Speculation that turned out to be wrong, in the end. That's not uncommon for intelligence reports. Most of them, especially ones derived from HUMINT, don't pan out. Many intelligence reports come from sources with conflicting interests, guys that aren't above telling us what we want to hear in order to influence our actions. That happens every single day.
What is uncommon is FReepers running to CNN for help in backing their theories. At least, it used to be.
I'm not sure the speculation WAS wrong or that it will ever be at "the end". I think the reason a Freeper would turn to CNN is to make a point to those who claim the link between Saddam and Al-Qaeda was no more than just a Bush invention. But when it comes to backing "theories" I'd personally give more credence to captured Iraqi documents than a "throw away" line in an article written by a news network that confessed to underplaying Saddam's atrocities to maintain their access.
Let's not forget Dickie Clark's concern that if Binnie left Ashcanistan, that he would simply "boogie to Baghdad".
Conveniently forgotten by the "Bush lied, people died" crowd...
New York Post - New York, N.Y.
Date: Jun 17, 2004
That didnt stop congressional Democrats - led by presumptive presidential nominee John Kerry - from renewing their charges that the administration "misled America" about [Saddam Hussein] Husseins ties to Osama bin Laden.
In fact, as Stephen Hayes writes in The Weekly Standard, the conventional wisdom in Washington long before George W. Bush took office was that Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden were partners in terrorism.
Meanwhile, back in 1999, ABC News reported that Saddam had offered bin Laden asylum, citing their "long relationship" and a December 1998 meeting in Afghanistan between [OSAMA] and Iraqi intelligence chief Faruq Hijazi.
SHOW: ABC NEWS SATURDAY NIGHT
JANUARY 14, 1999
Transcript # 99011401-j18
HEADLINE: CRIME AND JUSTICE
BYLINE: J. MILLER, J. MCWETHY, S. MACVICAR, CYNTHI MCFADDEN
HIGHLIGHT: TARGET AMERICA: THE TERRORIST WAR
SHEILA MACVICAR: (voice-over) Saddam Hussein has a long history of harboring terrorists. Carlos the Jackal, Abu Nidal, Abu Abbas, the most notorious terrorists of their era, all found shelter and support at one time in Baghdad. Intelligence sources say bin Laden's long relationship with the Iraqis began as he helped Sudan's fundamentalist government in their efforts to acquire weapons of mass destruction.
Three weeks after the bombing, on August 31, bin Laden reaches out to his friends in Iraq and Sudan. Iraq's vice president arrives in Khartoum to show his support for the Sudanese after the U.S. attack. ABC News has learned that during these meetings, senior Sudanese officials acting on behalf of bin Laden ask if Saddam Hussein would grant him asylum.
(on camera) Iraq was, indeed, interested. ABC News has learned that in December, an Iraqi intelligence chief, named Farouk Hijazi, how Iraq's ambassador to Turkey, made a secret trip to Afghanistan to meet with bin Laden. Three intelligence agencies tell ABC News they cannot be certain what was discussed, but almost certainly, they say, bin Laden has been told he would be welcome in Baghdad.
(voice-over) And intelligence sources say they can only speculate on the purpose of an alliance. What could bin Laden offer Saddam Hussein? Only days after he meets Iraqi officials, bin Laden tells ABC News that his network is wide, and there are people prepared to commit terror in his name who he does not even control.