Posted on 08/20/2003 8:44:46 PM PDT by faithincowboys
The Left's new claim-- the the terrorists weren't in Iraq until we ousted Saddam-- is just plain bull. Of course, Ansar AL Islam were in the North before the war started. Also, Uday spent the decade since Gulf War 1 developing the Saddam Fedayheen--who are very similar to Hamas and other terror groups.
We all know that Saddam was a major supporter of Arafat and the intifada against Israel-- it seems very likely to me that some of Arafat's people went to Iraq in the 90's to develop an elite corp of killers who would stand and fight for Saddam, not fold like the regular army did in GW1. We also must remember that Saddam tried to play the part of a born again muslim in the 90's-- changing the flag and building big mosques.
Laurie Mylroie has reported time and again that Ramsey Yusuf ( mastermind of the 1st trade center bombing) was an Iraqi agent. And so was Yusuf's relative, Khaled Sheik Muhammed, mastermind of 9-11.
It is clear that Saddam and Al Qaeda had common enemies and common interests. Saddam was the only leader in the region to stand up to the West-- this undoubtedly endeared him, to some degree, to the Islamists. Also, his phony conversion made it palatable for them to deal with him.
We must remember what happened in the War. Our troops faced suicide car bombings-- it was clear that Saddam's fedayheen functioned like terrorists. In addition, in the run up to the war, since it was such a long time, the dictators of the region had time to get their best killers and send them to Iraq. Saddam also released the prisons, it would not be hard to believe that some of Saddam's prisons functioned as indoctrination and training camps.
In conclusion, Iraq was a haven for terrorists before the war and more have entered the country since. Also, we must remember the deal Saddam made right before the war to order lots of gigantic russian trucks. I bet truck bombs were a major part of their resistance tactics if the government fell.
It is plainly obvious that the war in Iraq is part of the War on Terror. In the Left's zeal to discredit Bush, they are denying reality and creating confusion. When a Leftist says that Iraq was terrorist free before the War (a total lie) and now they are everywhere thanks to Bush (they undercut the whole war effort and create the conditions for us to lose in Iraq.) Unity and truth are important, the Left should pay for what they're trying to do.
Unfortunately, the GOP has been incompetent in showing this. I also heard about the fuselage at a terror camp in Salman Pak-- why was this never shown? I can't beleive that it wouldn't be shown if the report of it being there is accurate.
By the way, what is going on with Ahmed Chalabi? hasn't there been thought that he might be an Iranian agent. His statement today that he told the US that a truck bomb against a soft traget in Baghdad was coming was a really dumb thing to say. Even if true (which I highly doubt), he shouldn't have said it. Now the Iraqi people are saying, "the Americans knew and let it happen or are to impotent to stop it." Either way it's not good for our efforts. Chalabi just might be an agent of Iran.
Also, more has to be said about the difficulty of guarding against a truck bomb. Oklahoma City was pretty pacified in 1995 and yet Mcveigh blew up the Murrah federal building.
The "experts" on tv have to stress how hard preventing such a thing is. Granting Iraqis more control wouldn't solve it. How difficult would it be for an Iraqi charged with picking up trash to put a bomb in his truck and park near a building and detonate? Not at all. I assure you that there are plenty of former Baathists working with the coalition.
What we are doing is a noble and difficult effort. Having to deal with the mendacity and the partisanship of the Left is not good for our efforts. In addition, we have to put pressure on Iran and Syria--Powell's nice guy naivete is not the answer.
Also, when the Left demands more troops remind them that Clinton/Gore cut the number of troops (big time) in their misleading attempt to limit the size of government. All they did was limit the size of our national security.
You're absolutely correct and this is extremely well documented on FR. And as the terrorist saga goes and we turn the living history (no not lying history) pages; we'll see just how many more terrorists are in Iraq.
