The Washington Post Quotes The President Without Including The Full Context
Of His Remarks Distinguishing Al Qaeda From Saddam. The Washington Post:
"On Sept. 25, 2002, just days after the CIA received the source's
information, President Bush told reporters: 'Al-Qaeda hides. Saddam
doesn't, but the danger is, is that they work in concert. The danger is, is
that al-Qaeda becomes an extension of Saddam's madness and his hatred and
his capacity to extend weapons of mass destruction around the world. ...
[Y]ou can't distinguish between al-Qaeda and Saddam when you talk about the
war on terror.'" (Walter Pincus, "CIA Learned in '02 That Bin Laden Had No
Iraq Ties, Report Says," The Washington Post, 9/15/06)
The Full Context Of The President's Quote Shows That He Was NOT Drawing An
Operational Link Between Al Qaeda And Saddam But Was Making The Point That
Both Posed Threats To The World. QUESTION: "Mr. President, do you believe
that Saddam Hussein is a bigger threat to the United States than al Qaeda?"
THE PRESIDENT: "That's a - that is an interesting question. I'm trying to
think of something humorous to say. But I can't when I think about al Qaeda
and Saddam Hussein. They're both risks, they're both dangerous. The
difference, of course, is that al Qaeda likes to hijack governments. Saddam
Hussein is a dictator of a government. Al Qaeda hides, Saddam doesn't, but
the danger is, is that they work in concert. The danger is, is that al
Qaeda becomes an extension of Saddam's madness and his hatred and his
capacity to extend weapons of mass destruction around the world. Both of
them need to be dealt with. The war on terror, you can't distinguish
between al Qaeda and Saddam when you talk about the war on terror. And so
it's a comparison that is - I can't make because I can't distinguish
between the two, because they're both equally as bad, and equally as evil,
and equally as destructive." (President George W. Bush, Remarks In A Photo
Opportunity With Colombian President Uribe, Washington, DC, 9/25/02)
In February 2003, CIA Director George Tenet Testified That Iraq Had Links
To Al Qaeda
The Washington Post Says That A CIA Report From Late September 2002 Claimed
That Saddam Did Not Have Links To Al Qaeda. "The CIA learned in late
September 2002 from a high-level member of Saddam Hussein's inner circle
that Iraq had no past or present contact with Osama bin Laden and that the
Iraqi leader considered bin Laden an enemy of the Baghdad regime, according
to a recent Senate Intelligence Committee report." (Walter Pincus, "CIA
Learned in '02 That Bin Laden Had No Iraq Ties, Report Says," The
Washington Post, 9/15/02)
In February 2003, CIA Director George Tenet Testified That Iraq Had Links
To Al Qaeda. TENET: "Iraq is harboring senior members of a terrorist
network led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a close associate of al Qaeda. ...
Iraq has in the past provided training in document forgery and bomb-making
to al Qaeda. It has also provided training in poisons and gases to two al
Qaeda associates. One of these associates characterized the relationship he
forged with Iraqi officials as successful. ... I know that part of this -
and part of this Zarqawi network in Baghdad are two dozen Egyptian Islamic
jihad which is indistinguishable from al Qaeda - operatives who are aiding
the Zarqawi network, and two senior planners who have been in Baghdad since
last May. Now, whether there is a base or whether there is not a base, they
are operating freely, supporting the Zarqawi network that is supporting the
poisons network in Europe and around the world. So these people have been
operating there. And, as you know - I don't want to recount everything that
Secretary Powell said, but as you know a foreign service went to the Iraqis
twice to talk to them about Zarqawi and were rebuffed. So there is a
presence in Baghdad that is beyond Zarqawi." (George Tenet, Select
Committee On Intelligence, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 2/11/03)
Tenet Testified That Iraq Was Providing Safe Haven To Al Qaeda. SEN. CARL
LEVIN (D-MI): "Would you say, Mr. Tenet, that the Zarqawi terrorist network
is under the control or sponsorship of the Iraqi government?" TENET: "I
don't know that, sir, but I know that there's a safe haven that's been
provided to this network in Baghdad." LEVIN: "So you're not - well, you're
saying that you don't know if they're under the support - that they are
under the control or direction?" TENET: "Yes, sir. We have said - what
we've said is Zarqawi and this large number of operatives are in Baghdad.
They say the environment is good. And it is inconceivable to us that the
Iraqi intelligence service doesn't know that they live there or what
they're doing." (George Tenet, Select Committee On Intelligence, U.S.
Senate, Hearing, 2/11/03)
In March 2002, Tenet Testified On Iraq's Links To Al Qaeda. TENET: "We
continue to watch Iraq's involvement in terrorists' activities. Baghdad has
a long history of supporting terrorism, altering its targets to reflect
changing priorities and goals. It is also had contacts with Al Qaeda."
(George Tenet, Committee On Armed Services, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 3/19/02)