I read this the other day and never realized that Hollings had given this speech after 9/11.
For some time now, I've been pounding home that Iraq was involved. Unless we believe that Osama was just gossiping with Saddam and letting him know what was coming to America.
In July 2001, Iraq's state run newspaper made it pretty clear that NY was going to be hurt again on "the arm that is already hurting" -- a reference to the first WTC bombing.
But hey. We all know men gossip so maybe this really doesn't mean anything :-)