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Operation Iraqi Freedom Documents
Posted on 03/23/2006 9:17:39 AM PST by slowhand520
March 22, 2006 — Following are the ABC News Investigative Unit's summaries of five documents from Saddam Hussein's government, which have been released by the U.S. government.
The documents discuss Osama bin Laden, weapons of mass destruction, al Qaeda and more.
The full documents can be found on the U.S. Army Foreign Military Studies Office Web site: http://fmso.leavenworth.army.mil/products-docex.htm.
Note: Document titles were added by ABC News.
"Osama Bin Laden Contact With Iraq"
A newly released pre-war Iraqi document indicates that an official representative of Saddam Hussein's government met with Osama bin Laden in Sudan on February 19, 1995 after approval by Saddam Hussein. Bin Laden asked that Iraq broadcast the lectures of Suleiman al Ouda, a radical Saudi preacher, and suggested "carrying out joint operations against foreign forces" in Saudi Arabia. According to the document, Saddam's presidency was informed of the details of the meeting on March 4, 1995 and Saddam agreed to dedicate a program for them on the radio. The document states that further "development of the relationship and cooperation between the two parties to be left according to what's open (in the future) based on dialogue and agreement on other ways of cooperation." The Sudanese were informed about the agreement to dedicate the program on the radio.
The report then states that "Saudi opposition figure" bin Laden had to leave Sudan in July 1996 after it was accused of harboring terrorists. It says information indicated he was in Afghanistan. "The relationship with him is still through the Sudanese. We're currently working on activating this relationship through a new channel in light of his current location," it states.
(Editor's Note: This document is handwritten and has no official seal. Although contacts between bin Laden and the Iraqis have been reported in the 9/11 Commission report and elsewhere, (e.g. the 9/11 report states "Bin Ladn himself met with a senior Iraqi intelligence officer in Khartoum in late 1994 or early 1995) this document indicates the contacts were approved personally by Saddam Hussein.
It also indicates the discussions were substantive, in particular that bin Laden was proposing an operational relationship, and that the Iraqis were, at a minimum, interested in exploring a potential relationship and prepared to show good faith by broadcasting the speeches of al Ouda, the radical cleric who was also a bin Laden mentor.
The document does not establish that the two parties did in fact enter into an operational relationship. Given that the document claims bin Laden was proposing to the Iraqis that they conduct "joint operations against foreign forces" in Saudi Arabia, it is interesting to note that eight months after the meeting — on November 13, 1995 — terrorists attacked Saudi National Guard Headquarters in Riyadh, killing 5 U.S. military advisors. The militants later confessed on Saudi TV to having been trained by Osama bin Laden.)
"Osama bin Laden and the Taliban"
Document dated Sept. 15, 2001
An Iraqi intelligence service document saying that their Afghani informant, who's only identified by a number, told them that the Afghani Consul Ahmed Dahastani claimed the following in front of him:
That OBL and the Taliban are in contact with Iraq and that a group of Taliban and bin Laden group members visited Iraq. That the U.S. has proof the Iraqi government and "bin Laden's group" agreed to cooperate to attack targets inside America. That in case the Taliban and bin Laden's group turn out to be involved in "these destructive operations," the U.S. may strike Iraq and Afghanistan. That the Afghani consul heard about the issue of Iraq's relationship with "bin Laden's group" while he was in Iran.
At the end, the writer recommends informing "the committee of intentions" about the above-mentioned items. The signature on the document is unclear.
(Editor's Note: The controversial claim that Osama bin Laden was cooperating with Saddam Hussein is an ongoing matter of intense debate. While the assertions contained in this document clearly support the claim, the sourcing is questionable — i.e. an unnamed Afghan "informant" reporting on a conversation with another Afghan "consul." The date of the document — four days after 9/11 — is worth noting but without further corroboration, this document is of limited evidentiary value.)
"Election Campaign Laws in France"
Documents dated July-August 1999
Correspondence regarding election campaigns in France. This includes a document from the Iraqi intelligence service classified as "secret," ordering the translation of important parts of a 1997 report about campaign financing laws in France. It also includes a document from the foreign minister's office indicating the report was attached. The attached translated report included very detailed information about all the regulations regarding financing of election campaigns in France. Translation was done by someone called "Salam Abdul Karim Mohammed."
(Editor's Note: This is an intriguing document which suggests Saddam Hussein's regime had a strong interest in the mechanics and legalities of financial contributions to French politicians. Several former French politicians are implicated in receiving oil vouchers from Iraq under the U.N. Oil for Food program.)
Don't you just love the "editors notes"?
It's like they are so scared that people might be able to put two and two together on their own and they need to minimize the impact of the documents.
wont see this story on nbc,cnn,msnbc
< /sarc >
...or Newsweak
These documents are going to kill the Democrat's chances this year and in 2008. ABC is covering them and eventually the other networks will as well. There's just too much here to ignore. I could be wrong, but that's what I'm getting a sense of right now. Death by a thousand cuts. And let me just say, it couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of politicians.
Nice of them to remind us that this is of little evidentiary value. Might have otherwise believed the president. ABCBUFFOONS.
Release/Translation of Classified PreWar Docs ping. If you want to be added or removed to the ping list, please Freepmail me.
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Operation Iraqi Freedom Documents
The editor(s) add these little asides to ensure that the reader knows these documents haven't been vetted completely. Do you think the Bush National Guard Memo's/Dan Rather meltdown had these little notes attached? In any event, I am taken far aback that ABC would even report on these documents, it must be causing tremendous cognitive dissonance with all ABC backsta...I mean journalists, not to mention their fellow MSM.
But everyone knows that there was no meeting. If there were a meeting, that would mean cooperation and the 9/11 Commission and Joe Wilson proved there was no cooperation. Why,. Saddam and Osama never even heard of each other. It's Halliburton. I bet Halliburton made up this document.
I know one thing....Chrissy Matthews has ratcheted up his anti-Iraq war vitriol in the last week or so...
He had Stephen Hayes on his show the other night...and said TO Hayes, that Bush claimed that Saddam had been part of 9/11, which Bush has NOT said. He just said there was a link to them in general...AND that in the greater WAR ON TERROR...they were the "same".
These documents are going to kill the Democrat's chances this year and in 2008..................
Please don't anyone try to disturb my dream of a document or video tape coming out with Saddam & friends talking about how they snookered the fool (Clinton)in the White House.
Newsweek has been especially despicable and bitter during the previous 48 hours after Bush correctly outed the MSM as biased towards Iraq. Just tune into any NBC affiliated news show and hear the ranting and defensive posture "WE are not biased".
MSM: If we don't discuss it, or just put in on the last page or the end of the newscast, then it didn't happen.
"Nice of them to remind us that this is of little evidentiary value."
That's right, anything that casts Bush in a bad light is to be believed and trumpeted from the rooftops as fact, anything that proves he was right is "of little evidentiary value". Got it.
I'm sure this will be front page on the New York Times tomorrow. Not.
Funny thing about evidentiary value - WE did not charge Saddam with a crime for which we needed evidence. We were just removing him to protect out country. I would say a preponderance of the evidence would be enough in that case. Or even just good ol' suspicion - when our country is at stake.
More proof that there is no link between Saddam and Bin Laden - Well, in a mentally ill, liberal mind, anyway.
Never saw any of this during Memogate.
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