# Sadam didn't have links with Al-Qida, now it's a relationship **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 17, 2004, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888 "2004-06-17T16:34:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/1 "2004-06-17T16:34:42Z")
“The reason I keep on isisting that there was a relationship between Sadam, Iraq and Al-Qida is becasuse there was a relationship between Iraq and Al-Qida” That’s President Bush speaking to reporters after today’s cabinet meeting. No cite yet, but it was on the [npr.org](http://npr.org) hourly bulletin. Can someone remind me what the difference between newspeak and double speak is? ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/2 "2004-06-17T16:44:38Z")
[Bush Repeats Iraq-Al Qaeda Link Claim](http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,122956,00.html) > [@](#): > > “This administration never said that the 9/11 attacks were orchestrated between Saddam and Al Qaeda,” he said. > > “We did say there were numerous contacts between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda, for example, Iraqi intelligence agents met with [Usama] bin Laden, the head of Al Qaeda in Sudan.” > > The president added that Saddam gave safe haven to Al Qaeda associate Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. An Iraqi interior minister on Thursday alleged that Zarqawi was responsible for a car bombing on Thursday that killed 35 Iraqis as they were signing up to join the nation’s new army. To be fair (and balanced) the article also goes on to say the following: > [@](#): > > The independent Sept. 11 commission said Wednesday that no evidence exists that Al Qaeda had strong ties to Saddam Hussein. > > The report by commission staff, based on interviews with government intelligence and law enforcement officials, said bin Laden asked for help from Iraq in the mid-1990s, but Saddam’s government never responded. It claimed “no credible evidence” has emerged that Iraq was involved in the Sept. 11 strikes ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/3 "2004-06-17T17:04:34Z")
> [@](#): > > The president added that Saddam gave safe haven to Al Qaeda associate Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. An Iraqi interior minister on Thursday alleged that Zarqawi was responsible for a car bombing on Thursday that killed 35 Iraqis as they were signing up to join the nation’s new army. And what truly boggles my mind of why people aren’t 100% filled with rage is this. The Pentagon went to the Bush admin 3 seperate times before the war to kill Zarqawi, and they nixed it! Their logic of course is it does the US no good if SH is harboring dead AQ guys, they’re not a threat. The final lunacy is that Zarqawi was up in the north with the Kurds in the US protected no-fly zone, and was totally out of SH’s reach. Terrorists were harbored in Iraq in the same way they were harbored in the US, but you’ll never hear them admit that. Why are we letting them get away with this insanity? ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/4 "2004-06-17T17:23:47Z")
World Eater, if you can provide a credible, non-partisan cite to that claim you may have just prevented at least one Republican from voting for Bush/Cheney this year. I’ll still not vote for Kerry, though. ---
**Author:** ![cheddarsnax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@cheddarsnax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cheddarsnax)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/5 "2004-06-17T17:33:28Z")
> [@](#): > > But NBC News has learned that long before the war the Bush administration had several chances to wipe out his terrorist operation and perhaps kill Zarqawi himself — but never pulled the trigger. > > In June 2002, U.S. officials say intelligence had revealed that Zarqawi and members of al-Qaida had set up a weapons lab at Kirma, in northern Iraq, producing deadly ricin and cyanide. > > The Pentagon quickly drafted plans to attack the camp with cruise missiles and airstrikes and sent it to the White House, where, according to U.S. government sources, the plan was debated to death in the National Security Council. > > … > > Four months later, intelligence showed Zarqawi was planning to use ricin in terrorist attacks in Europe. > > The Pentagon drew up a second strike plan, and the White House again killed it. By then the administration had set its course for war with Iraq. > > … > > In January 2003, the threat turned real. Police in London arrested six terror suspects and discovered a ricin lab connected to the camp in Iraq. > > The Pentagon drew up still another attack plan, and for the third time, the National Security Council killed it. > > Military officials insist their case for attacking Zarqawi’s operation was airtight, but the administration feared destroying the terrorist camp in Iraq could undercut its case for war against Saddam. [Jim Miklaszewski, Correspondent, NBC News](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4431601/) ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/6 "2004-06-17T17:33:30Z")
> [@JuanitaTech](#): > > World Eater, if you can provide a credible, non-partisan cite to that claim you may have just prevented at least one Republican from voting for Bush/Cheney this year. > > I’ll still not vote for Kerry, though. My pleasure [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4431601/](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4431601/) I don’t blame you on the Kerry thing either. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/7 "2004-06-17T17:36:38Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > Why are we letting them get away with this insanity? Because, metaphorically speaking, far too many people are living in caves, on Mars, with their fingers in their ears, their eyes clenched shut, and they’re shouting over and over, “Blah blah blah Our President is Great blah blah blah Our President is Great blah blah See How Great America Is blah blah blah…etc…” ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/8 "2004-06-17T17:38:49Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > I don’t blame you on the Kerry thing either. I do, though. Kerry will make an excellent president. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/9 "2004-06-17T17:41:47Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > I do, though. Kerry will make an excellent president. > 😃 If we can stay awake during the press conferences. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/10 "2004-06-17T17:52:06Z")
I’m all for boring. I like boring. Give me plain old, down home, dull as dishwater competence. I’ve had quite enough excitement, thank you very much. I don’t want A Leader. I want an administrator, a manager. I’ve been led, I don’t like it. I’ve been _mis_-led, and I really, _really_ don’t like that! As to the OP…one imagines… (Saddam \* is headed out the door, reaching for his hat,\* Osama \* is sitting pensively on the living room couch…\* Saddam: Well, I’m off to whack a few Kurds, back later, honey… Osama: Saddy? Saddy, could you skip that for now? Come over here and sit down, we need to talk… Saddam: Talk? Osama: Yes. We need to talk about the relationship… ---
