# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2004, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/121 "2004-06-22T19:35:02Z")
Tell you the truth, I don’t think he’s kidding, people from Ioway, about as close as they get to post-modernist irony is Orville Redenbacher. Not like sophisticated cosmopolitans you find here in Minnesota. I think that is part of the gambit. They know, and these boards will demonstrate, that a portion of the public will accept anything, however flimsy, just so long as it has come conceivable relevence. Its very murkiness is its selling point, the fact that it cannot be proved or disproved makes it useful. Its not going to have any impact on me or mine, but it isn’t intended to, for us they’d need actual proof positive, and it ain’t gonna happen. Its the retarded red-headed stepchild of “plausible deniability”. ---
**Author:** ![Avenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de0a6/32.png) [@Avenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avenger)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2004, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/122 "2004-06-22T19:52:49Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > They did? I remember grenade boy, but who else? Was he even AQ? Meh, who knows. There was that guy at Guantanamo, wasn’t there? I mean I don’t know if he had an actual AQ membership card…I’ll just say that I’ve got access to different sources if anyone asks… ---
**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 22, 2004, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/123 "2004-06-22T20:07:26Z")
> [@Avenger](#): > > Meh, who knows. There was that guy at Guantanamo, wasn’t there? I mean I don’t know if he had an actual AQ membership card…I’ll just say that I’ve got access to different sources if anyone asks… Well no matter, I totally agree with your laugh in the previous post. ---
**Author:** ![Spavined\_Gelding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Spavined\_Gelding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spavined_Gelding)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2004, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/124 "2004-06-22T21:46:20Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > Why couldn’t Kerry utter a fine statement like this? > > Oh yes, because he’s a dumbass. Because the time to call a spade a spade has not yet arrived. Because events my well sink the present regime without the need to tell the electorate that it is composed of gullible idiots. Because Kerry isn’t ready to go accusatorial or a major scale, yet. Wait until after the conventions. Then all hell is going to break lose. I full expect the motto of the Democrat Convention to be, not “Happy Days Are Here Again,” but "To The Lamp Posts!” And, **Elucidator** as a striped yepper I never know whether to take your mildly sarcastic comments about the great commonwealth to your south seriously or not. Since they have about the same credibility and gravitas of the Bush campaigns comments about Senator Kerry’s habitual opposition to buying flack vest for our brave boys defending America in Iraq I will treat them with the distain they deserve. There is, however, a limit. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2004, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/125 "2004-06-22T22:04:54Z")
Didn’t mean to hurt your feelings, **Spav**. Hell, didn’t even know you had any. Figured you were pretty comfortable with the esteem I have for you. Whcih is considerable. But its your call, _companero_. You say there are limits, there are limits. Won’t be as much fun… So this Iowa terrist runs to the Minnesota border, and throws over a dynamite bomb. Minnesota guy picks it up, lights it, and throws it back… Positively the last one. I swear. As Eugene V. Debs is my witness, not another one, so help me! ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2004, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/126 "2004-06-23T00:59:47Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > Wanna bet Mr. Lehman is just doing some damage control for the Administration? The commission is a truth-telling beacon of justice! What’s that? They aren’t saying what we wanted? Lying bastards, the lot of them! Even sadder, I think you may not even realize how pathetic that looks. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2004, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/127 "2004-06-23T06:39:50Z")
Since when does John Lehman == all members of the 9/11 Commission? Even sadder, I think you may not even realize how pathetic you look. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2004, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/128 "2004-06-23T18:43:00Z")
in support of the ‘damage control’ theory: **[CIA: No Iraqi officer link in al-Qaida meeting](http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-uscia223863038jun22,0,6059318.story?coll=ny-nationalnews-headlines) White House official denies commissioner’s statement that tied Saddam’s Fedayeen unit to al-Qaida** _Knut Royce Washington Bureau June 22, 2004_ WASHINGTON – The CIA concluded “_ **a long time ago** _” that an al-Qaida associate who met with two of the Sept. 11 hijackers in Malaysia was not an officer in Saddam Hussein’s army, as alleged Sunday by a Republican member of the 9/11 commission. Well, it was fun for me to hope while it lasted. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2004, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/129 "2004-06-23T18:46:51Z")
nanosecond - _noun_. The period of time between hope aborning and hope dashed. ---
**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 23, 2004, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/130 "2004-06-23T18:55:19Z")
> [@SimonX](#): > > in support of the ‘damage control’ theory: > > **[CIA: No Iraqi officer link in al-Qaida meeting](http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-uscia223863038jun22,0,6059318.story?coll=ny-nationalnews-headlines) > White House official denies commissioner’s statement that tied Saddam’s Fedayeen unit to al-Qaida** > _Knut Royce > Washington Bureau > June 22, 2004_ > WASHINGTON – The CIA concluded “_ **a long time ago** _” that an al-Qaida associate who met with two of the Sept. 11 hijackers in Malaysia was not an officer in Saddam Hussein’s army, as alleged Sunday by a Republican member of the 9/11 commission. > Well, it was fun for me to hope while it lasted. Wow, color me surprised. ---
