam represents the height of civilization and that the West is contemptible, they are able exploiters of modern technology – a totally Western construct. And we have one more reason – and a personal obligation – to take computer security seriously.

A Case of Really Bad Timing: American forces in Iraq are in the middle of a major offensive. American casualties are up as our forces are taking the fight to the enemy around Baghdad and elsewhere. According to reports from the field, the surge – plus a radical shift in Sunni tribal alliances – is having a positive effect in dismantling the network of terrorists and changing the security situation on the ground. Even The New York Times says so. Fred Kagan writes, NYT “reporter John Burns noted after a recent visit to Ramadi, Anbar’s capital has ‘gone from being the most dangerous place in Iraq, with the help of the tribal sheikhs, to being one of the least dangerous places.'”

This, then, would seem the time for legislators to keep quiet and let the soldiers do their jobs. But, no. Senator Pete Domenici has chosen the middle of the offensive to talk about changing the mission and removing American forces. Worse, he says it has nothing to do with the successes of our troops on the battlefield or the fight against al Qaeda. “I am unwilling to continue our current strategy when the Iraqi government fails to advance the interests of the Iraqi people or make even modest progress toward self-sufficiency.”

Sen. Domenici says if the Iraqi government can’t behave, we will pull our troops. Never mind that if we only supported governments that were models of efficiency and civic responsibility we would be hard-pressed to support anyone. Never mind that the only winners in Sen. Domenici’s strategy will be Iran, al Qaeda and those around the world who hope the U.S. can be made to lose – not on the battlefield, we don’t lose there – but in the halls of Congress.

If we do it his way, we will ensure that the surge fails and Iraq fails, taking with them millions of Iraqis and others in the Middle East who believe that the U.S. is their best hope for eventual freedom and consensual government.