9/11 Panel Finds No Collaboration Between Iraq, Al Qaeda

[AngelV]

From Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45853-2004Jun16.html):


9/11 Panel Finds No Collaboration Between Iraq, Al Qaeda
Findings Contradict Comments by Cheney, Bush
By Dan Eggen

Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 16, 2004; 9:00 AM

There is "no credible evidence" that Saddam Hussein's government in Iraq collaborated with the al Qaeda terrorist network on any attacks on the United States, including the Sept. 11, 2001 hijackings, according to a new staff report released this morning by the commission investigating the hijacking plot.

Although Osama bin Laden briefly explored the idea of forging ties with Iraq in the mid-1990s, the terrorist leader was hostile to Hussein's secular government, and Iraq never responded to requests for help in providing training camps or weapons, the panel's report says.

The findings come in the wake of statements Monday by Vice President Cheney that Iraq had "long-established ties" with al Qaeda, and comments by President Bush yesterday backing up that assertion.

The Sept. 11 panel, which opened its last two-day round of hearings this morning, said in a report on al Qaeda's history that the government of Sudan, which gave sanctuary to al Qaeda from 1991 to 1996, persuaded bin Laden to cease supporting anti-Hussein forces and "arranged for contacts between Iraq and al Qaeda." But the contacts did not result in any cooperation, the panel said.

"There have been reports that contacts between Iraq and al Qaeda also occurred after bin Laden had returned to Afghanistan [in 1996], but they do not appear to have resulted in a collaborative relationship," the report says. "Two senior bin Laden associates have adamantly denied that any ties existed between al Qaeda and Iraq. We have no credible evidence that Iraq and al Qaeda cooperated on attacks against the United States."


Full Article (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45853-2004Jun16.html)

[RealNeal]

I'm shocked, shocked!

[AngelV]

Even more scary stuff...

Al Qaeda Originally Envisioned Plot With 10 Jets (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45853-2004Jun16.html)

[Duemellon]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SEPT_11_BUSH?SITE=OHCIN&SECTION=HOME

Jun 17, 11:59 AM EDT

Bush Disputes al Qaida-Saddam Conclusion

By DEB RIECHMANN
Associated Press Writer


WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush on Thursday disputed the Sept. 11 commission's finding that there was no "collaborative relationship" between Saddam Hussein and the al-Qaida terrorist network responsible for the attacks.

"There was a relationship between Iraq and al-Qaida," Bush insisted following a meeting with his Cabinet at the White House.

"This administration never said that the 9-11 attacks were orchestrated between Saddam and al-Qaida," he said.

"We did say there were numerous contacts between Saddam Hussein and al-Qaida, for example, Iraqi intelligence agents met with (Osama) bin Laden, the head of al-Qaida in the Sudan."

well, I thought the 9/11 panel would b pretty pointless. Whereas this isn't as condemnin as the panel could'v been, it's an interesting point bein made.

I'm glad Boosh is still defendin his view that there was a substantial connx between AlQ & Saddam. It puts him at odss/w the fact finders.

[monkey neck]

Originally posted by Duemellon
fact finders.

Welcome to todays game between the fact finders and the evil doers. The fact finders are an early favorite, but the evil doers have a finatical fan base that have filled the stands at today's game.

Let's go down the field for the action...

[DudeMan]

Frost, I'm not sure how you can legitimately call this a "lie". There have been proven links and meetings between AQ and Iraqi officials, and that's all that the Administration said. They never said that Saddam had a hand in 9/11. And President Bush isn't disputing the findings of the commission -- he's just stating the fact that the commission found no link between 9/11 and Saddam, not "no links between Iraq and A.Q.". Different things.

Try again.

[vigoda]

Exactly Dudeman. You can hear the media going "DOH!"

[angryj5]

so thats a reason to invade iraq? they had talks 10 years ago

[Duemellon]

Originally posted by angryj5
so thats a reason to invade iraq? they had talks 10 years ago wha? really, it shows a long standing relationship between Iraq & terrorists. That's why we needd to prevent Iraq from givin their WMD's to terrorists.

after all, that's what the next level is about. Not that Iraq sponsord terrorism, but that Iraq might give those same terrorists the WMDs to use against us.

[angryj5]

Originally posted by Duemellon
wha? really, it shows a long standing relationship between Iraq & terrorists. That's why we needd to prevent Iraq from givin their WMD's to terrorists.

after all, that's what the next level is about. Not that Iraq sponsord terrorism, but that Iraq might give those same terrorists the WMDs to use against us.

oh so since we cant find them either, i guess the damned terrorists already have em? we're fucked i tell ya!

[Duemellon]

Originally posted by angryj5
oh so since we cant find them either, i guess the damned terrorists already have em? we're fucked i tell ya! in the ass, 2x. no joy juice to aid in the jiggle either.

so, we're fuckd. The DHS can't save us either.

