LA TIMES: White House says Mohammed Atta met Iraqi agent

LA Times ^ | Aug 2, 2002 | Bob Drogin, Paul Richter and Doyle McManus

[Frank_Discussion]

Despite deep doubts by the CIA and FBI, the White House is now backing claims that suspected Sept. 11 skyjacker Mohammed Atta secretly met five months earlier with an Iraqi agent in Prague, Czech Republic, a possible indication that Saddam Hussein's regime was involved in the terror attacks.

[section9]

If they make the 9/11-Iraq link Bush is already authorized by Congress to use miliary force against them. If not, he needs Congressional approval which he'd get easily....even from the Senate.

Well, actually no. If Bush goes to the Senate, he has to go to Robert Byrd. Which means that the whole damn war will have to be run out of West Virginia. When we open up new bomb and airplane factories in WV, you know a deal has been struck.^_^

But seriously, the White House has known about the April, 2001 meeting for some time. They just kept it in their pocket for use at an opportune time.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[NeoCaveman]

But seriously, the White House has known about the April, 2001 meeting for some time. They just kept it in their pocket for use at an opportune time.

No doubt about it.

[harpseal]

I saw this item and I have long considered the timing and location of the anthrax attacks to implicate Al Qaeda,. That along with the stories about a mysteious sore that could have been anthrax on one of the hijackers. Did Atta meet with Iraqi intel? My guess is yes. Does the opposition have a significant quantity of bio-agents to wreck havoc here again I guess yes. Is it just a question of time until those agents are used anyway? I also guess yes.

In short it is finally time to bring the sheeple into the war. Is it a necessary war. Again teh answer is yes but I do think the govt. should have been more up front about it.

Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown

[wardaddy]

Ugh.

[bonesmccoy]

old news. I think I first saw this posted and substantiated on FR almost six months ago.

[Shermy]

Czech Official Affirms Atta Met Iraqi Agent

Mr. Atta Goes to Prague

[okie01]

"This makes it sound like the inspectors left so we could start bombing. I thought the inspectors were kicked out be Saddam?"

They weren't kicked out. They were told to leave, because Hussein had hamstrung their inspection efforts -- refusing access to various sites.

However, they had been sitting on their hands in a Baghdad hotel for several months under these very conditions. But they weren't told to leave, and the bombing didn't start, until the House was preparing to meet in special session in order to consider articles of impeachment.

It was probably just a coincidence...

[okie01]

FYI, there are new reports that the WNV outbreak in Louisiana is especially severe. There is some surprise among authorities that as many as 58 people have been infected by the virus and four have already died.

They is also some talk about advising everybody not to go outside without a.) mosquito repellant and b.) long-sleeve shirts and long pants.

WNV Mark 2.0?

[Frank_Discussion]

Hey Bones!

Yeah, it's old. But my point (which I suppose I didn't make) is that it's being reiterated. Another tick of the countdown clock.

[Frank_Discussion]

Mmmm... donuts...

[Frank_Discussion]

"But seriously, the White House has known about the April, 2001 meeting for some time. They just kept it in their pocket for use at an opportune time."

That's my impression.

[Betty Jo]

Yep

[denydenydeny]

It should be noted that this is the first time an American official has confirmed this information, even anonymously. All the previous confirmations have come from Czech officials.

[Frank_Discussion]

Oooh... That I did NOT know. It seems that Sgt. Schultz has fallen alseep at his post.

[The Great Satan]

But seriously, the White House has known about the April, 2001 meeting for some time.

Obviously. The POTUS needs to know whether Saddam did 9-11 or not. He doesn't get his intelligence by reading Newsweek -- his sources are little better than that. Bush has known the answer to this question, "yes" or "no," since last September. And, if you have been playing close attention to the words and actions of Bush and Cheney since that time, it's been pretty obvious that the answer wasn't "no."

[Mitchell]

WNV Mark 2.0?

I was just wondering the same thing.

They is also some talk about advising everybody not to go outside without a.) mosquito repellant and b.) long-sleeve shirts and long pants.

Not a bad idea in Louisiana in any case, LOL. Those mosquitos on the bayou are really something.

[sakic]

Now that we are looking to take out a thug nation that is clearly buildings WMDs, all of a sudden the Slimes is saying "whoa, there, let's make sure we have ironclad evidence!"

Folks are willing to bomb Saddam without any evidence, yet Saudi Arabia has killed a couple thousand Americans and holds telethons for the Palestinians who then in turn kill Americans in Israel.

The logic to bomb Iraq because we don't like Saddam because he may prove to be a future danger to us would be akin to Afghanistan having bombed us last year because they feared we were going to bomb them in the future.

Talk about what's really telling. W seems hellbent on going after his daddy's enemy no matter the consequences.

[mlocher]

Why can't reporters either write without such gratuitous modifiers, or quote someone specifically?

because if they quoted someone specifically, we would all know that they were interviewing the janitorial crew at the cia. everyone has an opinion, but those in the know typically keep their mouths shut when national security is at stake.

the lat has a paper to run and needs to make money. if they held to high ethical standards, then they would report the truth, which does not sell very well to the mass market.

[Tailgunner Joe]

bttt

[Almondjoy]

They weren't kicked out but weren't allowed to see or do anything right before the airstrikes began.