**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 23, 2004, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/131 "2004-06-23T19:08:50Z")
You know speaking of relationships, it boggles my mine how hypocritical this admin is. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south\_asia/3832037.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3832037.stm) > [@](#): > > Earlier this year, Pakistan’s top nuclear scientist confessed his role in a black-market network which had enabled countries such as North Korea, Iran and Libya to bypass international controls in their pursuit of nuclear weapons technology. So do we invade, attack, smack on some sanctions? Nope. > [@](#): > > US President George W Bush plans to give Pakistan $3bn in aid over five years, starting from 2005. > > Earlier in June, he accorded Pakistan the status of a major non-Nato ally, making it one of the few countries - alongside South Korea and Israel - that are entitled to generous deals on US military and financial aid You would think that we would learn from our past mistakes, like, oh, helping Osama and SH, that Pakistan will come back and bite us in the ass 20 years from now? ---
**Author:** ![Spavined\_Gelding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Spavined\_Gelding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spavined_Gelding)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2004, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/132 "2004-06-23T19:25:39Z")
I am told that the United States and the whole civilized world are at war with a noun, terrorism. I am also told that the first casualty of any war is truth. I believe that. This whole thing with LTC Schakeem(?) just confirms that axiom. This is a lot like being in a trial with an unscrupulous adversary who just throws out any thing he can think of that might conceivably bolster his cause with no regard to truth or falsity or foundation. He just blurts it out and leaves it to you to deal with his blather. It is his view that if he throws enough stuff at the jury some of it will be accepted as true and that anything not rebutted is concede to be true. The difference is that in trials there is a judge who, if he is doing his job, will shortly sanction the unscrupulous and find a way to let the jury know that they should look out for sharp practice. With regard to Congressional staffs and committee staffs, it is apparent to me, based on observation and on experience, that the staff has been living with the issues and facts for months and collectively know a whole lot more about what is going on than does any one member of the committee or all the suits that make up the committee together. A comment about the “no corroborative relationship” being the product of an out of control committee staff is just like the claim that LTC Shakeem was both Iraqi militia and AlQuida. Both were just convienent statements thrown out without any regard to whether they were any place close to truthful because they momentarily diverted attention from the central issue. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Svinlesha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/22d042/32.png) [@Mr.Svinlesha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Svinlesha)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2004, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/133 "2004-06-23T20:24:35Z")
I hope the mods don’t object to the following long citation, taken from [Juan Cole’s](http://www.juancole.com/) website: [QUOTE] \*\*A reader asked me to comment on the controversy over whether an Iraqi intelligence agent was detailed to al-Qaeda in Kuala Lumpur to be the guy that picked people up at the airport. It was covered by the Washington Post after the allegation was made by 9/11 Commission member John Lehman, former secretary of the Navy. \ [rest of citation removed–TVeblen] ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2004, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/134 "2004-06-23T23:24:44Z")
Juat came across [this breaking headline](http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,314700,00.html) from a right wing rag and thought I’d share. ---
**Author:** ![Sevastopol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@Sevastopol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sevastopol)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/135 "2004-06-24T00:10:41Z")
Thanks for sharing **furt**. > [@](#): > > _…according to US intelligence sources and > Iraqi opposition officials._ Says it all really. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/136 "2004-06-24T00:43:03Z")
> [@furt](#): > > Juat came across [this breaking headline](http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,314700,00.html) from a right wing rag and thought I’d share. No joke threads in The Pit. Breaking news from five years ago. Sheesh! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/137 "2004-06-24T01:19:25Z")
Shits and giggles. Without the giggles. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/138 "2004-06-24T01:32:20Z")
**furt** ’s just teasing me. He knows how earnestly I hope and desire to be wrong about this whole tragic fiasco. He got my hopes up only to let them be dashed. He’s prob’ly smirking at this very moment. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/139 "2004-06-24T02:47:42Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Svinlesha] I hope the mods don’t object to the following long citation, taken from [Juan Cole’s](http://www.juancole.com/) website: > [@](#): > > \*\*A reader asked me to comment on the controversy over whether an Iraqi intelligence agent was detailed to al-Qaeda in Kuala Lumpur to be the guy that picked people up at the airport. It was covered by the Washington Post after the allegation was made by 9/11 Commission member John Lehman, former secretary of the Navy. > > \ > [rest of citation removed–TVeblen] That one really was too long for copyright purposes, **Mr. Svinlesha** , so I removed everything after the intro. It was very germane to the debate but the way the points built on one another I couldn’t find a place to snip that condensed the argument. Sorry, **Mr. Svinlesha** , but your link was left intact. TVeblen ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Svinlesha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/22d042/32.png) [@Mr.Svinlesha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Svinlesha)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888/140 "2004-06-24T05:12:02Z")
Oh. Now we see the repression inherent in the system. Come see the repression inherent in the system! He’s repressing me! Did you seem him repressing me? You see? Did you see him repressing me? That’s what I’m on about… 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadam-didnt-have-links-with-al-qida-now-its-a-relationship/250888.md?page=8)