As if we even NEEDED one.

SOMETHING killed all those Iraqis and Americans.

It sure as hell wasn't Saddam Hussein's WMDs.

And it wasn't Saddam  Hussein's sons or them dirty raghead Al Quedas in those Abu Ghraib photos.

We don' NEED no steenking smoking gun.

I got yer proof right HERE!!!

GUILTY!!!

Next...

AG

Goodness had nothing to do with it, dearie.-Mae West

For example, Paul Woodward who runs War in Context established his site early on and has consistently linked to articles that have been critical of the administration.  But several months ago, when more and more voices could be heard advocating withdrawal, Woodward began to argue that the troops could not be withdrawn.  Now, he is absolutely rabid.  Was Paul Woodward a closet hawk, or has he put self-interest ahead of morality?

I would argue that he is a hawk who simply could never see himself aligned with Bush.  But, in fact, he is a Bush enabler: someone who quietly assists the administration while pretending to be in opposition.  There are many of these types out there.

What I find so disgusting is that this crowd will not even consider the desires of the Iraqis themselves.  Today's call for a timetable for withdrawal is simply ignored.  To them, the US continues to reserve the right to tell the rest of the world that only our opinion matters.  In the end, the real threat is not neo-cons on the march, but the rabid nationalism that can be found on both sides of the aisle.  

--- A (former) member of the dreaded MSM, so be kind.

We know that Iraq and the al Qaeda terrorist network share a common enemy -- the United States of America. We know that Iraq and al Qaeda have had high-level contacts that go back a decade. Some al Qaeda leaders who fled Afghanistan went to Iraq.  These include one very senior al Qaeda leader who received medical treatment in Baghdad this year, and who has been associated with planning for chemical and biological attacks.  

We've learned that Iraq has trained al Qaeda members in bomb-making and poisons and deadly gases.  And we know that after September the 11th, Saddam Hussein's regime gleefully celebrated the terrorist attacks on America.

Iraq could decide on any given day to provide a biological or chemical weapon to a terrorist group or individual terrorists.  Alliance with terrorists could allow the Iraqi regime to attack America without leaving any fingerprints.

George Bush Cincinnati Ohio, Oct 7, 2002

One of the more intriguing things that Bush was told during the briefing was that the few credible reports of contacts between Iraq and Al Qaeda involved attempts by Saddam Hussein to monitor the terrorist group. Saddam viewed Al Qaeda as well as other theocratic radical Islamist organizations as a potential threat to his secular regime. At one point, analysts believed, Saddam considered infiltrating the ranks of Al Qaeda with Iraqi nationals or even Iraqi intelligence operatives to learn more about its inner workings, according to records and sources.

PBD  9-21-01

Cross Posted Over At: AfterDowningStreet

Original At CNN Transcipts

Wow! Suddenly WMD and Iraq-Al Qaeda are NOT the Reasons we Invaded Iraq...

RUMSFELD: The reason the United States went to war, the president has
announced and said it repeatedly. There were 17 resolutions in the U.N.
that were ignored by Saddam Hussein. Our planes were being shot at on a
regular basis in the Operation Southern Watch and Operation Northern
Watch. [Never Mind The rest Of His Lies, When Did We Have A Plane Shot Down, Let Alone PLANES ON A REGULAR BASIS!! This Guy's Gone Completely Over The Edge With No Return, Straight Jacket NOW!!} Saddam Hussein was giving $25,000 to the families of suicide
bombers. Iraq was on the terrorist list. Iraq had used chemical weapons
against its own people and its neighbors.

I've Declared Non-Violent 'War' On ChickenHawks,Freeper/Sheep,Talking Heads and No Support For Pols Who Refuse To Investigate This Administration and End This Illegal Conflict!
Veterans: Wether Conflict or Peace Time Vets, Signature Everything you sign, post, send, whatever! Let Them Know WHO WE ARE!!!

James Starowicz
USN '67-'71 GMG3 Vietnam In-Country '70-'71 COMNAVFORV

One of the more intriguing things that Bush was told during the briefing was that the few credible reports of contacts between Iraq and Al Qaeda involved attempts by Saddam Hussein to monitor the terrorist group. Saddam viewed Al Qaeda as well as other theocratic radical Islamist organizations as a potential threat to his secular regime.

Great article, Mr. Waas.