9/11 panel: New evidence on Iraq-Al-Qaida

UPI ^ | June 20, 2004 | Shaun Waterman

[FairOpinion]

WASHINGTON, June 20 (UPI) -- The commission investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks has received new information indicating that a senior officer in an elite unit of the security services of deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein may have been a member of al-Qaida involved in the planning of the suicide hijackings, panel members said Sunday.

John F. Lehman, a Reagan-era GOP defense official told NBC's "Meet the Press" that documents captured in Iraq "indicate that there is at least one officer of Saddam's Fedayeen, a lieutenant colonel, who was a very prominent member of al Qaida."

Lehman said that commission staff members continued to work on the issue and experts cautioned that the connection might be nothing more than coincidence.

[ShandaLear]

And the worm continues to turn.

[toupsie]

And you know the liberal reaction to this will be, "What only one person in Iraq was a member of Al Qaeda? That isn't a connection. There are more members of Al Qaeda in America than that."

Nothing will appease the Bush haters. You could have a photo of Saddam shaking hands will Osama and the NY Times would say that proves nothing.

[endthematrix]

You can only hide the truth for a brief moment. This war will last as long as the Commission members will be in public light. The truth sets some free. For the Commission it will be a political noose...and it's getting tight.

[Lancey Howard]

bttt

[Howlin]

So why did the Commission released half-baked conclusions, if not for political reasons?

Because people are tired of hearing it and won't be bothered to read the real story?

And my money is on Ben-Vineste.

[BurbankKarl]

"In this man's heart (Osama bin Laden) you'll find an insistence, a strange determination that he will reach one day the tunnels of the White House and will bomb it with everything that is in it.....with the seriousness of the Bedouin of the desert about the way he will try to bomb the Pentagon after he destroys the White House. ...the revolutionary bin Laden is insisting very convincingly that he will strike America on the arm that is already hurting. That the man....will curse the memory of Frank Sinatra every time he hears his songs." (A reference to Sinatra's "New York, New York"?)

- From the Iraqi publication Al-Nasiriya: July 21, 2001

"At this stage it is possible to turn to biological attack, where a small can, not bigger than the size of the hand, can be used to release viruses that affect everything.... The viruses easily spread by air, and people are affected without feeling it."

- Uday Hussein, 9/20/01 (NOTE: The first Anthrax-laced letters were mailed on 9/18/01) (That means Hussein's son wrote this before any news had come out about the Anthrax mailings in the U.S.)

[endthematrix]

What are the Commission's conclusions to the Fedayeen using Salman Pak for terrorist training?

[txhurl]

Well, U.S. Officials: Saddam's Hijack Drills Were Counter-terror Ops.

They'll never get a handle on Salman Pak now.

[Walkingfeather]

Okay you need to reference your quote here. Very telling if that timing is true.

[Tennessean4Bush]

experts cautioned that the connection might be nothing more than coincidence

Huh? Either it is or it is not the same person. If it is, the connection is there big time.

[BurbankKarl]

The LA Times tried to explain away Putin and the Russian Intelligence agents bombshell by saying they meant Iraq was planning insurgent activities against the US after the invasion...although, the quotes specifically said within the US.

[Hoosier-Daddy]

Have a slice for me, go to the Metropolitan Museum, Natural History, and catch a show via TKTS. I wish I was there.

[Lancey Howard]

The "9-11 Commission" has long ago been exposed as a pathetic laughingstock with zero credibility. None of its waffling, backtracking, and babbling confusion is in the least bit surprising to those of us who have been following along.

Here is a fairly comprehensive thread which chronicles the partisan shenanigans and buffoonish incompetence of this silly "commission". There are links galore:

GORELICK GATE: Developing...

What needs to happen NOW is for Bush and the Republicans to kick this disgraceful commission in the stomach, and put it out of its misery. The commission's only goal at this point seems to be to provide a carefully timed water-torture of selected leaks to the Bush-hating liberal newsrooms. The Republicans must act quickly, decisively, and mercilessly to dispense with this "commission".

[section9]

I guess the commission is trying to find a way out from their own web of lies. They must have read the poll, that 69% of the American people believe there was indeed a link between Saddam and Al qaeda. ;)

I am sure it's just a coincidence, sure, anyone wants some bridges?

Holy Dogsh#t, Private!

You think the New York Times might put this on the Front Page, Column Five, section A-1, in Second Coming type? Hunh? Any bets?

Let's ask old Gunnery Sergeant Ermey about the editorial policy of the New York Times. I bet he has a few things to say about the Old Gray Lady....

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[BurbankKarl]

http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110003069

right here

[FairOpinion]

And the Iraqi intel agents planned attacks inside the US right after 9-11, when there was no talk yet about invading Iraq.

[GAGOPSWEEPTOVICTORY]

Also keep in mind that the Hon. Harold Baer Jr. in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled in May of 2003 that there was a link between Al Qaeda, Iraq, and 9/11.

This was in a case by two of the WTC's victim's families to recover monies from the Taliban, Iraq, and Al Qaeda.

Judge Baer, a Clinton appointee, awarded a default judgment in favor of the victim's families, but was required by statute to find that there was evidence of the 9/11 Iraq link, despite the fact counsel for the government of Iraq did not appear.

In support of his ruling in Smith v. Islamic Emirate of Afg., 262 F. Supp. 2d 217, Baer also referenced testimony of former Clinton CIA Chief James Woolsey, who testified that there was a link between Iraq and 9/11.

Hopefully, this gets out in the next few days in the ongoing debate with the New York Slimes.

[Lancey Howard]

Re: your #26:
BUMP for excellence in posting!

[Wild Irish Rogue]

John " Oops I Stepped In It Again " Kerry looks like an absolute fool, yet again, for his hysterical statements last week.
An absolute fool.

[Peach]

Facts are pesky things. I would suggest the Commission start checking things before they go off half cocked.

On the other hand, it's interesting to watch them backpeddle.