Bush Says Iraq Posed Threat Because of Terror Link (Justified War)

[UpInArms]

http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=ahY4hRYnKbbw&refer=top_world_news

June 17 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush said ``numerous contacts'' between Iraq and the al-Qaeda terrorist network justified the U.S.-led war on Saddam Hussein's regime.

``There was a relationship between Iraq and Saddam and al- Qaeda,'' Bush told reporters after meeting with his Cabinet at the White House. ``This administration never said that the 9/11 attacks were orchestrated between Saddam and al-Qaeda. We did say there were numerous contacts between Saddam and al-Qaeda.''

A panel investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks reported yesterday that meetings or contacts between the former Iraqi dictator and al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden didn't lead to a collaborative relationship. There's ``no credible evidence that Iraq and al-Qaeda cooperated on attacks against the United States,'' the panel said.

The Iraq war, with its mounting casualties caused by insurgents opposed to the U.S. occupation and a scandal over the abuse of Iraqi prisoners, is losing public support less than five months before Bush faces re-election. A Los Angeles Times poll June 5-8 found 53 percent of those surveyed said going to war wasn't worth the cost, while 43 percent said it was. The poll surveyed 1,230 registered voters nationwide.

...more...

You know how to tell *Co is lying? His lips are moving.

[k in IA]

1. They have decided on their talking points for all Repubs.

I started hearing this line yesterday.

[Kinkistyle]

2. Contacts? Like what? Phone calls? Letters?

What exactly are "contacts"? Are a few phone calls and letters worthy of a cluster bomb nowadays? :eyes:

[arcane1]

4. sounds more like "contact-related program activities" to me

:eyes:

[Just Me]

3. Just keep doin' the broken record thingy, George.

People aren't as stupid as you and yours may believe.

We live in the information age. We are better educated than ever before.

That's where you arrogant neocons missed the freakin' boat.

You underestimated the true strength and wherewithall of the American people.

Assholes.

[sniffa]

5. what a poor hand to pLay

i'd caLL it a bLuff, but it's more of a "crying caLL"

[Don_G]

6. In His Dreams

Nowhere else.

[Thor_MN]

7. Hey Dumya, Prove it.. Or just say what the nexus was - the Reagan admin.

[JoFerret]

8. What an ass

.

[Arbustosux]

9. Didn't half of the Bush administration have "contacts" with Sadam?

I think that justifies attacking them :)

[wryter2000]

10. Okay, he's stupider than I thought

So far, I'd only heard "links between Iraq and Al Qaeda." You could make a really lame claim that Ansar Al Islam was located in Iraq and was therefore a link to the country. But if he's saying "links between Saddam and Al Qaeda," he's outright lying. The murderous bastard.

[UpInArms]

12. here it is in virtual print

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200406/s1134536.htm

Bush insists Saddam-Al Qaeda links exist

United States President George W Bush has insisted Saddam Hussein had a relationship with Al Qaeda, contradicting an independent commission's report that there is no evidence of collaboration between Iraq and Osama bin Laden's militant network.

After meeting with Cabinet members, Mr Bush forcefully disputed findings from the commission investigating the September 11 terrorist attacks which had called into question one of his main justifications for the US war on Iraq.

"The reason I keep insisting that there was a relationship between Iraq and Saddam and Al Qaeda is because there was a relationship between Iraq and Al Qaeda," he said.

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

"We did say there were numerous contacts between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda. There were numerous contacts between the two."

...more...

And GeeWhiz Gollywillackers! That's a damn good reason for a war! I bet the 'murcans will give up to 10.. no 20,000 of their kids just for that! And we can take out a bunch of them little brown people while we're at it!

[Zhade]

22. Nice Freudian slip!

"The reason I keep insisting that there was a relationship between Iraq and Saddam and Al Qaeda is because there was a relationship between Iraq and Al Qaeda," he said.

Note how he leaves out "Saddam" in the 'explanation'. Very telling, don't you think?

