VANITY: Defeat the leftist lies that Al Qaeda wasn't in Iraq before the war

Various News and Govermental Sources ^ | June 14, 2006 | Peach

[Peach]

Two major issues were used by the President in the run up to war with Iraq. One was the WMD issue and the other was Iraq's support for Al Qaeda.

Since the war began in March 2003, the Democrats and media have repeatedly lied to the American public that Saddam didn't have a relationship with Al Qaeda or Osama bin Laden. They have been permitted to lie without challenge by Congressional Republicans or the President or his administration.

It is well past time that we educate Republican Congressmen and the conservative media, and try to encourage Tony Snow and Karl Rove on the importance of not letting this lie go unchallenged.

Since the 1990's, the media wrote dozens and dozens of articles about the world's alarm at the growing relationship Saddam and Iraqi military officers had with Al Qaeda and bin Laden. In the next post, I will detail some of those links.

Additionally, our very own freeper, translator and national treasure, jveritas, has translated documents which show that Saddam had direct ties to the Taliban in Afghanistan.

It is my firm belief that if more Americans knew about the relationships discussed above, support for the war and our beloved military would increase substantially. The media has gotten away with this lie for long enough.

I am looking for specific suggestions on how to get the word out to the administration with the suggestion they use this evidence of a relationship between Saddam and the jihadists more often, and how to directly write or call our Congressmen, the media, Ken Mehlman as Chair of the GOP, talk radio hosts, etc.

[Peach]

Hi, AFPhys; it's good to "see" you.

As I was just told in a freepmail by a smart freeper, we too often let the left get away with saying that Al Qaeda wasn't in Iraq before the war, which of course is a lie and a relatively easy lie to disprove, but we also shouldn't let the left tie us down to Al Qaeda exclusively since these jihadist groups work together.

[Peach]

Thank you, Tolerance. I hope you consider sending one letter or e-mail copying and pasting the links in #2 and using the e-mail addresses in #16.

This is the time to strike while the iron is hot.

As the new memo of Zarqawi's that surfaced today shows, the jihadists are all working together.

I'm taking this from a freeper's blog:

"Baathist holdovers have admitted putting aside any ideological differences with Zarqawi to cooperate with him for a "greater" cause (something critics have argued wasn't possible)."

http://markeichenlaub.blogspot.com/2006/06/strategic-relationship-between.html

[NormsRevenge]

Good Job and Thanks for all the links and addresses, Peach!

[Milligan]

From 911 Commission Book.
page 66. "...there's no credible evidence of any cooperation between OBL and Saddam.

then to page 128,

They dropped "understanding" from the indictment to what?

"On November 4, 1998, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York unsealed its indictment of Bin Laden, charging him with conpiracy to attack US defense installations. The indictment also charged that al Qaeda had allied itself with Sudan, Iran, and Hezbollah. The orginal sealed indictment had added that al Qaeda had "reached an uderstanding with the government of Iraq that al Qaeda would not work against that government and that on particular projects, specifically including weapons development, al Qaeda would work cooperatively with the Government of Iraq." 109

This passage led Clarke, who for years had read intelligence reports on Iraqi-Sudanese cooperation on chemical weapons, to speculate to Berger that a large Iraqi presence at chemical facilities in Khartoum was "probably a direct result of the Iraq-Al Qida agreement." Clarke added that VX precursor traces found near al Shifa were the "exact formula used by Iraq." 110

This language about al Qaeda's "understanding" with Iraq had been dropped, however, when a superseding indictment was filed in November 1998." 111

References:

#109: Indictment, United States v. Usama Bin Laden, No. 98Cr. (S.D.N.Y. unsealed November 4, 1998), page 3. For the reports concerning Derunta, see NSC membo. Clarke to Berger, Roadmap, Nov 3, 1998.

#110: NSC email, Clarke to Berger, Nove, 1998, Evidence on Iraqi ties to al Qaeda is summarized in Chapter 2.


