[Vision2020] 06-17-04 NY Times OP/ED: The Plain Truth
Art Deco aka W. Fox
deco@moscow.com
Thu, 17 Jun 2004 08:04:21 -0700
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June 17, 2004
The Plain Truth
t's hard to imagine how the commission investigating the 2001 terrorist
attacks could have put it more clearly yesterday: there was never any evidence
of a link between Iraq and Al Qaeda, between Saddam Hussein and Sept. 11.
Now President Bush should apologize to the American people, who were led
to believe something different.
Of all the ways Mr. Bush persuaded Americans to back the invasion of Iraq
last year, the most plainly dishonest was his effort to link his war of choice
with the battle against terrorists worldwide. While it's possible that Mr. Bush
and his top advisers really believed that there were chemical, biological and
nuclear weapons in Iraq, they should have known all along that there was no link
between Iraq and Al Qaeda. No serious intelligence analyst believed the
connection existed; Richard Clarke, the former antiterrorism chief, wrote in his
book that Mr. Bush had been told just that.
Nevertheless, the Bush administration convinced a substantial majority of
Americans before the war that Saddam Hussein was somehow linked to 9/11. And
since the invasion, administration officials, especially Vice President Dick
Cheney, have continued to declare such a connection. Last September, Mr. Bush
had to grudgingly correct Mr. Cheney for going too far in spinning a Hussein-bin
Laden conspiracy. But the claim has crept back into view as the president has
made the war on terror a centerpiece of his re-election campaign.
On Monday, Mr. Cheney said Mr. Hussein "had long-established ties with Al
Qaeda." Mr. Bush later backed up Mr. Cheney, claiming that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi,
a terrorist who may be operating in Baghdad, is "the best evidence" of a Qaeda
link. This was particularly astonishing because the director of central
intelligence, George Tenet, told the Senate earlier this year that Mr. Zarqawi
did not work with the Hussein regime.
The staff report issued by the 9/11 panel says that Sudan's government,
which sheltered Osama bin Laden in the early 1990's, tried to hook him up with
Mr. Hussein, but that nothing came of it.
This is not just a matter of the president's diminishing credibility,
although that's disturbing enough. The war on terror has actually suffered as
the conflict in Iraq has diverted military and intelligence resources from
places like Afghanistan, where there could really be Qaeda forces, including Mr.
bin Laden.
Mr. Bush is right when he says he cannot be blamed for everything that
happened on or before Sept. 11, 2001. But he is responsible for the
administration's actions since then. That includes, inexcusably, selling the
false Iraq-Qaeda claim to Americans. There are two unpleasant alternatives:
either Mr. Bush knew he was not telling the truth, or he has a capacity for
politically motivated self-deception that is terrifying in the post-9/11 world.
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<H5>June 17, 2004</H5><NYT_HEADLINE version=3D"1.0" type=3D" ">
<H2>The Plain Truth</H2></NYT_HEADLINE><NYT_BYLINE version=3D"1.0" =
type=3D" "></NYT_BYLINE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=3D0 cellPadding=3D0 align=3Dright border=3D0>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><NYT_TEXT>
<P><IMG height=3D33 alt=3DI=20
src=3D"http://graphics7.nytimes.com/images/dropcap/i.gif" =
width=3D11=20
align=3Dleft border=3D0>t's hard to imagine how the commission =
investigating=20
the 2001 terrorist attacks could have put it more clearly =
yesterday: there=20
was never any evidence of a link between Iraq and Al Qaeda, =
between Saddam=20
Hussein and Sept. 11.</P>
<P>Now <ALT-CODE idsrc=3D"nyt-per-pol" value=3D"Bush, George W" =
/>President=20
Bush should apologize to the American people, who were led to =
believe=20
something different.</P>
<P>Of all the ways Mr. Bush persuaded Americans to back the =
invasion of=20
Iraq last year, the most plainly dishonest was his effort to link =
his war=20
of choice with the battle against terrorists worldwide. While it's =
possible that Mr. Bush and his top advisers really believed that =
there=20
were chemical, biological and nuclear weapons in Iraq, they should =
have=20
known all along that there was no link between Iraq and Al Qaeda. =
No=20
serious intelligence analyst believed the connection existed; =
Richard=20
Clarke, the former antiterrorism chief, wrote in his book that Mr. =
Bush=20
had been told just that.</P>
<P>Nevertheless, the Bush administration convinced a substantial =
majority=20
of Americans before the war that Saddam Hussein was somehow linked =
to=20
9/11. And since the invasion, administration officials, especially =
Vice=20
President Dick Cheney, have continued to declare such a =
connection. Last=20
September, Mr. Bush had to grudgingly correct Mr. Cheney for going =
too far=20
in spinning a Hussein-bin Laden conspiracy. But the claim has =
crept back=20
into view as the president has made the war on terror a =
centerpiece of his=20
re-election campaign.</P>
<P>On Monday, Mr. Cheney said Mr. Hussein "had long-established =
ties with=20
Al Qaeda." Mr. Bush later backed up Mr. Cheney, claiming that Abu =
Musab=20
al-Zarqawi, a terrorist who may be operating in Baghdad, is "the =
best=20
evidence" of a Qaeda link. This was particularly astonishing =
because the=20
director of central intelligence, George Tenet, told the Senate =
earlier=20
this year that Mr. Zarqawi did not work with the Hussein =
regime.</P>
<P>The staff report issued by the 9/11 panel says that Sudan's =
government,=20
which sheltered Osama bin Laden in the early 1990's, tried to hook =
him up=20
with Mr. Hussein, but that nothing came of it.</P>
<P>This is not just a matter of the president's diminishing =
credibility,=20
although that's disturbing enough. The war on terror has actually =
suffered=20
as the conflict in Iraq has diverted military and intelligence =
resources=20
from places like Afghanistan, where there could really be Qaeda =
forces,=20
including Mr. bin Laden.</P>
<P>Mr. Bush is right when he says he cannot be blamed for =
everything that=20
happened on or before Sept. 11, 2001. But he is responsible for =
the=20
administration's actions since then. That includes, inexcusably, =
selling=20
the false Iraq-Qaeda claim to Americans. There are two unpleasant=20
alternatives: either Mr. Bush knew he was not telling the truth, =
or he has=20
a capacity for politically motivated self-deception that is =
terrifying in=20
the post-9/11 world.</P></NYT_TEXT><BR>
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