Gateway Pundit found a CNN article documenting the fact that Saddam Hussein offered Bin Laden asylum in Iraq:
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) — Osama bin Laden, the Saudi millionaire accused by the United States of plotting bomb attacks on two U.S. embassies in Africa, has left Afghanistan, Afghan sources said Saturday.
Bin Laden’s whereabouts were not known, said the sources who declined to be identified.
The report of his departure comes just days after the Taliban Islamic militia, which rules most of Afghanistan, took away his satellite telephone and banned bin Laden from speaking to the media.
Taliban authorities in the militia’s southern stronghold of Kandahar refused to either confirm or deny reports that bin Laden had left the country. The Taliban have called bin Laden their honored guest, a friend who helped the Afghan resistance fight invading Soviet soldiers in the 1980s.
The Taliban’s ambassador in Islamabad, Saeed-ur-Rehman Haqqani, said he had not been told of bin Laden’s departure, “but if it has happened, it will be a good thing.”
Saddam Hussein offered asylum
Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has offered asylum to bin Laden, who openly supports Iraq against the Western powers.
Despite repeated demands from Washington, the Taliban refused to hand over bin Laden after the August 7 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, demanding proof of his involvement in terrorist activities.
However, in recent weeks, both the United States and Britain have renewed their pressure on the Taliban to expel bin Laden.
Pakistan, a strong ally of the Taliban and one of only three countries to recognize the movement’s control over Afghanistan, also has been asked by the United States to use its influence to have bin Laden expelled from Afghanistan.
“We have been asked, but we can’t force the Taliban to do anything they don’t want to do,” Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz said last week.
The Taliban did promise that bin Laden would not use Afghanistan as a staging arena for terrorist activities.
Bin Laden came to Afghanistan from Sudan more than five years ago while the Taliban’s opposition ruled the country.
Be sure to follow the other links at Gateway Pundit’s post.
Related:
The Media and the Not-So-Intelligent Intelligence Committee Report
Tom:
Tom:
Well see there you go. People who live in glass houses shouldnt…. (At least I can take responsibility for my gaffes)
My bad.
Perhaps the lesson is that we each have a sense of humor, but like so much else, just don’t understand where the other side is coming from. A lesson to be learned?
H
Hugh,
For the record, I don’t find a single uncollaborated article to be proof of the case.
However, according to mark, there is much more that points to it. I’ll look at what he has to say…but a single CNN article? Not adequate.
However, I don’t believe that Saddam offering Osama asylum (Saddam offering Osama asylum…say that three time fast) is beyond reason…do you?
Two ‘howevers’ in that last post. Brilliant. Where’s my coffee?
Heralder,
Much of my stuff
is
at
regimeofterror.com if
you
are
interested.
Heralder:
Like lots of theories or alleged statements of fact about Iraq and the war on terror I don’t know what the truth is. I’m a believer that history will ultimately tell us most of the “facts.” So I reserve judgment on most statements of “fact.” I am sceptical about much of the information that comes from this administration just as I was sceptical about much that came from Clinton. I’ve said before we shouldn’t be all that trusting of those who govern us. I think the founders actually intended that. Maybe I’m wrong but that’s what i believe.
That being said, I have seen nothing that would make me believe that Hussein offered asylum to OSB. It’s not even something the administration posits. The closest they come is Cheyney’s statements which I understand have pretty much been discredited.
The headline posted by Priestap looks like something from the National Enquirer, hence my reference earlier. It wouldn’t get past a responsible editor because there is nothing but a 1999 story to support it.
Thanks Mark,
I’ll
definitely
take
a
look!
😉
Hugh:
I think we should be vigilant, which is what I feel the founding fathers intended. Distrust, just out of basic principle makes little sense. We can give them the benefit of the doubt I think, unless or until they prove otherwise.
I too believe history will sort out the facts, unless revisionists get a hold of it…then our grandkids will be in school learning how Bush orhestrated the 9-11 attacks to make an excuse to go to war, lied about WMDs to make an excuse to go to war…etc.
I’m going to take a look at what Mark has up, perhaps you should stroll by as well.
Heralder,
Thanks for offering to look through my site.
There’s not that much there, it could probably be read through in a few hours if you are interested as I tried to focus on reports of wanted terrorists found in Iraq that didn’t get much pub and the postwar cooperation of Baathists from Saddam’s regime and al-Qaeda. It’s been going on since the first days of the invasion and the question of “When it began?” is one that really deserves and answer. The Senate report doesn’t even ask that question, let alone answer.
Further evidence that I have never in my life met one single right winger who has a sense of humor or who understands humor.
If you’re laughing by yourself maybe it’s just that you’re not that good at it. But don’t worry, I find you hilarious!
One last thing. Do you believe tthe 1999 story to be true or not. Haven’t seen one of you righties answer that question yet.
Maybe it’s because the posting has nothing to do with whether or not the story CNN told in 1999 is true or not. Neither does this story from The Guardian or this story from ABC. Both from 1999.
I read Kim’s post as trying to disprove the very popular belief (on the Left) that Bush made up out of whole cloth the fact that the nation’s intelligence agencies (note that all these stories cite intelligence and Administration officials at the time) had long believed that Saddam’s irrefutable connections to terrorist groups included Al Qaeda.
Do you understand?
Hugh,
For the record: I reserve judgement on whether or not Saddam Hussein offered Bin Laden asylum in Iraq. I cannot credit too much, but I cannot completely discount it.
