# Surprise, surprise: 9/11 report finds no Al Queda/Iraq link
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprise-surprise-9-11-report-finds-no-al-queda-iraq-link/190948
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [July 25, 2003, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprise-surprise-9-11-report-finds-no-al-queda-iraq-link/190948 "2003-07-25T20:11:49Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Clucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clucky)
#### Post date: [July 25, 2003, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprise-surprise-9-11-report-finds-no-al-queda-iraq-link/190948/1 "2003-07-25T20:11:49Z")
[This site](http://www.powervacuum.org/articles/03/07/24/1311248.shtml?tid=8) includes a UPI article quoting US officials who have seen the report of the joint congressional inquiry into 9/11. The report apparently says there’s no links whatsoever between Hussein and al Queda.
> [@](#):
>
> The revelation is likely to embarrass the Bush administration, which made links between Saddam’s support for bin Laden – and the attendant possibility that Iraq might supply al-Qaida with weapons of mass destruction – a major plank of its case for war.
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> “The administration sold the connection (between Iraq and al-Qaida) to scare the pants off the American people and justify the war,” said Cleland. “What you’ve seen here is the manipulation of intelligence for political ends.”
And, my reaction? Well, duhhh!
This report, btw, was supposed to come out in January. There’s an accusation that Bush delayed its release so that it wouldn’t interfere with the rush to war on Iraq.
> [@](#):
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> Cleland accused the administration of deliberately delaying the report’s release to avoid having its case for war undercut.
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> “The reason this report was delayed for so long – deliberately opposed at first, then slow-walked after it was created – is that the administration wanted to get the war in Iraq in and over … before (it) came out,” he said.
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> “Had this report come out in January like it should have done, we would have known these things before the war in Iraq, which would not have suited the administration.”
Whether this report was delayed for this purpose or not, it shows that the Bush administration ignored the report and its findings on this, and just went ahead with the neocon line to sell the war.
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### Author:  [@hilltopper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hilltopper)
#### Post date: [July 25, 2003, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprise-surprise-9-11-report-finds-no-al-queda-iraq-link/190948/2 "2003-07-25T20:31:44Z")
Not to mention the juicyest parts being kept under wraps.
"The White House, meanwhile, resisted efforts to pin down Bush’s knowledge of al Qaeda threats and to catalogue the executive’s pre-Sept. 11 strategy to fight terrorists. It was justified largely on legal grounds, and Democrats said the secrecy was meant to protect Bush from criticism. "
> **[MSNBC News - Breaking News and News Today | Latest News](https://www.msnbc.com/)**
>
> MSNBC breaking news and the latest news for today. Get daily news from local news reporters and world news updates with live audio & video from our team.
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### Author:  [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)
#### Post date: [July 25, 2003, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprise-surprise-9-11-report-finds-no-al-queda-iraq-link/190948/3 "2003-07-25T20:35:25Z")
And this news?
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### Author:  [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)
#### Post date: [July 25, 2003, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprise-surprise-9-11-report-finds-no-al-queda-iraq-link/190948/4 "2003-07-25T20:58:21Z")
Well, there’s gonna be some interesting theatre coming out of this, and plenty of diverting finger-pointing entertainment, given Congress’ dog-like rollover to administration wishes when the issue of invading Iraq came up in the first place.
Another interesting item coming out of the report is that based on the evidence examined by the Inquiry, it believes that not only did Saudi Arabia put various, so far unspecified roadblocks in the way of US efforts to dismantle the al\_Quaida network, but Saudi officials may have, wittingly or unwittingly, provided financial support to the Septmber 11 hijackers. The possible direct connection to Saudi rulers is of course old news, but as I understand it, the US government has previously dismissed all such claims.
According to the news items I’ve seen on the subject (haven’t seen the report itself, of course) the Inquiry recommends that intelligence agencies carry out much deeper investigation of this issue. This apparently is taking place, but the agencies involved are saying that the process could take some time.
Using my Ouija board, I’m predicting a better than even chance of this further inquiry lasting till sometime after, uh, looks like November 2004.
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### Author:  [@Clucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clucky)
#### Post date: [July 25, 2003, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprise-surprise-9-11-report-finds-no-al-queda-iraq-link/190948/5 "2003-07-25T21:15:24Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by El\_Kabong \*
> \*\*Well, there’s gonna be some interesting theatre coming out of this, and plenty of diverting finger-pointing entertainment, given Congress’ dog-like rollover to administration wishes when the issue of invading Iraq came up in the first place. \*\*
No doubt. At some point, people will ask: Well, tell me, Democrats, why the hell didn’t you come forward and try to stop this war?
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### Author:  [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)
#### Post date: [July 25, 2003, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprise-surprise-9-11-report-finds-no-al-queda-iraq-link/190948/6 "2003-07-25T21:37:33Z")
According to _Talking Points Memo_, which broke this story, the story has been retracted. Which kinda makes sense, because I saw this a couple days ago and rather rushed to share it with my fellow Cecilians, and yet saw no other follow up or reaction to the story.
The retraction _itself_ may prove to be interesting, but, for the nonce, all that we can be sure of is that the story is being withdrawn.