Posted on 06/18/2004 5:22:58 AM PDT by anita
Edited on 06/18/2004 5:30:38 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
ASTANA, Kazakhstan (AP) - Russia gave the Bush administration intelligence that suggested Saddam Hussein's regime was preparing attacks against the United States and its interests abroad before the Iraq war, President Vladimir Putin said Friday.
Putin said he couldn't comment on how critical the Russians' information was in U.S. decision to invade Iraq. However, he said the intelligence didn't cause Russia to waver from its firm opposition to the war.
"Indeed, after Sept. 11, 2001, and before the start of the military operation in Iraq, the Russian special services ... received information that officials from Saddam's regime were preparing terrorist attacks in the United States and outside it against the U.S. military and other interests," Putin said.
"Despite that information about terrorist attacks being prepared by Saddam's regime, Russia's position on Iraq remains unchanged," Putin said.
Putin said Russia didn't have any information that Saddam's regime had actually been behind any terrorist acts.
New York Slimes, SmellA Times, Washington DNC Post
Maybe Pooty-Poot has enough Communists to deal with in his own country, and doesn't want to deal with another one in the White House. Whatever, once again, we get a sign that the Cold War is really, really over. Thanks Vlad.
It's ironic that we now get a closer approximation to the truth from Russia, than we do from our own US media!
WHAMMO! Dontcha love it when a plan comes together.
Can anyone here reason why Bush didn't mention this earlier?
ABC "News" isn't even reporting this on their website. All they have is anti-American propaganda. Who the hell's running the show over there?
So let's see. Al Qaeda was in Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Spain, England, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Africa, Jordan and just about every country on the planet.
But there IS NO WAY that Al Qaeda was in Iraq. Nope.
My $$$'s on the prior.....
Well, well, New York Times and the other demoncRATS, We the People are waiting for a retraction. Here's some crow? Bon Appetit!
"Putin: We knew Saddam Hussian was promoting acts of terrorism against America and we were opposed to America defending against these acts of terrorism."
Good point. I can't think of how anyone could spin it differently. What's even more interesting, is why Bush didn't mention this before? Why doesn't Bush schedule a press conference during prime time to denounce the lies from the liberal press?
How can he let this slide? He may lose because of his reluctance to go all out against the smears against him.
Bush still hasn't "mentioned" it. Why do you think he should have earlier?
This is coming from Putin directly.
Haven't been listening to Bush, hm?
Reluctance to go against smears?
HA!
I laugh at such an absurd notion.
And as to the fretting over Putin having information yet not being for us acting on it, so fricking what? Since when do we bow to Putin's advice on when, how and where we should act?
The point of the story is the information itself, period.
Bush never claimed it or used it publicly to buttress his rationale for war, but it DOES put the lie to the idea that Saddam didn't pose a threat outside of his own little corner of the world.
"Bush still hasn't "mentioned" it. Why do you think he should have earlier?"
Because it has more than 2 and a half years of attacks from the presstitutes that we had no reason to be in Iraq. Had he made this immediatley known, it would have stemmed the attacks against him.
I am so pissed by the blatant lies of the liberal press - that Bush needs to go all out against them or they just might get Kerry elected. That would be the worst thing that could happen to us.
I think he should schedule a national press conference on prime time to denounce the blatant lies, using obvious examples - and reiterate why we are there.
Timing.
OK - good point - I'll buy that - but I still think that he would have been better off silencing them earlier before the lies got traction.
Since Tuesday, President Bush has been extremely forceful re the Iraq/Al Qaeda connection. Tuesday he gave a press conference with Karzai, Wednesday a worldwide address to the troops, and today his speech at Ft. Lewis was terrific.
But here's the Cheney interview. He was kicking rear and taking names:
CHENEY: CLEAR LINKS BETWEEN SADDAM, AL-QAEDA; CALLS NY TIMES ARTICLE 'OUTRAGEOUS'
strategery....
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