Posted on 06/24/2004 6:34:25 PM PDT by Indy Pendance
WASHINGTON, June 24 (UPI) -- Former Vice President Al Gore Thursday called for an independent congressional investigation into Bush administration claims of an Iraq-al-Qaida link, saying officials should testify under oath under threat of perjury.
Gore, speaking at the Georgetown University Law Center, claimed "President Bush is now intentionally misleading the American people by continuing to aggressively and brazenly assert a linkage between al-Qaida and Saddam Hussein."
Gore said of the way the Bush administration has conducted the war on terrorism, "I think it is safe to say that our founders ... would feel that we are now facing a clear and present danger that has the potential to threaten the future of the American experiment."
The former vice president, who lost the 2000 election for president to Bush, said there is no credible evidence of a "collaborative relationship" between al-Qaida and Iraq. That supposed connection, he said, led to an attack on Iraq. As a result, said Gore, "We are left with an unprecedented, high-intensity conflict every single day between the ideological illusions upon which this administration's policies have been based and the reality of the world."
Bush, as recently as last week, said he claimed there is a link between the terrorist organization and Saddam Hussein "because there is link." Vice President Dick Cheney said this week there was overwhelming evidence of a connection between Iraq and al-Qaida.
Last week a report from the staff of the Sept. 11 Commission looking into possible intelligence failures prior to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, which were carried out by al-Qaida, said the Iraq-al-Qaida link did not exist. Commission members tweaked that, however, limiting it to the planning for the Sept. 11 hijackings. The Bush administration agreed, saying that while Iraq and al-Qaida did have contacts, they did not work together on the Sept. 11 attacks.
Gore claimed the administration "deliberately ignored warnings before the (Iraq) war from international intelligence services, the CIA and their own Pentagon that the claim was false." He recalled the 2002 statement by Jean-Louis Bruguiere, the Council of Europe's terrorism expert, that "We have found no evidence of links between Iraq and al-Qaida. If there were such links we would have found them. But we have found no serious connections whatsoever."
Bush ordered the invasion of Afghanistan when the Taliban leaders there refused to hand over al-Qaida leaders -- including Osama bin Laden, who had orchestrated attacks against U.S. interests during the Clinton administration before masterminding Sept. 11.
U.S.-led forces were able to unseat the Taliban and soon the Bush administration was looking at Iraq, a target administration critics allege had been the main end in the first place.
Gore said that switching to a war in Iraq allowed many Taliban and al-Qaida leaders to escape in Afghanistan. In fact, he alleged, their numbers have "grown considerably" due to a war that is perceived in the Muslim world as a "gross injustice."
"The way in which we have conducted that war," he said, "further fueled a sense of rage against the United States in those lands and, according to several studies, has stimulated a new wave of recruits for the terrorist group that attacked us and still wishes us harm."
Terry Holt, spokesman for the Bush-Cheney '04 campaign, issued a statement saying, "Al Gore lives in his own world and is engaged in simple political attacks on the president.
"The (Sept. 11 Commission) members themselves last week took great pains to point out that they were aware of connections between al-Qaida and various elements in Iraq."
John Lehman, one of the Republicans on the commission, in the wake of the report last week, offered evidence that a member of Saddam's Fedayeen had attended an al-Qaida meeting in Malaysia in January 2001.
Gore said that "within hours, the commission's files yielded definitive evidence that it was another man with a similar name."
The former vice president suggested a fate for Bush similar to one that his former boss -- President Bill Clinton -- went through in the appointment of a special prosecutor.
"Congressional oversight and special prosecution are words that should hang in the air," Gore said.
"This is what we must now do, as Americans, in the name of our founders."
Cheney curses senator over Halliburton criticismThursday, June 24, 2004 Posted: 7:19 PM EDT (2319 GMT) Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, who was on the receiving end of Cheney's ire, confirmed that the Vice President used profanity during Tuesday's class photo. A spokesman for Cheney confirmed there was a "frank exchange of views." Using profanity on the Senate floor while the Senate is session is against the rules. But the Senate was technically not in session at the time and the normal rules did not apply, a Senate official said. |
That makes him angry.
We feel your pain, Al...
Now go get yourself a supermaket shopping cart, grow a beard again, and see the world.
Like that scared the Clinton/Gore administration into testifying under oath truthfully...
Could President Bush just respond in kind; that he would like to investigate Algore?
But sadly, unlike Mr Al; he has more important things to take care of right now.
Anyone have a picture to post captions with, of Gore during his latest rant? All he's good for is comic fodder, so let's make the best of it!
Good. The first item of evidence they can produce is the tape of Al Gore explaining the link back in 1992 when he was running for VP.
I take it that you are less than thrilled with Specialist Fourth Ass ALGore.
Of course, by the same token I might consider jimmuh the greatest living patriot for being such an incompetent a**hole that he insured that Ronnie R would win in 1980, setting the stage for Ronnie's bloodless victory over the Soviet Bloc!
Hey Al .. want some Ice Tea to go along with that rant of yours?
My favorite part occured after the audience laughed when Gore just stood there looking like a dork, realizing that he was looking like a dork, and not knowing how to get out of the situation without looking like an even bigger dork.
Is this the same Al Gore caught on tape by CNN claiming an Iraqi tie with terrorists back in 1992? Fox gleefully ran that clip this evening!
I think we got enough Looney Tapes on Gore to Fry him forever. I hope the repubs have a special fry gore session at the Convention.
Thanks..I just ran across this and put 2+2 together, but thanks for the heads up. I want to know what Leahy said to Cheney. That part isn't in the story. It's the critical piece.
Putting administration officials under oath for policy matters just isn't done. They are put under oath, when there is an issue of wrongdoing, not over opinions. Gore is a mean cuss.
I noticed that.
Well... whatever Algore may WANT, he NEEDS HELP.
I missed that! WTG Fox!
So Al Gore still thinks of the most powerful nation on earth as an experiment? An experiment?
Everytime Al Gore opens his mouth he gives Americans a cause to thank God that Bush won the election.
Good show! I had forgotten about her. Now I think I will go back to that status.
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