The news surrounding the NYC subway bomb threat continues to shred the argument that we need to get out of Iraq as fast as the members of the plot are being rounded up:

The investigation into an alleged plot to bomb the city’s subway moved forward on several fronts Friday as a third suspect was arrested in Iraq and authorities looked into whether a fourth person had traveled to New York as part of the scheme, officials said.

A law enforcement official familiar with the case said the man’s trip to New York was described by an informant who had spent time in Afghanistan and proved reliable in past investigations.

“He’s been a source of multiple correct information in the past,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the continuing investigation. “Does that mean a fourth person he identified is in fact in New York? We don’t know that.”

The official added that authorities had not confirmed whether the fourth man even exists.

Alarmed by the informant’s report of a plot to attack city subways with as many as 19 bombs in bags and possibly baby strollers, U.S. forces in Iraq arrested two suspected plotters who had been under close surveillance until Thursday morning, officials said. The third escaped until his arrest Friday.

See also Part I and Part II of why we will remain in Iraq until we win the battle of hearts and minds.