[RealNeal]

I'm pretty sure we can call bullshit on the following:

"This administration never said that the 9-11 attacks were orchestrated between Saddam and al-Qaida," [Bush] said.

I mean, unless he's claiming that they never used the word "orchestrated", which may technically be true. But to claim they never believed or tried to convince others that Iraq was 'behind' the 9/11 attacks is so brazen that it makes me physically ill.

[Duemellon]

Originally posted by Frost
that's because all the evidence isn't in yet, and an objective person considers all the evidence. then u'r a wishy-washy flip-floppin liberal.

i mean, if u can't make a snap decision regardin war, death, & taxes, then u'r just like Kerry.

[angryj5]

Originally posted by Frost
Just saw video of bush in 2002, where he says when it comes to fighting the war on terror, saddam/iraq & al qaeda are indistinguishable.


via the daily show, of course.

but who should i believe...you, or my lyin eyes and ears? :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

come on buddy, that was just comedy central splicing footage together to make bush say that and look stupid. pinocchio never lies!

[Wolverine]

Here's some quotes from the BBC News.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In quotes: Iraq-al-Qaeda links

BBC News Online looks at some of the contrasting views held by senior US officials and organisations over claims of a link between Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda network and deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

US President George W Bush - 17 June 2004:

"The reason I keep insisting that there was a relationship between Iraq and Saddam and al-Qaeda is because there was a relationship between Iraq and al-Qaeda."

9/11 Commission - 16 June 2004:

"We have no credible evidence that Iraq and al-Qaeda co-operated on attacks against the United States."


US Vice-President Dick Cheney - January 2004:

"There's overwhelming evidence... of a connection between al-Qaeda and Iraq".

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace - January 2004:

"The most intensive searching over the last two years has produced no solid evidence of a co-operative relationship between Saddam Hussein's government and al-Qaeda."

US Secretary of State Colin Powell - January 2004:

"I have not seen smoking gun, concrete evidence about the connection, but I do believe the connections existed."

US National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice - September 2003:

"Saddam was a danger in the region where the 9/11 threat emerged."


US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld - November 2002:

"Within a week, or a month, Saddam could give his WMD to al-Qaeda."


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3816963.stm

[DudeMan]

Originally posted by Frost


just like they never said saddam was an imminent threat, right?


don't talk to me. there's no sense in discussing things with you because you clearly have a republican flag jammed up your ass, yo.

not to be harsh, but lets not waste each other's time. i go for objectivity. if you are really trying to get me to believe that nothing's wrong here, then we're really wasting each other's time.

Nice Frost -- create a straw man of everything I say by presuming you're objective and I'm not. You're full of shit.

One thing I will agree with you on is it's not worth discussing if you use cheap parlour tricks like that. See ya.

[Duemellon]

he calld them parlour tricks. I liked that.

that was cute.

[The Schnoo]

Well.. come on guys, be fair.. it's not like bush ever said explicitly that they had a link (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/print/20030319-1.html) and then flatly said he didn't say that (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3816963.stm)... I mean.. he wouldn't do anything that dumb.

-The Schnoo

[DudeMan]

Originally posted by The Schnoo
Well.. come on guys, be fair.. it's not like bush ever said explicitly that they had a link (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/print/20030319-1.html) and then flatly said he didn't say that (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3816963.stm)... I mean.. he wouldn't do anything that dumb.

-The Schnoo
You know what, The Schnoo? There is absolutely no inconsistency in the quotes on that BBC page you cited.

Lee Hamilton, the Democrat co-chair of the 9/11 Commission, yesterday agreed that there is not an inconsistency between what the interim report said and what the Administration is saying vis a vis al Queda/Iraq. And when OBL was indicted in 1998 by the United States, one of the supporting reasons was ties to Saddam/Iraq.

So yes, there were in fact links between Saddam and al Queda. The Commission found no proof of coordination of 9/11 between the two groups, but one of those things being true doesn't mean the other isn't.

[The Schnoo]

The occasion was a press conference with UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, which took place in the White House on 31 January 2003. Here's the key portion:

[Adam Boulton, Sky News (London):] One question for you both. Do you believe that there is a link between Saddam Hussein, a direct link, and the men who attacked on September the 11th?

THE PRESIDENT: I can't make that claim.

THE PRIME MINISTER: That answers your question.

source: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/01/20030131-23.html

however...

That is in direct conflict with the letter I linked in my above post where it states:

(2) acting pursuant to the Constitution and Public Law 107-243 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.

Regardless of the wording, the 9/11 commission, the DOD and other branches of the gov't have found no connection between saddam and Al Qaeda, they had documented Bin Laden asking for Iraq's help in the mid-90's, but no response came... It's like this, any links with Al Qaeda are tenuous at best. Tenuous is not a pretext to war.

-The Schnoo