#111
Patrick Fitzgerald testimony, June 16, 2004

"...One of the hazy questions that surrounds Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda is really its relationship, if any, with Iraq and with Saddam Hussein.

We've often heard that Osama bin Laden would not have been a natural ally, for religious reasons, for the composition and nature of Saddam Hussein's regime. And our staff report, as you just heard, basically says there's no credible evidence of any cooperation between the two. However, there seems to be some indicia that there may have been.

And, Mr. Fitzgerald, I'm delighted you're here, because this first question really I wanted to ask specifically to you, because it relates to the indictment of Osama bin Laden in the spring of 1998.

FIELDING: This is before the U.S. Embassy bombings in East Africa and the administration indicted Osama bin Laden. And the indictment, which was unsealed a few months later, reads, "al Qaeda reached an understanding with the government of Iraq that al Qaeda would not work against that government, and that on particular projects, specifically including weapons development, al Qaeda would work cooperatively with the government of Iraq."

So my question to you is what evidence was that indictment based upon and what was this understanding that's referenced in it?

FITZGERALD: And the question of relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda is an interesting one. I don't have information post-2001 when I got involved in a trial, and I don't have information post-September 11th. I can tell you what led to that inclusion in that sealed indictment in May and then when we superseded, which meant we broadened the charges in the Fall, we dropped that language.

We understood there was a very, very intimate relationship between al Qaeda and the Sudan. They worked hand in hand. We understood there was a working relationship with Iran and Hezbollah, and they shared training. We also understood that there had been antipathy between al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein because Saddam Hussein was not viewed as being religious.

We did understand from people, including al-Fadl -- and my recollection is that he would have described this most likely in public at the trial that we had, but I can't tell you that for sure; that was a few years ago -- that at a certain point they decided that they wouldn't work against each other and that we believed a fellow in al Qaeda named Mondu Saleem (ph), Abu Harzai (ph) the Iraqi, tried to reach a, sort of, understanding where they wouldn't work against each other. Sort of, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

And that there were indications that within Sudan when al Qaeda was there -- which al Qaeda left in the summer of '96 or spring '96 -- there were efforts to work on joint -- you know, acquiring weapons.

FITZGERALD: Clearly, al Qaeda worked with the Sudan in getting those weapons in the national defense force there and the intelligence service. There were indications that al-Fadl had heard from others that Iran was involved. And they also had heard that Iraq was involved.

The clearest account from al-Fadl as a Sudanese was that he had dealt directly with the Sudanese intelligence service, so we had first-hand knowledge of that.

We corroborated the relationship with Iran to a lesser extent but to a solid extent. And then we had information from al-Fadl, who we believe was truthful, learning from others that there were also was efforts to try to work with Iraq. That was the basis for what we put in that indictment. Clearly, we put Sudan in the first order at that time as being the partner of al Qaeda.

We understood the relationship with Iran but Iraq, we understood, went from a position where they were working against each other to a standing down against each other. And we understood they were going to explore the possibility of working on weapons together.

That's my piece of what I know. I don't represent to know everything else, so I can't tell you, well, what we've learned since then. But there was that relationship that went from opposing each other to not opposing each other to possibly working with each other.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A46525-2004Jun16?language=printer

[Peach]

You're right - they have gone from somewhat opposing each other to working together. Documents found from Zarqawi today prove that.

This is from a freeper's blog:

Baathist holdovers have admitted putting aside any ideological differences with Zarqawi to cooperate with him for a "greater" cause (something critics have argued wasn't possible).

http://markeichenlaub.blogspot.com/2006/06/strategic-relationship-between.html

[Milligan]

Usama Bin Laden and Five Others Docket, November 24, 1998
(Superceded: See 11 November 2001)

http://cryptome.quintessenz.org/mirror/alqfiles.htm

No mention about Saddam and al Queda connection. The superceded version sounds like handing down the sentences but tells the reader to see: related trial transcripts:

http://cryptome.org/usa-v-ubl-dt.htm



Interesting note...who is Mamdouh Mahmud Salim
(Aka) Abu Hajer al Iraqi

http://www.terrorismcentral.com/Library/Biographies/Bios/Salim/BioSalim.html

Who is Wadih el-Hage

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wadih_el-Hage

[AliVeritas]

Sorry if any were previously posted. These are just columns with links for any to look back into, not the wonderful research you have so far.

