http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200609/s1747518.htm

US senators deny war triggers terrorism
By Washington correspondent Mark Simkin and wires

Senior Republicans in the United States are playing down a secret report that has found the war in Iraq has increased the global terrorist threat.

The White House says its "war on terror" is making things safer but the top-level National Intelligence Estimate reportedly concludes the invasion of Iraq is actually increasing the terrorist threat.

The estimate, which is titled Trends in Global Terrorism: Implications for the United States, is based on analysis of all 16 US intelligence agencies.

Republican Senator John McCain says terrorists do not need motivation from the war to attack the US.

"I think that it's obvious that the difficulties we've experienced in Iraq have certainly emboldened - lack of success always does that," he said.

"But I would also argue that these people didn't need any motivation to attack us on September 11th."

The White House, while reiterating its traditional stance of not commenting on classified reports, says a report by the New York Times of the contents of the estimate "isn't representative of the complete document".

"We've always said that the terrorists are determined. Keeping the pressure on and staying on the offense is the best way to win the war on terror," a White House spokesman added.

But Democratic Senator Edward Kennedy says the document completely undermines President George W Bush's arguments about Iraq.

"This intelligence document should put the final nail in the coffin for President Bush's phoney argument about the Iraq war," he said.

"The fact that we need a new direction in Iraq to really win the war on terror and make Americans safer could not be clearer or more urgent, yet this administration stubbornly clings to a failed 'stay-the-course' strategy."