Bush denies linking Saddam to 9/11

[EvanL]

Panel investigating Sept. 11 attacks can't find links between Iraq, Al Qaeda


DEB RIECHMANN
ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON — U.S. President George W. Bush today disputed the Sept. 11 commission's finding that there was no "collaborative relationship" between Saddam Hussein and the Al Qaeda terrorist network responsible for the attacks.

"There was a relationship between Iraq and Al Qaeda," Bush insisted following a meeting with his cabinet at the White House.

"This administration never said that the 9-11 attacks were orchestrated between Saddam and Al Qaeda," he said.

"We did say there were numerous contacts between Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda, for example, Iraqi intelligence agents met with (Osama) bin Laden, the head of Al Qaeda in Sudan."

The independent commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks said Wednesday that no evidence exists that Al Qaeda had strong ties to ousted Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.

Although bin Laden asked for help from Iraq in the mid-1990s, Saddam's government never responded, according to a report by the commission staff based on interviews with government intelligence and law enforcement officials. The report asserted that "no credible evidence" has emerged that Iraq was involved in the Sept. 11 strikes.

And while the White House did not say Iraq was involved in the Sept. 11 attacks, statements by Bush administration officials often created such an impression.

:roll:

[2Sheds_Jackson]

"created such an impression". So now Bush is to be condemned not for what he said, but for what people think he said. If anybody created an impression of anything, it was the press - the innumerable talking heads, experts, and commentators. Why is the press not condemning it's own ineptitude? Man, this is getting pathetic.

[duck]

"created such an impression". So now Bush is to be condemned not for what he said, but for what people think he said. If anybody created an impression of anything, it was the press - the innumerable talking heads, experts, and commentators. Why is the press not condemning it's own ineptitude? Man, this is getting pathetic.

You mean Fox News and the syndicated radio pundits should take responsibility for airing out halftruths? ;)

[MEGR]

The 9/11 commission said there was no link between Al Queda with their 9/11 attacks, and Saddam's Iraq. However, reading the entire thing (besides that one sentence) shows proof that there were contacts between Al Queada and Iraq, maybe not in 9/11 itself, but in other endevors that obviously won't be in the best interest of the US.

[2Sheds_Jackson]

"created such an impression". So now Bush is to be condemned not for what he said, but for what people think he said. If anybody created an impression of anything, it was the press - the innumerable talking heads, experts, and commentators. Why is the press not condemning it's own ineptitude? Man, this is getting pathetic.

You mean Fox News and the syndicated radio pundits should take responsibility for airing out halftruths? ;)

Yeah, I'd probably include Fox in with every other news organization. But the syndicated radio pundits (Rush, et al) - are not news outlets, nor do they claim to be...so you can't hold them responsible for being anything but entertainment.