Gephardt: 'Lots Of' Intelligence Ties Iraq to Al Qaeda

NewsMax ^ | 10/6/02 | Limbacher

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Mo., said Sunday that he'd seen "lots of intelligence" that ties Saddam Hussein's regime in Baghdad to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda terrorist network.

"There's lots of intelligence and it's additive as you go along, of meetings between Iraqi military and intelligence officials and members of al Qaeda," the top House Democrat told ABC's "This Week."

While the Missouri congressman did not detail the Iraqi-al Qaeda contacts further, he apparently got the information in briefings to Congress by Bush administration intelligence officials over the last several weeks.

Though Gephardt sounded convinced of the Iraq-al Qaeda terror links, he cautioned, '"There's no smoking gun. I don't think you'll have one. If we'd had a smoking gun on 9/11 we would have done something about it."

The House leader, who broke ranks with fellow congressional Democrats last week to support President Bush's policy of preemptive action against Iraq, explained, "Your standard of proof of what you're looking for here has to go down, given that we live in a world of terrorists and terrorism."

Saying that he feared Baghdad would share its biological, chemical and nuclear technology with groups like al Qaeda, Gephardt warned, "We have to prevent a weapon of mass destruction from being detonated in the United States - we have to do everything in our power to avoid that."

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

WIPE THE SMILE OFF OF THIS MAN’S FACE.
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[JZoback]

Funny that it took B.S. (Bagdad Babs) to embarrass "Gebhart" enough to push him over to our side.

Maybe we should ask Babs to send Dasshole a nice letter also

[cajungirl]

I have to admit it that I admire Gephardt for saying this. It is obvious, the stakes are obvious, and we can't let some high standard of needing a smoking gun before we do something. Only Tom Daschle and the lunatic left are saying otherwise and Gephard could have just stayed silent but he didn't. I admire that. Altho I do know he is saving some candidates in close races.

[Tacis]

Sure, he knows from his own personal dealings with the enemy. Head Gephardt and David Bonior from Michiganistan are Saddam's buddies and all, with Al Qaeda, are working to destroy the US. Why won't Head share that info with the CIA/FBI?

[Moby Grape]

I have no doubt that Gephardt is ONLY backing Bush because he can read the tea leaves and knows that the dems would be hurt by not doing so...It is easier to win the lottery than to find a democrat who cares about country before party.

[JZoback]

Gephard could have just stayed silent but he didn't. I admire that.

I believe, I may be wrong, but the only reason "Dickie" was seen standing next to and supoorting the President was because he did not like being seen as being pulled around by the nose ring by the likes of BS (Bagdad Babs)

I'll start admiring the guy when he confronts Dasshole.

[JasonC]

I don't much care about why, the support is welcome. He can see that it is the right policy, politically as well as in security terms. Perhaps he understands the need for anyone with national political ambitions to remain responsible on defense matters. Gore used to and now doesn't, and the contrast is pretty clear.

[ProudGOP]

Dick Gephardt, D-Mo., said Sunday that he'd seen "lots of intelligence" that ties Saddam Hussein's regime in Baghdad to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda terrorist network.

An obvious follow up question would be to ask him if Daschle had seen the same intelligence he had.

I'll assume nothing like that was asked.

[Texican]

Tumble:
Sir: It is all about the election that he is facing. He can see the hand writing on the wall. Most people support our PRESIDENT and not "tiny dashole". In the final election it will be the supporters of our PRESIDENT that will win.
You have a nice day, and the very best to you and yours.

Semper Fi
Tommie

[MinuteGal]

I hope folks aren't falling for Gebhardt's rhetoric. He's a consumate, corrupt, leftist politician to his very core. Presidential ambitions are what he has on his mind.

He and Daschle are playing good cop, bad cop to placate and motivate both the left and right wings of their party.

Pure and simple.

Leni

[JZoback]

Who's Gore?

(:^0)

[JZoback]

Bingo

[secretagent]

Saying that he feared Baghdad would share its biological, chemical and nuclear technology with groups like al Qaeda, Gephardt warned, "We have to prevent a weapon of mass destruction from being detonated in the United States - we have to do everything in our power to avoid that."

So then I don't get why we plan to build 2 nuclear reactors for North Korea. Nuclear bomb material comes from nuclear reactors, and Bush named North Korea, Iran, and Iraq as the three "Axis of Evil Nations".

[AFreeBird]

And yesterday, Fox News was reporting on links to Iraq and the Oklahoma City bombing as well.

Sodom Insane is in deep doo-doo.

[secretagent]

Interested in your response to my #14. I should have put in the relevant link:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/705060/posts

Click above for a prior FR thread titled "Bribing the Axis of Evil: Do we really want to give North Korea nuclear reactors?"