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| Iraq-Jordan | |
| NPR, ABC, Newsweek, and Clinton Administration: Saddam linked to bin Laden | |
| 2004-05-29 | |
| Absolute must read. THERE WAS A TIME not long ago when the conventional wisdom skewed heavily toward a Saddam-al Qaeda collaboration. In 1998 and early 1999, the Iraq-al Qaeda connection was widely reported in the American and international media. Former intelligence officers and government officials speculated about the relationship and its dangerous implications for the world. The information in the news reports came from foreign and domestic intelligence services. It was featured in mainstream media outlets including international wire services, prominent newsweeklies, network radio and television broadcasts. Newsweek magazine ran an article in its January 11, 1999, issue headed "Saddam + Bin Laden?" "Here’s what is known so far," it read: "Saddam Hussein, who has a long record of supporting terrorism, is trying to rebuild his intelligence network overseas—assets that would allow him to establish a terrorism network. U.S. sources say he is reaching out to Islamic terrorists, including some who may be linked to Osama bin Laden, the wealthy Saudi exile accused of masterminding the bombing of two U.S. embassies in Africa last summer."Four days later, on January 15, 1999, ABC News reported that three intelligence agencies believed that Saddam had offered asylum to bin Laden. "Intelligence sources say bin Laden’s long relationship with the Iraqis began as he helped Sudan’s fundamentalist government in their efforts to acquire weapons of mass destruction. . . . ABC News has learned that in December, an Iraqi intelligence chief named Faruq Hijazi, now Iraq’s ambassador to Turkey, made a secret trip to Afghanistan to meet with bin Laden. Three intelligence agencies tell ABC News they cannot be certain what was discussed, but almost certainly, they say, bin Laden has been told he would be welcome in Baghdad."NPR reporter Mike Shuster interviewed Vincent Cannistraro, former head of the CIA’s counterterrorism center, and offered this report. "Iraq’s contacts with bin Laden go back some years, to at least 1994, when, according to one U.S. government source, Hijazi met him when bin Laden lived in Sudan. According to Cannistraro, Iraq invited bin Laden to live in Baghdad to be nearer to potential targets of terrorist attack in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. . . . Some experts believe bin Laden might be tempted to live in Iraq because of his reported desire to obtain chemical or biological weapons. CIA Director George Tenet referred to that in recent testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee when he said bin Laden was planning additional attacks on American targets."By mid-February 1999, journalists did not even feel the need to qualify these claims of an Iraq-al Qaeda relationship. An Associated Press dispatch that ran in the Washington Post ended this way: "The Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has offered asylum to bin Laden, who openly supports Iraq against Western powers." Where did journalists get the idea that Saddam and bin Laden might be coordinating efforts? Among other places, from high-ranking Clinton administration officials. Read the whole thing. Seriously.
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| Posted by:Sludj |
| #7 The 50 divisons are part of the far flung legions of Lucky and we watch the border and wait. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-05-29 3:54:30 PM |
| #6 ITs easy to get 50 divisions, just redefine divisions until the numbers match up. Come on, Hillary is fluent in newspeak, its not that hard. |
| Posted by: ruprecht 2004-05-29 9:40:16 AM |
| #5 well, of course we'd have 50 if Rumsfeld and Bush hadn't gutted the |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-05-29 8:53:40 AM |
| #4 The 50 divisons that Hillary says we have since the Co-Dependents in Chief left us with a strong military. 18 divisions in 1993 - 8 divisions = 50 divisions. See the New (York) math is not so hard. |
| Posted by: ed 2004-05-29 2:29:03 AM |
| #3 Lucky, what fifty divisions? |
| Posted by: Phil Fraering 2004-05-29 2:08:04 AM |
| #2 A link to this article was posted yesterday. It's an excellent article. Everyone ought to at least go take a look. |
| Posted by: Mike Sylwester 2004-05-29 1:55:22 AM |
| #1 What about this, put all 50 divisions' boots on the ground in Afganistan. Get Osama while he tries to get away, put him on trial, make him cut his beard, put a dog collar on him, dog pile him on his mulla omar buddies. "But osama may have been long gone Lucky!" "Yes I know Abu, but our newsmen need a lead." "Would Americans attack another islamic country if they had intelligence that OBL was there, say Iran or Pakiland? "I don't think so Abu, I think it would be a bridge to far. Our lettered folk are still trying to win debating points. They want OBL but only if OBL is lurking in some PC location." "Do you mean Lucky that OBL is a pawn vivant for some? That they don't care about OBL or the WoT. They're just after a president?" "No Abu, they're just interested in world peace. That way they can sleep peacefully, no bad!" |
| Posted by: Lucky 2004-05-29 1:45:33 AM |