Richard Clarke: Bush Admin Negligent in Antiterrorism

[Saint Marcus]

I don't recall any government official suggesting that.

As I recall, it was Cheney or Rumsfeld who made this comment.

[DinoDoc]

Then it shouldn't be that hard for you to back it up.

[The Mad Viking]

Part of WH rebuttal:

· Dick Clarke did prepare a memo for the President regarding links between Iraq and 9/11. He sent this memo to Dr. Rice on September 18, after the President, based on the advice of his DCI that that there was no evidence that Iraq was responsible for the attack, had decided that Iraq would not be a target in our military response for 9/11. Because the President had already made this decision, Steve Hadley returned the memo to Dick Clarke on September 25 asking Clarke to "please update and resubmit," to add any new information that might have appeared. Clarke indicated there was none. So when Clarke sent the memo forward again on September 25, Dr. Rice returned it, not because she did not want the President to read the answer set out in the memo, but because the President had already been provided the answer and had already acted based on it.

Obvious lies!

You do not return a memo because you agree with it, but have already acted on the opinion expressed in it.

Another memo on file in support of the action I took would be advantageous.

[chequita guevara]

"There's overwhelming evidence there was a connection between al Qaeda and the Iraqi government. I am very confident that there was an established relationship there." - Vice President Cheney, 1/22/04

[Saint Marcus]

Then it shouldn't be that hard for you to back it up.

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0918-03.htm

It was Cheney

[Saint Marcus]

and Bush

"There's no question that Saddam Hussein had al Qaeda ties," Bush said.

Cheney said. "We've learned a couple of things. We learned more and more that there was a relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda that stretched back through most of the decade of the '90s."

[chequita guevara]

IIRC, Powell also mentioned it in his speech to the UN.

[Ramo]

I don't particularly care what you do. I just find it curious that you are usually the one whining about people dismissing things out of hand simply because they dislike the source.

Parts of Clarke's story are confirmed through other independent sources (such as the Brit ambassador in the article I posted earlier).

The Administration's claims are not. And they have a long and extensive record of lying to the just about everyone.

[DinoDoc]

[Adam Boulton, Sky News (London):] One question for you both. Do you believe that there is a link between Saddam Hussein, a direct link, and the men who attacked on September the 11th?

THE PRESIDENT: I can't make that claim.

THE PRIME MINISTER: That answers your question.- 31 January 2003

[chequita guevara]

All that proves is that the Admiistration is two-faced!

POWN!ZEDD!

[Saint Marcus]

so either he was flakey, or he left the claim-making to his ministers

[Ramo]

[Adam Boulton, Sky News (London):] One question for you both. Do you believe that there is a link between Saddam Hussein, a direct link, and the men who attacked on September the 11th?

THE PRESIDENT: I can't make that claim.

THE PRIME MINISTER: That answers your question.- 31 January 2003

Demonstrating that Shrub likes to contradict himself doesn't show that he's credible.

[Sava]

Bush is a flip-flopper

[uh Clem]

DinoDoc, you're a bright guy, but you really need to stop lying.

So, yes, there are contacts between Iraq and al Qaeda. We know that Saddam Hussein has a long history with terrorism in general. And there are some al Qaeda personnel who found refuge in Baghdad...There clearly are contacts between al Qaeda and Iraq that can be documented.
Condoleeza Rice, US National Security Advisor
NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
9/26/2002

Iraq and al Qaeda have discussed safe haven opportunities in Iraq, reciprocal nonaggression discussions. We have what we consider to be credible evidence that al Qaeda leaders have sought contacts in Iraq who could help them acquire weapons of mass destruction capabilities
Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense
Comments To Reporters
9/27/200

We've learned that Iraq has trained al Qaeda members in bomb-making and poisons and deadly gases.
George W. Bush, President
Cincinnati, Ohio Speech
10/7/2002

He's got connections with al Qaeda.
George W. Bush, President
Remarks by the President in Colorado Welcome
10/28/2002

We know he's got ties with al Qaeda.
George W. Bush, President
Remarks by the President at New Hampshire Welcome
11/1/2002

in terms of its [Iraq's] support for terrorism, we have established that Iraq has permitted Al-Qaeda to operate within its territory. As the President said recently, "The regime has long-standing and continuing ties to terrorist organizations. And there are Al-Qaeda terrorists inside Iraq." The President has made his position on Iraq eminently clear, and in the coming weeks and months we shall see what we shall see.
John Bolton, Undersecretary of State for Arms Control
Speech to the Hudson Institute

We know that he's had connections with al Qaeda.
George W. Bush, President
Remarks by the President in Florida Welcome
11/2/2002
[repeated at least 7 more times at campaign stops November 2 & 3]

Evidence from intelligence sources, secret communications, and statements by people now in custody reveal that Saddam Hussein aids and protects terrorists, including members of al Qaeda.
George W. Bush, President
State of the Union Speech
1/28/2003

Edit (more):

Selling an Iraq-al Qaeda connection

Rice: Iraq trained al Qaeda in chemical weapons

The second link is simply astonishing.

[notyoueither]

There have been threads based on articles on this very site where links between Saddam and terrorists and AQ, but not the highjackers themselves, have been discussed. Have there not?

Are some people now going to deny that Saddam had connections with terrorism?