Wolfowitz backtracks from statements linking al-Qaida and Saddam loyalists

"We haven't shifted grounds. We have been clear from the beginning that there are three pieces here that fit together and that liberating the Iraqi people from a terrible tyranny has been one of the major arguments. And, in fact, that is the argument that used to be unanimously agreed on by Congress and the former Administration and the new Administration. But, what we also said was -- particularly in light of September 11 and the way we had to look at the potential threat of terrorism and WMD -- it was a three-part argument as laid out by Powell in his U.N. presentation. As laid out, I am quite certain, if you looked at Cheney's speeches, it's there. It's there in the President's State of the union message. But, I would say most of all, I am the one who was often criticized for talking too much about what Iraq could become once it was liberated and, indeed, what I believe it has to become -- because we have taken on a task and we have to win it. But, when we win it, it will, in fact, advance American interests in the larger battle on terrorism."

Thanks for posting this.

Wolfowitz now tells the A-P he misspoke because he didn't anticipate questions about Iraq in interviews about the September eleventh anniversary.

either this guy is an idiot or he thinks we are.

I think the latter.

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