I cannot think of a reason. Saddam Hussein was the world's ultimate master of that particular thing and he lived in their own backyard. This strikes me as more than adequate justification for the entire Iraq operation and people should be talking about it more than they are.
Vaclav Havel, former President of the Czech Republic, still stands by the story. Atta met with Iraqi agents in Prague.
Timothy McVeigh was seen in the company oif Iraqi agents just before OKC bombings. No story?
Of course Ted Kenndy, Joe Biden, fill in the blank RAT politician must think that Atta went to Prague to sample the beer.
These guys did not take plane rides without a purpose.
This is a fascinating read; thank you for posting it.
The left loves to point to the Atta in Prague was debunked to claim that Saddam didn't have a relationship with Al Qaeda. Unfortunately for them, there are so many other instances of Iraqi agents meeting with Al Qaeda, that whether Atta ever met with Iraqis is irrelevant.
Of course, it would be best if Republicans would actually USE some of the other information that has been gathered of Iraqis meeting with Al Qaeda in at least semi-official capacities.
Congressional Republicans are either too lazy to use the information or they fear re-election if they are too hawkish and believe (incorrectly I feel) that trying to garner support for the war will not stand them in good stead and their re-election is more assured if they take a more moderate position.
Regardless, there were many other instances of Iraqis meeting with AQ:
Bin Laden met Iraqi Agent.
September 28, 2001. The Miami Herald.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/534617/posts
Intercepted call links Saddam to AQ.
February 7, 2002. The Telegraph
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/837605/posts
Osama met with Saddam in Iraq.
March 23, 2002. The Times of India
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/746741/posts
More evidence. Newspaper finds documents in Baghdad which directly prove the links between OBL and Saddam. The paperwork details meetings and when and where they occurred. Also found documents that Russia passed on to Iraq detailing private conversations between Blair and Italy's Berlusconi.
April 27, 2003. The Telegraph.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2003%2F04%2F27%2Fwalq27.xml
Memo shows Iraq contacted OBL.
September 12, 2003. The Washington Times.
http://www.washtimes.com/world/20030912-012437-3992r.htm
Iraq and terrorism - no doubt about it. Specific names of Al Qaeda terrorists working in and with Iraq
September 19, 2003. National Review.
http://www.nationalreview.com/robbins/robbins091903.asp
Richard Miniter details the names and specific connections including the Iraqi who was involved in the first WTC bombing and lived in Iraq.
September 25, 2003. Richard Minister
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/989201/posts
Osama's Best Friend: The Further Connections Between Al Qaeda and Saddam.
November 3, 2003. The Weekly Standard
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1007969/posts
The Terrorist behind 9/11 was trained by Saddam
December 14, 2003. The Telegraph.
http://freerepublic.com/focus/news/1146356/posts?page=1
That and more here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1327993/posts
The sticky thing is that I believe that Able Danger's timeline permits and supports Atta in Prague. In so doing it would legitimize the war in light of 9/11 and the Anthrax attack. We all know that the left desperately cannot allow that to happen. You would expect Leftist operatives in the CIA/DIA/Pentagon would go to lengths to discredit Able danger.
We all know that hasn't happened Þ.
Didn't the Czech ambassador affirm this under oath before a UN committee? I tend to believe this intelligence because the Czech Republic does not have a dog in this fight.
The story has been regularly misreported by everyone but Epstein. What makes this report most intersting is that he shows (a) a leak from our intel people to AP made further investigation impossible, and (b) the Iraqi intel officer who met with Atta, Al-Ani has been in CIA custody for some time and we have done a terrible job of interrogating him.
Why aren't we spending any time investigating this instead of the non-outing of an non-agent? Why haven't we recognized the seditious behavior of the anti-Administration apparatchniki in Foggy Bottom and Langlely?
BTTT
ping
Since NONE of the myriad other evidences and clues of an Al Qaida-Saddam-9/11 link have even been addressed, much less "de-bunked", by the leftist opposition to the war, that effectively ends the "Iraq War Debate". We won. Take care everyone, and drive home safely.