It should read, "The reason I keep insisting that there was a relationship between Iraq and Saddam and Al Qaeda is because there was a relationship between Iraq and Al Qaeda, even though this relationship was outside the reach of Hussein thanks to the no-fly zone. I just expect my fellow Amerkuns to be too stupid to notice my verbal-type bullshittin'."

[Zhade]

21. And, of course, Ansar al-Islam's location? Northern Iraq.

In the region not controlled by Hussein, thanks to the (non-UN-sanctioned) US/UK "no fly zone".

[Just Me]

11. I just noted the "talking points" by Cheney on CNBC.

They are attempting to do that "propagandizing", again. But, this time,...I am actually enjoying their broken record bullsh*t. They are digging themselves deeper and deeper into the "BIG LIE"!!!!

[TOhioLiberal]

13. what about this little tidbit?

from the memory hole:

http://www.thememoryhole.org/war/no-saddam-qaeda.htm

<snip>
>>> During one of his rare press conferences, President Bush admitted something which completely contradicts what we've been hearing from him, most other politicians, and the mainstream media. Not surprisingly, the media have completely ignored this; I couldn't find a single article that mentions it in any news source, domestic or foreign.

The occasion was a press conference with UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, which took place in the White House on 31 January 2003. Here's the key portion:


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.

<snip>

What about that Bush-Cheney-Powell-Rice-Rumsfeld?

[mountainvue]

14. Where's

the qoute of him saying there are no links to Al Qaida? Flip flop.

[many a good man]

15. There's a quote in my sigline

n/t

[Disturbed]

16. Painted into a corner.

These arrogant war profiteering, war criminal have painted themselves into a corner and now must stick with their lies. What is needed now and I strongly suspect is coming from the Pentagon &/or the CIA is documentation proving that the Pres. & VP approved of torture. The V. Plame Outing debacle will pale to the documentation of BushCo's War Crimes.

[sam sarrha]

17. Damn... i guess since i talked to that chick at work twice in the hall

we are married ... according to George * .

[pinto]

18. seems Bush is gonna stick with his "core" defense. it's flimsy, to be kind

but it is now all he's got.....every other sideline, smoke and mirror ruse about this war has been shown for what they were. smoke and mirrors. Even, "isn't the world better off without Saddam?" is getting thin on the home front. Bushco returns to the original ruse and will play it out, apparently.

[librechik]

19. Staying the Course

Shrub reminds me of Yosemite Sam. Six guns blazing, he's run a few feet off the cliff into midair. He just hasn't quite realized it yet.

[lapfog_1]

20. Oh yeah, there were "contacts"

According to the 9/11 commission, Al-Quida apparently had a couple
of meetings with some Iraqi intelligence officer, and, according to
the commission, they asked if Iraq would allow them to set up a
training camp in Iraq (many years before 9/11). Apparently the
Iraqis either turned them down or didn't respond (Don't call us, we'll
call you).

That's a reason to go to war!

I suspect that there are a half dozen countries in the middle east
and Africa that had the same request made (Iran, Libya, Egypt, Yemen,
Syria, possibly even Jordan and Saudi Arabia). Plus others that
we haven't heard about too. So, does that provide a "link"?
Is that sufficient reason to ascribe blame and launch a war that
will cost us over 1000 American dead, 200 Billion plus, AND make us
one of the most hated nations on the planet... not to mention
motivating perhaps 100,000+ new recruits for the terrorists?

I'm underwhelmed.

Much like the one or two old Sarin gas warheads that we MAY
have found.

[Ilsa]

23. I am so sick of this

fuckwad.

[TahitiNut]

24. Who had more contacts with al Qaeda in the last 20 years ....

... Saddam and the Baathists or the Reagan/Bush/Cheney/Rumsfield cabal??? I'd be willing to bet it was Reagan/Bush/Cheney/Rumsfield ... by an order of magnitude at least.

These people are more evil and corrupt than the Five Families. :puke:

[MasonJar]

25. I think he has been walking in the poppy fields. This proves that

these monsters think they can say anything. Of course the sheeple do believe it, but I am counting on the independents to get really riled.

[Moderator]

26. Duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=628009