I've got a simple question...

[Yonivore]

With all the international attention focused on Iraq, in the months leading up to March 2003, why did Abu Musab al-Zarqawi pick Baghdad as the place to which he would flee from Afghanistan?

Why was Iraq more attractive than, say, Syria or Iran? Particularly if there was no relationship between al Qaeda and the Ba'athist regime of Saddam Hussein.

What's the rationale behind that?

[JoeChalupa]

That's easy. He's an idiot.

[Yonivore]

That's easy. He's an idiot.
Nice try, Joe...keep dancing by please. :elephant

[mouse]

Go rent Fahrenheit 9/11 it supposed to explain it all. :smokin

[Yonivore]

Go rent Fahrenheit 9/11 it supposed to explain it all. :smokin
Hey, how'ya been mouse?

Isn't that like saying, go ask Saddam Hussein?

[JoeChalupa]

Nice try, Joe...keep dancing by please. :elephant

Who is dancing? Are you trying to make a connection ala, Dick Cheney?

[Yonivore]

Who is dancing? Are you trying to make a connection ala, Dick Cheney?
Trying? That is a connection.

Why would Zarqawi go to Iraq before hostilities, before any indication there would be hostilities, unless there was a friendly environment for him there?

As the Vice President pointed out last night,

"The effort that we've mounted with respect to Iraq focused specifically on the possibility that this was the most likely nexus between the terrorists and weapons of mass destruction."
Zarqawi's movement from Afghanistan to Iraq was a prime example of that growing concern.

And, you mustn't forget we were already engaged with an enemy, of which Zarqawi was a principle, when he fled to Iraq. Given that I doubt Saddam Hussein would have allowed the United States to enter his country to retreive Zarqawi or that he would have assisted by arresting Zarqawi and, further, given that Saddam Hussein was supporting terrorists in other parts of the world while maintaining a defiant posture with the U.N. and the U.S.; I don't understand your heartburn on going into Iraq when we did.

[Yonivore]

We need Battle Blogs on these type issues!!! :eyebrows

[IcemanCometh]

Cheney moved from Texas to Wisconsin, does that mean Wisconsin is the nexus of evil, the plane of fire?

[CosmicCowboy]

uhhhhh...Cheney lives in Wyoming...

[IcemanCometh]

whatever they begin with a w and they both suck, altho wisconsin might be too cool for dick

[Yonivore]

Quit hijacking the thread.

I'll repost the original question...

With all the international attention focused on Iraq, in the months leading up to March 2003, why did Abu Musab al-Zarqawi pick Baghdad as the place to which he would flee from Afghanistan?

Why was Iraq more attractive than, say, Syria or Iran? Particularly if there was no relationship between al Qaeda and the Ba'athist regime of Saddam Hussein.

What's the rationale behind that?

[IcemanCometh]

madonna moved to london, is there a relationship between london and skank whores?

[JoeChalupa]

Why are you asking for rationale?

You are talking about Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

[Yonivore]

Why are you asking for rationale?

You are talking about Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
Crazy, ruthless, maniacal...sure. Stupid? No.

Why would he go to Iraq?

[Samurai Jane]

I'd like to hear an answer as well. This guy is supposed to be a "terrorist mastermind".

[Marcus Bryant]

To be with his daddy, of course.

http://www.allahpundit.com/KerryBaby.jpg

[JoeChalupa]

For the same reason Dubya did?...to find WMD?

Hell, I don't know. Why did the chicken cross the road?

[bigzak25]

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi fled from afganistan to iraq?

i didn't even know that.....


the only thing i can think of besides the obvious one of their being a "connection"

is that these "masterminds" know thier credibility about evil america is shot to shit once iraq becomes a free democracy.....so they must fight it with all they got...and play the propaganda war.

[JoeChalupa]

I used to have some good connections.

[mouse]

Yonnivore has a point.

[Yonivore]

Yonnivore has a point.
Yeah, I think I do too. Funny how people are attempting to distract from the fundamental issue of why Zarqawi would choose Iraq as a safe haven to which he fled Afghanistan.

[whottt]

At least right now our millitary is giving the terrorists plenty to do in Iraq...what would be happening if we weren't there?

Let's see...you got Beheader running around Iraq, you got Iran with nuclear material nextdoor.....and really nothing for the terrorists to fight about much in Afghanistan. Not compared to Iraq...and Osama's goal is Oil too.


It's fucking BS when they say Saddam didn't know he was there...Atheist/Socialist Saddam was praising Allah and calling for martyrs better than an Ayatollah, by the time we got around to Iraq...

[Nbadan]

Yeah, I think I do too. Funny how people are attempting to distract from the fundamental issue of why Zarqawi would choose Iraq as a safe haven to which he fled Afghanistan.

I was reading a excellent article on this very topic yesterday, but I didn't post it because it was dated April 2004. The article main point was that there was little to no proof, well, besides a tape that turned up in Iraq that sources say maybe him, that Zarqawi is in Iraq. For one thing, Zarqawi is only supposed to have one leg having had on amputed in Pakistan a few years back, although admittedly, information is so sketchy on Zarqawi this can not be absolutely confirmed.

Either way, the article makes some excellent points that if there was a leader of the Iraq insurgency, he more than likely would be a Iraqi national, and more than likely a former officer in Saddam's Baathists army. Makes sense, since most of the early battles in the insurgency started in former Baathists strongholds.

However, the article also stated that at the time there was little reason to believe that there was any centrally coordinated attacks by Shiite and Sunni forces battling the coalition. That has obviously changed, but there is still reason to believe that Zarqawi is responsible for this change.

The article stated that Zarqawi was idolized by the U.S. to give the American people a face in the war on terrorism. Someone who they could point to and say, see, were battling Zarqawi, a real terrorist. Where not battling the people of Iraq.

Other rumors have Zarqawi in a Iranian jail, arrested after fleeing there when the war on terrorism began, waiting to be used as a bargaining chip by the Iranians at a time of their choosing. Could this be the October surprise many have speculated about? Just how desperate is the administration to bomb that Iranian Nuclear facility anyway?