All I know is that the idea that Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein could come to some agreement and co-operate, despite their difference in philosophy, was not considered so outlandish back when there was a Democrat in the White House.
Did you know?
Ramsey Youssef came to the US using an Iraqi passport! The day he bombed the WTC the first time in 1993 was the 2 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE LIBERATION OF KUWAIT!!! coincedence?
of course Yousef’s cousin, Khalid sheik mohammed, took his goal of toppling the towers and completed it on 9/11/01
Deroy Murdock, who is an expert on this and has shown how a US court found Saddam responsible for 9/11, the judge was appointed by Clinton at
http://www.husseinandterror.com
He wrote this article in NRO about this and talks about the subject of this post
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NTY4YzY3MjFmYzRiMTNjMDQ5NTJkMjliOGUwMDNhYjI=
imagine if “The Path to 9/11” had included those little tidbits about Yousef?
Inconvient Truth
I’m with Joanne on this one.
America (and it’s military) aren’t smart enough or good enough to capture Bin Laden.
The most powerful (militarily and economic) nation in the history of mankind shouldn’t be expected to find one man that hides on them.
Not when that nation is the United States.
Right on Joanne.
Martin:
Her post is taken verbatim from the AP story, including her headline. Where does she posit anything in order to disprove something the left allegedly believes? Is there some radio wave you folks on the right have where you interpret things others from the right are posting? Do you communicate with one another by microwaves?
Good lord man all she did was put up an attention grabbing headline and then follow it with the verbatim story.
Here’s what she says:
“Gateway Pundit found a CNN article documenting the fact that Saddam Hussein offered Bin Laden asylum in Iraq…”
Pretty clear to me what her intent was. I understand. Do you?
Robert,
You’re funny.
Hugh:
Agreed. The problem with the written word is there is no voice inflection and facial expressions. Emoticons only do so much.
Okay … why don’t you ask her?
ABC News also did a similar report. Link contains video: ABC News claims Saddam-al Qaida link which I just checked…the video link is still available.
Direct link to video if you want to skip the blog post.
Porkopolis,
Here are a number of MSM videos on the Saddam-al Qaeda links.
BBC, CBS, ABC and others. Please take a look.
http://regimeofterror.com/archives/2006/06/video_section/
Also,
I encourage others to ask these members of the Senate intel committee why so many questions about the report remain unanswered…
Pat Roberts
Washington D.C. Office:
109 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-1605
Phone: 202-224-4774
Fax: 202-224-3514
Orrin Hatch
Washington DC Office
104 Hart Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-5251
Fax: (202) 224-6331
Mike Dewine
Washington, D.C. Office
140 Russell Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2315
Fax: (202) 224-6519
TDD: (202) 224-9921
Kit Bond
Washington, DC Office:
274 Russell Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
(202)224-5721
Trent Lott
Phone: (202) 224-6253
Fax: (202) 224-2262
Olympia Snowe
Toll free in Maine: (800) 432-1599
TDD – Maine Relay Service: 1-955-3323
Chuck Hagel
Washington, D.C. Office
248 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-4224
Fax: (202) 224-5213
Senator Saxby Chambliss
Republican – Georgia United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-3521
Evan Bayh
463 Russell Office Building
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-5623
(202) 228-1377 fax
Hmmm…multiple sources. Looks bad for the folks running around with their hair on fire.
OK, if the doubters want confirmation, go to:
http://fmso.leavenworth.army.mil/index.htm
and look for FMSO Document CMPC-2003-001488.pdf
It is an Iraqi Intelligence Service document dated September 15, 2001, which reads:
In the Name of God the Most Merciful the Most Compassionate
Office of the Presidency
Intelligence Service
M5/3/9/2
The Honorable Mr. General Director Manager M5
Subject: Information
Our Afghani source numbered 11002 had provided us with the information on the denotation paper number -1- )
The Afghani Consul Ahmad Dahstani (the information on the denotation paper number (2)) had mentioned in front of him with the followings:
1. Osama Bin Laden and the Taliban Group in Afghanistan were in touch with the Iraqis and that group of the Talibans and Osama Bin Laden had visited Iraq.
2. The United States of America has evidence that the Iraqi government and Osama Bin Laden’s group expressed cooperation among themselves in bombing targets in American.
3. In case Osama Bin Laden and the Taliban were proven to have been involved in carrying out these terrorist operations, it could be possible that the United Stated will attack both Iraq and Afghanistan.
4. The Afghani consul heard about the connection between the Iraqis and the Osama Bin Laden group during his stay in Iran.
5. Upon what has been presented we suggest writing to the Intention Committee with the above information.
Please revise…Your recommendation…With appreciation,
Director, M5/3
15/9/2001 Khalid
15/9
Immediately to be
presented to the
Intention Committee President
We declared jihad against the US government, because the US government is unjust, criminal and tyrannical. It has committed acts that are extremely unjust, hideous and criminal whether directly or through its support of the Israeli occupation of the Prophet’s Night Travel Land (Palestine). And we believe the US is directly responsible for those who were killed in Palestine, Lebanon and Iraq.
-Osama Bin Laden Interview with Peter Arnett Late March 1997
One thing is for certain, if Bush Sr had removed Saddam or if Clinton had removed Saddam before 1996, Bin Laden and Al Queda never would have started killing Americans.