**Author:** ![cheddarsnax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@cheddarsnax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cheddarsnax)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/11 "2004-06-17T18:01:08Z")
Simulcite! To give this post some small amount of value, let’s have a little bit o’ fun. From JuanitaTech’s cite: “This administration never said that the 9/11 attacks were orchestrated between Saddam and Al Qaeda” [From USA Today](http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20040617/6294563s.htm): > [@](#): > > However, Bush and Cheney also have sought to tie Iraq specifically to the 9/11 attacks. In a letter to Congress on March 19, 2003 – the day the war in Iraq began – Bush said that the war was permitted under legislation authorizing force against those who ‘‘planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001.’’ > > Cheney said on NBC’s Meet the Press in September 2003 that ‘‘I think it’s not surprising that people make that connection’’ between Saddam and Sept. 11. What did that [letter](http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/03/21/sprj.irq.letter/) say? Emphasis mine: > [@](#): > > I have also determined that the use of armed force against **Iraq** is consistent with the United States and other countries continuing to take the necessary actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those nations, organizations, or persons who planned, authorized, committed, or aided the **terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001**. Meanwhile, Dick Cheney has come completely [unhinged](http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/South/06/14/cheney.terrorism.ap/index.html): > [@](#): > > Vice President Dick Cheney said Monday that Saddam Hussein had “long-established ties” with al Qaeda, an assertion that has been repeatedly challenged by some policy experts and lawmakers. > > The vice president offered no details backing up his claim of a link between Saddam and al Qaida. Now, I believe that these comments were made before the report was released. Will Cheney recant his statement? [Not likely!](http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=5442262) Emphasis, once again, is mine: > [@](#): > > Vice President Dick Cheney, who took the lead in pushing the idea of long-standing links between Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda, has **no intention of backing down** despite a finding to the contrary by the Sept. 11 commission, aides said on Wednesday. > > … > > “ **Hell no!** ” another administration official said when asked if Cheney would retract his statements after the commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks found no evidence that Iraq aided al Qaeda attempts to strike the United States. The article also informs us that, invoking the principle that a lie repeated often enough becomes true, Cheney’s office provided reporters with a list of statements from Tenet, Rice, and Hillary, among others, making claims similar to those of the vice president. In other news, Tony Blair, apparently upset over the possibility of being re-elected, has chosen to [join](http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/06/17/911.commission.intl/index.html) the liar’s club. It seems that our leaders have an insatiable appetite for deception. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/12 "2004-06-17T18:08:55Z")
> [@MSNBC](#): > > (T)he administration feared destroying the terrorist camp in Iraq could undercut its case for war against Saddam. You read that right. Bush decided to let a terrorist leader live so his existence could be a pretext for the invasion of Iraq. What’s this “Iraq is part of the war on terror” stuff again? ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/13 "2004-06-17T18:26:31Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > If we can stay awake during the press conferences. Hey, it’ll be a nice change from hiding under the coffee table during the press conferences. _Not that Bush had that many…_ ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/14 "2004-06-17T18:30:14Z")
> [@Slacker](#): > > Hey, it’ll be a nice change from hiding under the coffee table during the press conferences. > > _Not that Bush had that many…_ I usually wing a beer bottle at the TV at about the 3 minute mark of the conference. I tell you, Bush owes me a lot of fucking TVs. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/15 "2004-06-17T18:34:17Z")
The Bush administration had more contacts with Saddam than Al-Q. Sheesh. This is like busting me for being in a drug ring for that hoodlum on the downtown street corner that asked me if I wanted to buy some weed. I had contact with a low level representative of a powerful drug cartel, that offered to engage in a relationship. I wasn’t interested. But because I was contacted I am clearly guilty. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/16 "2004-06-17T18:38:14Z")
Jeez, **NurseCarmen** , don’t go givin’ Ashcroft the idea. ---
**Author:** ![Avenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de0a6/32.png) [@Avenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avenger)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/17 "2004-06-17T18:51:23Z")
I just posted a letter to Sarah Michelle Gellar professing my love for her. Even if she doesn’t reply, I’m now officially in a ‘relationship’ with her 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/18 "2004-06-17T18:52:18Z")
> [@NurseCarmen](#): > > The Bush administration had more contacts with Saddam than Al-Q. > > Sheesh. This is like busting me for being in a drug ring for that hoodlum on the downtown street corner that asked me if I wanted to buy some weed. I had contact with a low level representative of a powerful drug cartel, that offered to engage in a relationship. I wasn’t interested. But because I was contacted I am clearly guilty. Perfect analogy. The other one, with Zarqawi, is like if you owned a building and unknown to you, a tenant was selling drugs. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/19 "2004-06-17T18:52:41Z")
> [@cheddarsnax](#): > > [Jim Miklaszewski, Correspondent, NBC News](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4431601/) From the quoted link: > [@](#): > > The Pentagon quickly drafted plans to attack the camp with cruise missiles and airstrikes and sent it to the White House, where, according to U.S. government sources, the plan was debated to death in the National Security Council. > > … > > Four months later, **intelligence showed Zarqawi was planning to use ricin in terrorist attacks in Europe.** > > The Pentagon drew up a second strike plan, and the White House again killed it. By then the administration had set its course for war with Iraq. > > … > > In January 2003, the threat turned real. **Police in London arrested six terror suspects and discovered a ricin lab connected to the camp in Iraq.** Un-stinking-belivable, they were willing to risk a deadly terrorist attack on an ally to sustain a feeble justification for the war! :eek: Jail time, now please. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/20 "2004-06-17T20:03:40Z")
At least he saw fit to memorialize his belief in the letter to Congress telling them “I’m going to war.” [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030319-1.html](http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030319-1.html) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888.md?page=2)