Iraq conspired with Bin Laden to produce WMDs...according to Richard Clarke

Washington Post

[Jim_Curtis]

Clarke said U.S. intelligence does not know how much of the substance was produced at El Shifa or what happened to it. But he said that intelligence exists linking bin Laden to El Shifa's current and past operators, the Iraqi nerve gas experts and the National Islamic Front in Sudan.

[Jim_Curtis]

Clarke did provide new information in defense of Clinton's decision to fire Tomahawk cruise missiles at the El Shifa pharmaceutical plant in Khartoum, Sudan, in retaliation for bin Laden's role in the Aug. 7 embassy bombings. While U.S. intelligence officials disclosed shortly after the missile attack that they had obtained a soil sample from the El Shifa site that contained a precursor of VX nerve gas, Clarke said that the U.S. government is "sure" that Iraqi nerve gas experts actually produced a powdered VX-like substance at the plant that, when mixed with bleach and water, would have become fully active VX nerve gas.

Clarke said U.S. intelligence does not know how much of the substance was produced at El Shifa or what happened to it. But he said that intelligence exists linking bin Laden to El Shifa's current and past operators, the Iraqi nerve gas experts and the National Islamic Front in Sudan.

Given the evidence presented to the White House before the airstrike, Clarke said, the president "would have been derelict in his duties if he didn't blow up the facility."

Clarke said the U.S. does not believe that bin Laden has been able to acquire chemical agents, biological toxins or nuclear weapons. If evidence of such an acquisition existed, he said, "we would be in the process of doing something."

(Excerpted from "Embassy Attacks Thwarted, U.S. Says; Official Cites Gains Against Bin Laden; Clinton Seeks $10 Billion to Fight Terrorism," Vernon Loeb, Washington Post, A02, January 23, 1999.)

Thanks to Wallaby for looking up this old article, I thought it deserved its own thread since I've heard the libs whine a thousand times that there is no link between OBL and Saddam. Well, their new hero thinks so.

[GeronL]

The liberal media is going to have a cow now.

[Angelus Errare]

Can I get a "Hell yeah?"

[Indy Pendance]

This looks interesting.....

[Cap Huff]

Bump.

[Betaille]

"Iraq conspired with Bin Laden to produce WMDs...according to Richard Clarke"
Why was this not in the 60 minutes interview? And how can Clarke say that this is the case, yet still oppose removing Saddam?

[Republic Rocker]

is this thw whole article?

[Howlin]

Indy, from what Jim has posted so far, this article is WAY interesting.

[Lawgvr1955]

The liberal media is going to have a cow now.

I disagree. Consistency of thought or logic is not a benchmark for the left. They can ignore this point entirely while preaching that everything negative he says is gospel.

[Right_Mom]

Are you kidding me? The liberal media will never report this. It's up to Talk radio and FoxNews. We'll see.

[Fledermaus]

Dick Clarke isn't going to get near as much mileage as Paul O'Neill and who is talking about O'Neill these days?

Exactly! No one!

[Betaille]

Send this to Drudge, Foxnews, Rush, and anybody else who will report it ASAP. Excellent work Sleuths!

[Republic Rocker]

I've sent so many letters to my LA TIMES that my wrist hurts....I can not believe we live in a so called Free country yet are controlled by the press and media......

[FranklinsTower]

This deserves a bump.

[COEXERJ145]

Can we have a link to the entire article?

[Lancey Howard]

[Diogenesis]

Two reasons.

1. CBS is proterrorist, proCommunist and truly antiAmerican .... and owns Clarke's book.

2. CBS and the Democrats say that Clarke lied then, but can be trusted now.

[GeronL]

I hope one of you have bunches of talk show host e-mail addresses on a mailing list.

[Republic Rocker]

BwAhHAhAHahAhAHHAHAahhAahAHAhahHHAhaha!

[Betaille]

Yeah but if this gets out... it will turn the Dems entire argument on its head! Clarke will be used as a source to SUPPORT GOING INTO IRAQ