Posted on 03/28/2006 9:15:32 AM PST by West Coast Conservative
Newly declassified documents about a 1995 meeting show collaboration between Iraq and al-Qaida and give some justification for the war against Iraq, says Bob Kerrey, the former Nebraska U.S. senator and 9/11 Commission member.
"I think it does" bolster the case for war, Kerrey said Monday.
The former Democratic senator said the documents do not show a direct link between former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States.
But he said they suggest that "Saddam Hussein saw himself as an enemy of the United States of America" after the 1991 Persian Gulf War, which forced Iraq out of Kuwait.
"It shows he was willing to collaborate. It doesn't come close to linking him to 9/11," said Kerrey, now president of New School University in New York City.
The documents were among thousands of documents and audio tapes seized in Iraq. Some were recently released, ABC News translated them, and Kerrey has seen them.
One document was a handwritten account of a Feb. 19, 1995 meeting between an Iraqi official and al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, during which bin Laden suggested "carrying out joint operations against foreign forces" in Saudi Arabia, according to published reports.
The document notes that when Saddam was informed of the meeting on March 4, 1995, he said he would allow the broadcast of sermons by a radical leader, Suleiman al-Ouda, which bin Laden had requested.
The document suggests that bin Laden got some cooperation from Saddam and that "Saddam Hussein was a threat to the United States," said Kerrey, who served on the independent 9/11 Commission.
Kerrey has been a sharp critic of the Bush administration's efforts to help establish a democratically run Iraq.
On Monday, Kerrey said the administration demonstrated "incompetence" before the war was launched in March 2003 and made "catastrophic mistakes" since the military campaign began.
That's big of Kerrey, but the fact is we'd been at war with Iraq from the first time Iraq violated the cease fire agreement they signed.
Gosh am I getting sick of all this coverage of the released documents in the MSM. I mean, I can't pick up a copy of the NYT/WP or tune into a national news broadcast without being bombarded with the details unearthed here.
(See SARCASM warning tag)
Owl_Eagle
(If what I just wrote makes you sad or angry,
Yeah. Once he gets his face time, look for the story to die.
I completely agree and emphasized that this should have been the primary rationale by the Administration before the war. It still should be, but their message is now muddied. It would help if the Administration were to refocus on this essential message.
"but the fact is we'd been at war with Iraq from the first time Iraq violated the cease fire agreement they signed."
THANK YOU! Too many libs want to pretend Bush was claiming the war was in retaliation for 9/11 and that was never the case.
..and the 9/11 commission showed no direct link between itself and reality
Doogle
It really ticks off the French. And as far as I'm concerned, that's all the justification we need.
That fits right in with his big ego. I imagine that Kerrey must be worried that more pro-War news is going to come out soon and this is a defensive maneuver.
Yup. Maybe he's been grtting an eyeful of jveritas' translations :)
Release/Translation of Classified PreWar Docs ping. If you want to be added or removed to the ping list, please Freepmail me.
Please add the keyword prewardocs to any articles pertaining to this subject.
Apparently, no defense is a good defense.
They do not need to shout it. They will let it trickle to a juggernaut status before the elections.
Dang, you trolls are out in force today. DId you like the NYT article on the prewardocs? Wanna be on my ping list?
wah wah wah!! LOL!
Posting the whiney rant for all too see after it's disappeared!
[Also, a poll of US troops revealed that a vast majority of US troops there believe that they are there because Saddam was involved with 9-11. Where'd they get that idea? Um, how about the same misinformation campaign that had 70% of Americans believing Saddam was involved in 9-11?]
BS
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