LAST WEEK’S BOMBINGS in Amman, apparently carried out by Iraqi suicide bombers loyal to Abu Musab Zarqawi, have led to a new round of discussions in both the Western and Arab press as to whether or not the Iraqi insurgency is branching out into other parts of the Middle East. While much of this debate has been useful, many analysts, in their eagerness to criticize the Iraq War, have obfuscated the actual context in which the bombings took place. It has been suggested that (1) Zarqawi was not aligned with al Qaeda prior to the U.S. invasion of Iraq; and (2) This is the first time that Iraqi nationals have been involved in international terrorism or jihadist causes. These memes are popular among both analysts and the press.

They are also demonstrably false.