MEMRI.org - MIDDLE EAST MEDIA RESEARCH INSTITUTE Inquiry and Analysis Series - No. 145: "LEADING EGYPTIAN ISLAMIC CLERICS ON JIHAD AGAINST U.S. TROOPS IN IRAQ: March - August 2003" by Steven Stalinsky (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Prominent Egyptian Islamic scholars have issued Fatwas and religious opinions on the subject of Jihad against the U.S. before, during, and following the war in Iraq. These include the most prominent religious figures appointed by the Egyptian government to the highest religious positions, such as the Mufti of Egypt, Dr. Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, and the Sheikh of Al-Azhar, Dr. Muhammad Sayyed Tantawi. Other prominent Egyptian Islamic authorities who have come out in support of Jihad against U.S. troops include scholars from leading Egyptian universities, such as Cairo University and Al-Azhar University. From the Islamist camp, Islamist leaders such as Egyptian-born Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradhawi, one of the most prominent figures in the Muslim Brotherhood movement, have issued similar rulings. The following highlights the opinions of leading Egyptian Islamic scholars on Jihad against U.S. troops in Iraq from March to August of 2003:") (August 14, 2003) (Read More...)
TOWNHALL.com: "THE BATTLEFIELDS IN IRAQ AND AT HOME" -Column by Diana West (COLUMN SNIPPET:"Speaking on Lebanese television from Norway (where he has political asylum -- thanks, Norway), Kreikar gave his take on the Islamic nature of the war on liberated Iraq. "The resistance is not only a reaction to the American invasion," he explained. "It is part of the continuous Islamic struggle since the collapse of the caliphate." By "caliphate," he was referring to the centuries'-long Islamic rule that dissolved at the end of World War I with the defeat of the Ottoman Empire. "All Islamic struggles since then are part of one organized effort to bring back the caliphate."") (August 19, 2003) (Read More...)
AFTENPOSTEN.no (English): "KREKAR EXPECTS TERRORIST ATTACKS" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Mullah Krekar believes the group Ansar al-Islam, which he has led in the past, will retaliate violently to what they see as an unmotivated attack on them, TV 2 reports. The US civil administrator claimed that members of the north Iraq based group had returned to Iraq, planning terrorist actions.") (Read More...) (August 11, 2003)
ISLAM ONLINE.net - Fatwa Application: "ASK THE SCHOLAR" - Question: "SHOULD IRAQIS FIGHT THE INTERNATIONAL FORCES IN IRAQ?" (ARTICLE SNIPPETS: "Scholars agree that it is an individual obligation to use all possible means to defend the homeland against invasion. This means that not only men have to fight, but also excused people, such as women and the old, must participate." ... "Exegetes of the Qur'an explain this verse to mean that disbelievers must never rule over the believers. So the Muslims are entitled to resist invasion by all possible means to defend themselves and their lands. This is one of the urgent cases of jihad in which fighting becomes an individual obligation on all people in the country, men, women, old people and children.") (July 30, 2003) (Read More...)
On The Net...AS-SABEEL.com - AS-SABEEL AGENCY - "INTERVIEWS" (PAGE SNIPPET: "In this section, read some interviews with Mujaahideen such as the martyred commander Ibn Al-Khattaab, Usamah Bin Laden, Mullah 'Umar and many more. We will Insha Allah also be adding our own exclusive interviews with brothers who have trained/fought fee sabeelillah from various countries.")
ALBAWABA.com - THE MIDDLE EAST GATEWAY: "IRAN'S KHAMENEI INAUGURATES NEW BALLISTIC MISSILE CAPABLE OF STRIKING ISRAEL" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Television pictures showed Khamenei flanked by officers and other clerics, at least 1,000 troops in ceremonial dress, and three of the Shihab-3 rockets on what seemed to be mobile launchers. The report said the Revolutionary Guards, who have their own air force, were also given some new but unidentified attack and transport helicopters as well as an undisclosed number of Russian-built Sukhoi-25 jets, according to AFP.") (July 20, 2003) (Read More...)
We are aware of at least 2 yrs Saddam was illegally selling oil to Syria according to the Brits, from 2000 til 4/2003.
Terrorists were not only setting up shop in Iraq, it appears Iraq became a major source of funding support also. We can only hope and pray that they do not have in their arsenal WMD.
Cindy thanks for the links.
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