September 27, 2003
Iraq - Al-Qaeda Connections (Links)
http://www.danwismar.com/archives/wizblog/000470.html

Flopping Aces 6-12-2006
The Ties that bind
http://www.floppingaces.net/?cat=25

The Saddam-Al Qaeda Connection
The pre-war link between Saddam and Al Qaeda had to be addressed.
http://www.townhall.com/opinion/columns/WThomasSmithJr/2006/01/16/182446.html

Court Rules: Al Qaida, Iraq Linked
NEW YORK, May 7, 2003
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/05/08/uttm/main552868.shtml

Clarke Links Al Qaeda
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/03/23/142941.php

As opposed to what Clarke said after:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/03/19/60minutes/main607356.shtml

June 17, 2004, 8:40 a.m.
Iraq & al Qaeda
The 9/11 Commission raises more questions than it answers.
http://www.nationalreview.com/mccarthy/mccarthy200406170840.asp

Iraq - Al Qaeda Links, Part XXVIII
July 24, 2004
http://www.danwismar.com/archives/wizblog/002076.html

Yes, There Is a Connection
The 9/11 Commission confirms Iraq-al Qaeda ties.
by Daniel McKivergan
07/22/2004 5:45:00 PM
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/004/354tdeij.asp

July 23, 2004, 8:35 a.m.
Boogie to Baghdad
What the 9/11 Commission says about Iraq and al Qaeda.
http://www.nationalreview.com/york/york200407230835.asp

September 19, 2003, 9:00 a.m.
No Question About It
Saddam and the terrorists.
http://www.nationalreview.com/robbins/robbins091903.asp

Saddam killed Abu Nidal over al-Qa'eda row
By Con Coughlin
(Filed: 25/08/2002)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/08/25/wnidal25.xml

Saddam's Files
New evidence of a link between Iraq and al Qaeda.
Thursday, May 27, 2004 12:01 a.m. EDT
http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110005133

Al Qaeda in Iraq before the war
Saturday, June 10, 2006
http://prairiepundit.blogspot.com/2006/06/al-qaeda-in-iraq-before-war.html

Their Man in Baghdad
What Zarqawi--and al Qaeda--were up to before the Iraq war.
by Stephen F. Hayes
06/19/2006, Volume 011, Issue 38
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/012/328youfz.asp

Abu Nidal, September 11 and Saddam
The terrorist network may be closer knit than we think.
BY ASLA AYDINTASBAS
Wednesday, August 21, 2002 12:01 a.m. EDT
http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110002160

The Clinton View of Iraq-al Qaeda Ties
From the December 29, 2003 / January 5, 2004 issue: Connecting the dots in 1998, but not in 2003.
by Stephen F. Hayes
12/29/2003, Volume 009, Issue 16
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/003/527uwabl.asp

The Mother of All Connections (Hot)
From the July 18, 2005 issue: A special report on the new evidence of collaboration between Saddam Hussein's Iraq and al Qaeda.
by Stephen F. Hayes & Thomas Joscelyn
07/18/2005, Volume 010, Issue 41
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/005/804yqqnr.asp

The Iraq -- Al Qaeda Connections
FR 2003
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/989201/posts

Iraq & Militant Islam
Saddam’s al Qaeda links were a worthy rationale for toppling his regime.
June 2004
http://www.nationalreview.com/mccarthy/mccarthy200406010821.asp

Photos Prove Connection Between Iraq and Al-Qaeda Terrorists
Rush Site
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/cold/photos_prove_connection_between_iraq_and_al_qaeda_terrorists.member.html

