IT IS a sad commentary on the state of the Bush administration's credibility that the timing of its announcement of a serious terrorism threat has come into question.
The White House has only itself to blame for its predicament. The false information it disseminated about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction -- as a major pretext for war -- gives cause for Americans to be skeptical of pronouncements from an administration that often likes to implore paternalistically, "Trust us."
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But if the administration is right about the danger of a devastating follow-up attack this summer -- and we should all prepare as if it is -- then there is another grim reminder in the administration's announcement.
Even as this country braces for another terrorist attack, we are reminded of how much national treasure, international goodwill -- and sacrifice of our troops -- continue to be exhausted on a war in Iraq that had nothing to do with fighting an al Qaeda enemy that struck our homeland, and may do so again. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/05/28/EDG8P6SCFO1.DTL