Truth about Iraq war comes in slivers

Truth about Iraq war comes in slivers

By G. Jefferson Price III
Perspective Editor
Originally published September 21, 2003

LAST WEEK, a sliver of truth seeped out of the circle of mendacity that surrounds the Bush administration's war in Iraq.
"We've had no evidence that Saddam Hussein was involved with September the 11th," said President Bush.

Since the war began, most Americans have believed Saddam Hussein had a hand in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Bush and his hawks deliberately have not discouraged that linkage. And they may be pleased that many Americans probably didn't notice the president's acknowledgement, finally, that no evidence exists of that linkage. It was buried in the middle of a general story in The Sun. Even The New York Times gave it little attention inside the newspaper, though its editorial page seized on the significance in an editorial headlined: "The Terrorism Link That Wasn't."

The president had timing on his side, of course. He made the statement while much of the East Coast was preoccupied with Hurricane Isabel and the West Coast was focused on the looney California recall election.

Bush was correcting a false impression created by his vice president, Richard Cheney (I cannot bring myself to call him Dick). Cheney had strongly hinted on last Sunday's NBC program, Meet The Press, that some evidence might exist connecting Saddam Hussein to 9/11.

But even the president would not go so far as to disassociate himself from the linkage between al-Qaida and the Saddam Hussein regime. "There's no question that Saddam Hussein had al-Qaida ties."

what a complete lying bastard!