June 18, 2004
Sleepless in...Redux
OK. I told Carine about three and a half hours ago that I was going to bed. I can't do it. This 9/11 Commission thing ruined my evening. On the BBC tonite, they were bashing GWB...and hard.
I need to shed a tiny little night light on the subject so I can get some shuteye.
As I mentioned above, the BBC is in full anti-Bush battle gear here. Love that 'unprepared' 'had to improvise'. Most people are unprepared for daily life. A country is supposed to be prepared for a 9/11? Right.
I managed to find this.
Downing Street maintained yesterday that Saddam Hussein had allowed al-Qaida to operate out of Iraq. The claim appeared to contradict the view of British intelligence officials and the US commission investigating the September 11 attacks.
In a pinch, you know who your friends are. Respect, Tony. The guy is unsinkable. After the EU elections last weekend, the British political elite and media were chomping at the bit expecting PM Blair to get a dressing down for a less than wonderful result. He got nothing but RESPECT. No scathing speeches. Nothing. Whatever 'It' is, Tony the Man has got it. I digress...
Came across a less likely, but nonetheless welcome, friend here.
Sen. Joe Lieberman on Wednesday insisted there are important ties between Iraq and al-Qaida, even as the commission investigating the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks found there was "no credible evidence" linking the two.The Connecticut Democrat offered a different view, telling a Washington audience that the war in Iraq was a fight "against the emergence of a new evil empire, a radical Islamic caliphate which would suppress the freedom of its people and threaten the security of every other nation's citizens."
Wow. I bet you got disinvited to a few dinner parties for that one, Joe.
At the NY Post, R Miniter has an interesting take. (Emphases mine)
Yesterday, the commission announced there was "no credible evidence" linking Iraq and al Qaeda. In reality, there's a wealth of evidence.And by disputing the Iraq-al Qaeda connection, the commissioners are answering a question no one asked them. They were supposed to investigate 9/11, not al Qaeda as a whole. In an election year, this makes them look partisan.
The timing of the final report smells fishy, too: 500,000 copies are due in book stores on July 26 — the very day the Democratic convention begins in Boston. Again, not a credibility-enhancing move.
To say the least.
But, wait, guess which headline-grabbing Democrat name is ALSO ''supportive'' of President Bush on Iraq? Did you guess correctly? Be honest now.
Somehow, I don't think that part of Rather-be-biased's interview will be used for writing any headlines...
Posted by Valerie at June 18, 2004 02:26 AM1:06 am here. Your sleeplessness (is that a word? too many e's and s's) is catching!
I'd read about Bill and Iraq, but I always get the feeling that is nothing more than him covering his ass....
Posted by: andy at June 18, 2004 06:03 AMBet I'm awake before you, Andy. ;)
Yes, Clinton's comments could well be spin but, hey, what I'd like to see is that spin being put to good use in a lot of headlines, a*s-covering or not.
Of course, I'm dreaming. Maybe that's why I'm not sleeping much at night - I dream too much during the day!
Putin says Iraq prepared terrorist attacks in USPosted by: Carine at June 18, 2004 01:06 PM
RosBusinessConsulting. Friday, Jun. 18, 2004, 3:48 PM Moscow Time
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the former Iraqi regime was preparing terrorist attacks in the United States and outside it against US interests. After September 11, 2001 and before the start of the military operation in Iraq, Russian intelligence services received information about potential attacks masterminded by official institutions controlled by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, Putin declared at a summit in the Kazakhstani capital of Astana. Russian intelligence services informed their US colleagues about potential attacks, and US President George Bush expressed his gratitude for this information, as he considered it to be very important. Putin also stressed that Russia did not have any information that Saddam's regime had been behind September 11. He said he did not know if US campaign in Iraq had been necessary of security reasons, Mayak radio reported.
That's ok, that just means that the objection now will be "SADDAM DID NOT FLY THE PLANES INTO THE BUILDINGS!"
Posted by: Doug at June 18, 2004 06:04 PMI have no words to describe the shock to me at my local papers bald faced bold print lie. Saddam and Iraq no link to Al Queda.
Nick Berg had his head cut off by an Al Queda operative who was hospitalised in Baghdad for wounds he recieved in Afghanistan.
I am seriously considering making my own terrorist "statement" at the papers distribution center.
Honestly I don't see how you people can stand this sort of behavior from the media.
OK I guess I'll just blog them to hell. Terrorist is illegal.
Posted by: papertiger at June 18, 2004 11:35 PMoops Terrorism is illegal.
Good old Al Queda. Always on the spot with a new unspeakable atrocity to pull the media's head out of its toocass.
And the Saudis make sure to erase the evidence
Posted by: papertiger at June 18, 2004 11:42 PMYou wouldn't want the Saudis to have handed him over to American authorities that would, without a doubt, have tortured him, would you?
Posted by: Carine at June 19, 2004 02:16 AMI wonder why the change of direction from Vlade Putin? He was dead set against the invasion of Iraq.
DIPLOMACY by our President with the lead tongue?
Maybe
Posted by: Papertiger at June 19, 2004 07:33 AMAt first it was
Saudi officials reported that Johnson's body was found Friday dumped on the northern outskirts of the capital, hours after his captors killed and decapitated him and posted Web photos of his severed head.
Now it is
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (June 19) - Saudi security agents searched homes in the capital and surrounding deserts Saturday for the body of slain American hostage Paul M. Johnson Jr., while Saudi officials hailed as a victory their slaying of his executioner, the top al-Qaida figure in the kingdom.
But they said the terrorists were located while dumping the body. A body they can't find now.
Sanitation complete, return to base.
Honestly I don't see how you people can stand this sort of behavior from the media.
Honestly it sickens me, but I don't know what to do but bitch. How can you force honesty when they're determined not to be? I don't know. But yeah, setting something on fire has a certain appeal to it. Maybe I can tell E.L.F. that they use ink made from sea otters or something.
I wonder why the change of direction from Vlade Putin? He was dead set against the invasion of Iraq.
DIPLOMACY by our President with the lead tongue?
Could be, but I think that's not really half of it. Russia's concern was its oil interests and Iraqi debt. They were up front about that from the start. Obstruction isn't going to serve Russia at this point - it's over, we won, their boy got the boot. Their best bet at this point is to get in bed with the US and the new Iraqi government.
Posted by: Doug at June 20, 2004 12:18 AMYour right. The Russians actually have contracts signed with Saddam, as opposed to Totalfina.
Total spent too much time haggling I guess. Putin has a better then average chance of getting the new Iraqi government to honor their contracts.
