Clinton first linked al Qaeda to Saddam
http://www.washtimes.com/national/20...2921-3401r.htm
By Rowan Scarborough
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
The Clinton administration talked about firm evidence linking Saddam Hussein's regime to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network years before President Bush made the same statements.
The issue arose again this month after the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States reported there was no "collaborative relationship" between the old Iraqi regime and bin Laden.
Democrats have cited the staff report to accuse Mr. Bush of making inaccurate statements about a linkage. Commission members, including a Democrat and two Republicans, quickly came to the administration's defense by saying there had been such contacts.
In fact, during President Clinton's eight years in office, there were at least two official pronouncements of an alarming alliance between Baghdad and al Qaeda. One came from William S. Cohen, Mr. Clinton's defense secretary. He cited an al Qaeda-Baghdad link to justify the bombing of a pharmaceutical plant in Sudan.
Mr. Bush cited the linkage, in part, to justify invading Iraq and ousting Saddam. He said he could not take the risk of Iraq's weapons falling into bin Laden's hands.
The other pronouncement is contained in a Justice Department indictment on Nov. 4, 1998, charging bin Laden with murder in the bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa.
The indictment disclosed a close relationship between al Qaeda and Saddam's regime, which included specialists on chemical weapons and all types of bombs, including truck bombs, a favorite weapon of terrorists.
The 1998 indictment said: "Al Qaeda also forged alliances with the National Islamic Front in the Sudan and with the government of Iran and its associated terrorist group Hezbollah for the purpose of working together against their perceived common enemies in the West, particularly the United States. In addition, al Qaeda reached an understanding with the government of Iraq that al Qaeda would not work against that government and that on particular projects, specifically including weapons development, al Qaeda would work cooperatively with the government of Iraq."
Shortly after the embassy bombings, Mr. Clinton ordered air strikes on al Qaeda training camps in Afghanistan and on the Shifa pharmaceutical factory in Sudan.
To justify the Sudanese plant as a target, Clinton aides said it was involved in the production of deadly VX nerve gas. Officials further determined that bin Laden owned a stake in the operation and that its manager had traveled to Baghdad to learn bomb-making techniques from Saddam's weapons scientists.
Mr. Cohen elaborated in March in testimony before the September 11 commission.
He testified that "bin Laden had been living [at the plant], that he had, in fact, money that he had put into this military industrial corporation, that the owner of the plant had traveled to Baghdad to meet with the father of the VX program."
He said that if the plant had been allowed to produce VX that was used to kill thousands of Americans, people would have asked him, " 'You had a manager that went to Baghdad; you had Osama bin Laden, who had funded, at least the corporation, and you had traces of [VX precursor] and you did what? And you did nothing?' Is that a responsible activity on the part of the secretary of defense?"
I don't think there is any direct link. What the big picture link is radical islam.. that's what we are fighting globally. Not just one particular clan or area.
Saddam should of been taken out when he invaded Kuwait but Bush 41 bowed to international and Saudi pressure to leave him there. I don't see why we even need a stupid trial. He invaded Kuwait to take over the place. Not to free it like we wound up having to spill America blood for it's freedom. Which is mostly forgotten deeds today.
In addition, al Qaeda reached an understanding with the government of Iraq that al Qaeda would not work against that government
--hardly a "link"
So? Didn't you Repugs declare Clinton an idiot? Would that make Shrub the immitator of an idiot? If only Shrub had stolen/immitated the economics of the Clinton admin...
Wouldn't "reaching an understanding" require there to be a relationship?In addition, al Qaeda reached an understanding with the government of Iraq that al Qaeda would not work against that government
--hardly a "link"
Wow...you'll just never, never, never admit it.
No, I believe the Conservatives said Clinton was an immoral, self-serving, power-hungry, woman-crazy, doping, poor excuse for a President. I don't believe they ever called him an idiot.
What's wrong with the current economy?
Saddam was a secularist who 'appointed' a Christian Prime Minister. What other M.E. country has that, except maybe Pakistan?
The arrangement Saddam had with the Islamic Jihad and other militant M.E. organizations was, you stay out of Iraq, and I let you live, but I'll contribute $25K to the families of Palestinian suicide bombers to make it look like I believe in your cause.
There is no link. Clinton was wrong too.
Ok, here goes:
There was a link between al Qaeda and Hussein's government.
There that was easy.
The extent of that link was limited to low-level contacts that had the equivilancy of two file clerks from GM and Ford having lunch together.
Will you admit that? My guess is never.
And your proof the relationship was "low-level?"
Your proof that any relationship in 90s merited starting a ing war in 2003?
That relationship advanced the power of either side?
When Saddam invaded Kuweit, bin Laden offered the Saudis his services to kick Saddam out. Saudis let the US into SA to go after Saddam, and bin Laden felt SA was defiled by infidel boots, and cranked up his jihad.
Doesn't sound like much love, ever, between Saddam and bin Laden.
Because the conservatives ALWAYS know who's moral and who isn't... they are God, you know. I'm sure none of them are self-serving, power-hungry, woman-crazy, or doping... and I bet none of them have ever had an affair either, right?
Conservatives are here to do the work of Jesus the Christ, our Lord and Savior. You would know that if you weren't so busy reading the Communist Manifesto, attacking Christmas, defending murderers, degrading our troops, sympathizing with the terrorists....etc.
^^quoted without comment.
"It seems as if every thread in this forum ends up with personal attacks going both ways.
_____________________________
Mr. Peabody has spoken.... "
Why does Clinton come up everytime a republcan conservative tries to explain Bush?
Where did I attack someone personally? I was making a joke about all of the things that I have been accused of in this forum. How is that a personal attack?
Because he got a blowjob.
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