Iraq and Al-Qaeda, part II

A USA Today article makes a very nice follow-up point to some of Bush’s comments this morning about the link between Iraq and Al-Qaeda. Picking up where I left off in the previous post, here’s some more of the statement that Bush made this morning about Al-Qaeda ties to Iraq (from the same yahoo news story):

“This administration never said that the 9-11 attacks were orchestrated between Saddam and al-Qaida,” he said.

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

The USA Today article directs our attention to the text of the letter that Bush sent to the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate on the day that he started the war in Iraq, explaining to Congress his legal authority for invading Iraq:

March 18, 2003

Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)

Consistent with section 3(b) of the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 (Public Law 107-243), and based on information available to me, including that in the enclosed document, I determine that:

(1) reliance by the United States on further diplomatic and other peaceful means alone will neither (A) adequately protect the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq nor (B) likely lead to enforcement of all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq; and

(2) acting pursuant to the Constitution and Public Law 107-243 is consistent with the United States and other countries continuing to take the necessary actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those nations, organizations, or persons who planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001.

Sincerely,

GEORGE W. BUSH

The administration really never suggested that Iraq had anything to do with 9/11? Really?

Kash