Did Russian Ambassador Give Saddam the U.S. War Plan?
Iraq Archive Document Alleges Russian Official Described Locations, Troops, Tanks and Other Forces Before Operation Iraqi Freedom Began
(From ABC no less)
http://abcnews.go.com/International/IraqCoverage/story?id=1734490&page=1

More Connections
Two new members of the Iraqi interim government insist that Saddam and al Qaeda were linked.
by Stephen F. Hayes
06/03/2004 8:15:00 AM
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/004/167gwjtp.asp

The Iraq -- Al Qaeda Connections (Miniter)
25 Sep 2003
http://www.tcsdaily.com/article.aspx?id=092503F

Iraq-al Qaeda link comes in focus
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20031201-123723-4738r.htm

Salman Pak / Al Salman
http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/iraq/salman_pak.htm

With Intel Page
http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/hotdocs.htm

Russia Warned U.S. About Iraq, Putin Says
(Pincus warning, he slipped... was pushing another agenda when he wrote this)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A53096-2004Jun18.html

Chronology: The Plots
For me, from PBS, no less
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/front/special/cron.html

Iraq and Al Qaeda Connection
(Has quotes from Rock and Hill)
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/politics_conservative/118035

The Untold 9/11 Story
VIEW FROM THE RIGHT
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/gate/archive/2004/06/28/asparks.DTL&type=printable

Los Angeles Times Downplays Possible Connection Between Al Qaeda and the Samarra Mosque Bombing *
http://patterico.com/2006/02/26/4256/los-angeles-times-downplays-possible-connection-between-al-qaeda-and-the-samarra-mosque-bombing/

Saddam's Files
New evidence of a link between Iraq and al Qaeda.
(On Shakir)
http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110005133

Heaven forbid -- A Syria/Iraq/al Qaeda/WMD connection?*
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/006634.php

Bill Clinton Was Right
From the July 5 / July 12, 2004 issue: There was a Saddam-Osama connection and we're learning more every day.
by Stephen F. Hayes
07/05/2004, Volume 009, Issue 41
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/004/274fwxli.asp

The 2004 interview with Allawi (MSNBC)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5326544/

Bin Laden, Al Qaeda, & the 9-11 hijackers received assistance from Iraq.


Bill Clinton declared in Executive Order 13129 of July 4, 1999: I, William Jefferson Clinton, President of the United States of America, find that the actions and policies of the Taliban in Afghanistan, in allowing territory under its control in Afghanistan to be used as a safe haven and base of operations for Usama Bin Laden and the al-Qaeda (sic) organization who have committed and threaten to continue to commit acts of violence against the United States and its nationals, constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the U.S., and hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat.

(With List, no doc links though... can look up)
http://www.warriorsfortruth.com/al-queda-iraq-connection.html

The Al Qaeda Connection
From the May 12, 2003 issue: Saddam's links to Osama were no secret.
by Stephen F. Hayes
05/12/2003, Volume 008, Issue 34
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/002/628wqxma.asp

[AliVeritas]

Saddam and al-Qaeda
February 20th, 2006

The proof has been right in front of you the entire time. Documents available on the internet, which pass the smell test and are probably genuine, show the link between Saddam and al Qaeda.

On October 11th, 2004 an online news service called CNSnews published 42 documents that they claimed came from the Iraq Survey Group. The documents supposedly came from an ISG official who claimed they were captured in Iraq. CNSnews provided this information along with testimony from experts who authenticated the documents to the best of their ability. The story can be found here
(Links to docs at site:

http://www.americanthinker.com/articles.php?article_id=5267

[AliVeritas]

The Saddam-Al Qaeda Connection
Townhall.com ^ | 16 January 2006 | W. Thomas Smith Jr.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1560825/posts

Excellent comment by our hostess and deacon m

[AliVeritas]

Dem statements re: Saddam in the past:
http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=9027

[AliVeritas]

Saddam's WMD
have been found
New evidence unveils chemical, biological, nuclear, ballistic arms
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=38213

We need the big WMD found list with links and photos, I can't find it.

