40% of Republicans and 27% of Democrats believe Saddam Hussein was "personally involved" in 9/11

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http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2007/September/30/edit/stories/08edit.htm

September 30, 2007

Don Monkerud: Why mix war and apple pie?

The Santa Cruz County Fair was an event not to be missed. One of the last country fairs complete with livestock, concessions, school displays, arts, carnival rides and fattening food, it combines an agricultural past with a nascent future to provide a snapshot of the county.

Sept. 11, opening day at the fair, saw a burst of patriotism. The first 1,000 fair visitors received commemorative "Remember 9/11" pins and American flags flew everywhere from concessions to stages, baby strollers to T--shirts, booths to bunting. Apple--pie judging was under way and, as the sun descended, parents with children poured in through the gates.

Patriotism filled the air and people wore buttons supporting "our troops" and urging a vote for various Republican presidential candidates. Others thanked the military recruiters for "their sacrifice" Interested in their motives, I questioned a number of these people.

Responses indicated that Saddam Hussein was responsible for the destruction of the WTC and that the U.S. has to fight the terrorists in Iraq or "we will have to fight them here" The U.S. can't leave Iraq because "Muslims will follow us home" Even the military recruiters who served in Iraq claimed that the U.S. occupation of Iraq is necessary because of the 9/11 attacks.

Where do these people get their information? A Sentinel article on the same day said that six years after 9/11 one-third of the American public — 40 percent of Republicans and 27 percent of Democrats — believe Saddam Hussein was "personally involved" in the 9/11 attacks and was sheltering al-Qaida. Unable to find a logical basis for such a belief, the article speculated that this "is a reflection of what people want to believe" and that President Bush promotes this belief to justify the military occupation of Iraq.