And the administration of President Bush went on to keep such awareness from the American public and the United Nations, even during justification of waging war against Iraq.
Not true. The Prez and Vice Pres both emphasized Saddam's links to terror groups. Just not to 9-11 specifically, like the left CONSTANTLY says they did.
Bush never once denied a relationship between Saddam and al Queda.
The administration was very clear about the US being aware of the pre-911 relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda- they brought up Zarqawi's presence in Iraq numerous times, they brought up Iraq's aid and comfort to terrorists in the form of providing identity documents and training, and also made comments on Iraq's use of the Sudanese strongman - I think it was Turabi- as an intermediary between the IIS and with bin Laden and his agents. They also mentioned meetings held between various Iraqi intelligence figures and bin Laden [and his surrogates] in Iraq, Afghanistan and even Pakistan. They only downplayed knowledge of a "direct operational relationship with Iraq and al Qaeda on the planning of the 911 event specifically, though even there they brought up the presence of the Iraqi Hikmat Shakir at the Malaysia meeting where the bombing of the USS Cole was planned and possibly where much of 911 was also planned. To the press, evidence of a "direct operational" relationship means we have a memo signed by Hussein himself using his own blood, which ordered al Qaida to attack the WTC with civilian aircraft- that's something we don't have and likely never will and the administration simply couldn't make that claim.
The MSM was just so sufficiently effective at keeping the knowledge of intel on Iraq's relationship with al Qaeda and al Qaeda figures low-key that no one heard much of what the administration was saying.