[Peach]

Saved to my file; I have several of these but not all of them and not so professionally presented.

[Peach]

I'll have to go through that list to see which, if any, I'm missing, AliVeritas.

Any freeper who wants to effectively argue why we are in Iraq or to know about Iraq's relationship with Al Qaeda, read freeper Ikez78's blog. Ikez interviews another freeper, Sam Pender, who has written several books about this matter.

This is a MUST read, imo.

http://www.markeichenlaub.blogspot.com/

[Peach]

Excellent links there, Mulligan. I have some reading and updating to do :-)

[AliVeritas]

Flashback:
This list is a must have and save- courtesy of the hostess:

How about Republicans finally grow a spine and support the military effort and remind the left of a few things.

1. Remind the left that every single Democrat of note said in 1998 that Iraq's WMD posed a danger to the United States.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/972389/posts

2. Remind the left that Clinton's Justice Department obtained a federal indictment of Osama bin Laden which stated that AQ had a deal with Iraq. They agreed not to attack Iraq in exchange for weapons development.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/985906/posts

3. 9/11 Commission reaffirms Bush administration view of Iraq/AQ ties.
June 21, 2004. RNC.
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1157478/posts

4. Long List of Clinton Administration Officials who Believed There was an AQ/Iraq connection.
July 12, 2004. NewsMax.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1169397/posts

5. List of CIA and various Reports regarding Iraq's support for terrorists, terrorism and AQ.
September 16, 2004. The Weekly Standard.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/004/631slkle.asp

6. Osama bin Laden was considered an Iraqi Intelligence asset.
October 14, 2004. National Review.
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1246505/posts

Funny how in the 90's the world was concerned about the growing relationship between OBL and Saddam and now the left is revising history.

Saddam reaching out to OBL
January 1, 1999. Newsweek
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1158277/posts

ABC news reports on the Osama/Saddam connections
January 14, 1999. ABC News
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1229608/posts?page=1

Osama and Saddam Work Together
January 27, 1999. Laurie Mylroie interview. She is a former Clinton terrorism czar.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1158482/posts

A Much Shunned Terrorist Takes Refuge In Iraq (Abu Nidal)
New York Times. January 1999.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1433610/posts

Western Nightmare: Saddam and OBL versus the World. Iraq recruited OBL.
February 6, 1999. The Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/alqaida/story/0,12469,798270,00.html

Saddam's Link to OBL
February 6, 1999. The Guardian
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/866105/posts

Saddam offered asylum to bin Laden
February 13, 1999. AP
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1158274/posts

Son of Saddam coordinates with OBL.
Iraqi Special Ops coordinates with Bin Laden's terrorist activities.
August 6, 1999. Yossef Bodansky, National Press Club
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/951911/posts

That and more here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1327993/posts?q=1&&page=151

340 posted on 11/01/2005 7:36:32 PM EST by SE Mom (God Bless those who serve..)

[AliVeritas]

Wow, thanks.

[Peach]

We have two freepers who are doing the work the MSM won't do.

We have GOT to find a way to link that web site and interview on more threads and send it out to our e-mail list.

[sono]

My only admittedly small quibble is the source here is WorldNetDaily ... about the same level of credibility as Debka. Still ...

[AliVeritas]

True, thanks for the reminder.

Militia defector claims Baghdad trained Al-Qaeda fighters in chemical warfare
Gwynne Roberts in Ankara
Sunday Times (London); Overseas news; News; 23
July 14, 2002, Sunday
Mohammed said he was recruited into Saddam's Fedayeen in 1997 and trained at two secret facilities - at Salman Pak, southeast of Baghdad, and at the Unit 999 camp, northwest of the Iraqi capital. His first encounter with Bin Laden's fighters occurred at Salman Pak when he was on an induction course to become a Fedayeen officer, he said.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/743892/posts

[AliVeritas]

Other previous threads to peruse:

Connections
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/850346/posts

UN inspectors uncover proof of Saddam's nuclear bomb plans
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/833827/posts

Zillions of WMD links in thread.