The Paper Trail [Saddam/terrorism/WMD]

Wall Street Journal Online ^ | March 27, 2006 | By LAURIE MYLROIE

[Jim Robinson]

After substantial prodding -- including from this paper -- the U.S. government has finally begun to release its captured Iraqi documents and is posting them at the Web site of the Army's Foreign Military Studies Office. This material will take considerable time to absorb and analyze, but it may yet contribute significantly to our understanding of the nature of the threat Saddam Hussein posed.

Most dramatically, an Iraqi intelligence report, apparently written in early 1997, describes Iraqi efforts to establish ties with various elements in the Saudi opposition, including Osama bin Ladin. Until 1996, the Saudi renegade was based in Sudan, then ruled by Hassan Turabi's National Islamic Front. One of Iraq's few allies, Sudan served as an intermediary between Baghdad and bin Ladin, as well as other Islamic radicals. On Feb. 19, 1995, an Iraqi intelligence agent met with bin Ladin in Khartoum. Bin Ladin asked for two things: to carry out joint operations against foreign forces in Saudi Arabia and to broadcast the speeches of a radical Saudi cleric. Iraq agreed to the latter, but apparently not the former, at least as far as the author of this report knew. Notably, the report also states, "we are working at the present time to activate this relationship through new channels."

This one report hints at the extensive international presence that the Iraqi Intelligence Service (IIS) maintained. Iraq's ambassadors to Sudan and Yemen were intelligence agents, suggesting that those two countries were major centers of IIS activity. The report also mentions IIS stations in Islamabad, New Delhi and New York.

Another newly released document bears the name of Abu Musab al Zarqawi. It is a flyer from the "Committee for Arab Liaison with the Islamic Emirate" (i.e., Afghanistan) for recruiting volunteers in Iraq to fight in Afghanistan...

[jveritas]

Excellent news.

[neverdem]

What does CAS mean, if you please?

[bd476]

It doesn't get much better than this Ping...
Dr. Laurie Mylroie in the Wall Street Journal

[Jim Robinson]

Clinton Admin Scandals.

[Williams]

Sounds like Sadaam was aiding the Taliban, and the Taliban were Al Queda's base. Case closed.

[txroadkill]

Although I will watch O'Rielly every so often, for the most part I have given up on him. I think he means well, I respect him for going after liberal judges and Governors who are soft on child molesters and for not letting people get away with spinning instead of answering questions. But, I think he is out of touch and relies on his producers to tell him what's going on and not doing any research himself. I'll give you two examples; first, last summer Jeff Foxworthy was doing all the FNC shows promoting his new Red Neck book. O' had no clue who he was and asked him if he thought writing a book about red necks was racial and whether or not it will conjure up images of the klan and lynchings.  For crying out loud, who has never heard a "you might be a Red Neck joke".

The other thing was a couple of weeks ago he had on one of the founders of code pink. He went after her about her saying the US was not doing rebuilding but never asked her about the pinkos giving money to the terrorist. I don't think he was letting her off the hook, I just don't think he knew.

[bd476]

Ping to an expert's view: it's Dr. Mylroie writing in the Wall Street Journal. Joe Crummey interviewed Dr. Mylroie a few times when he was still on KABC and before he defected to a Clear Channel Arizona station.

[BurbankKarl]

KFYI is an awesome station!

[sageb1]

I have to agree. I send him stuff every once in awhile hoping his staff will pay attention. I did send him something back when he first showed an interest in pedophilia...spring 2005, maybe? I don't write him to get my email on his show, but I will send a note every once in awhile about something I hope he'll take into consideration.

But sometimes I think those who report the news don't always have the time to read and study all they are reporting on.

It's up to us to keep the emails flowing and hope somebody is listening.

[bd476]

Ping to a Dr. Laurie Mylroie editorial in the Wall Street Journal.

[bd476]

BurbankKarl wrote: KFYI is an awesome station!"

Well KFYI was at least smart enough to hire Crummey full time.

On the other hand...

[patriciaruth]

FYI ping.

[brothers4thID]

mark for later.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Thanks Jim!!!

[de Buillion]

Thanks for the ping!

[STARWISE]

Important PING and BTTT!

[Just A Nobody]

Thank you for the ping.

[bd476]

You're welcome! :-)

[Lancey Howard]

Yes, Mylroie has been on this from the beginning and I trust her.

[JohnBovenmyer]

Malignant pustule sounds more like smallpox than anthrax.

Nope, "malignant pustule" is a traditional descriptive term for anthrax. It usually starts as a single pustule (smallpox is very plural) on the skin that ulcerates, doesn't hurt, but causes widespread problems because of the toxins it spews out. One pustule can potentially kill, thus is "malignant," although the mortality of cutaneous disease is low. It's worse if you inhale or inject it, but most cases, even in the 2001 attacks, were limited to the skin.