Bush would mention Saddam Hussein and 9/11 repeatedly in his SOU addresses often in the same breath. That repetition has an effect as is seen in the numbers of people who do think there is that connection.

The connection was made by others (re: media). And yet you still can’t find a single quote where Bush stated Saddam had anything to do with 9/11, can you?

Basically, you’re just rehashing the arguments that I already covered in my post.

Vice President Cheney said in a speech on (6/14/04) that Saddam Hussein “had long-established ties with al Qaeda.”

Yeah….and…..?……?

Hussein did have long established ties, and as reported to the public- by the media and politicians- during the Clinton Administration.

Again, you’re doing what has been done for the last 5 years…what VP Cheney actually said on MtP in the full context of when he said it, isn’t as well known as what journalists and pundits say (and distorted) what he said. Like the Senate Select Committee on Pre-War Intell’s phase II report, are 5 speeches alone, the sole cause of what the public believes?

Let me ask you something. When has the Administration EVER made the link between 9/11 and Saudi Arabia? Most all of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudi nationals. Yet you would never hear of that link. This is obvious distortion.

I wasn’t aware that we were under cease-fire agreements with the Saudi Royals; nor that they violated UN Resolutions that needed enforcement.

Our relationship to the Saudis is a complex one; but those terrorists are just as much enemies of the Saudi government. al-Qaeda’s war is just as much with secular Middle Eastern governments as much as with the U.S.

It’s kind of like the subliminal messages they used to put into movies. You know, flashing an image of popcorn in between frames to make people hungry for popcorn. It’s the exact same thing.. if you hear Saddam Hussein and 9/11 together repeatedly..it starts to be ingrained into your mind.

So then you agree with me that the media is by and large responsible for pushing the connection.

Pass me the butter…

Vice President Cheney said in a speech on (6/14/04) that Saddam Hussein “had long-established ties with al Qaeda.”

Let me ask you something. When has the Administration EVER made the link between 9/11 and Saudi Arabia? Most all of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudi nationals. Yet you would never hear of that link. This is obvious distortion.

It’s kind of like the subliminal messages they used to put into movies. You know, flashing an image of popcorn in between frames to make people hungry for popcorn. It’s the exact same thing.. if you hear Saddam Hussein and 9/11 together repeatedly..it starts to be ingrained into your mind.

What a laugh. A desperate Anne Kornbutt goes the tired route of 911/Saddam accusations. Typical one trick monkey that thinks if a jihad movement isn’t wearing an AQ badge, and carrying the membership card, they just can’t be the enemy that “planned and carried out and rejoiced in the death of thousands of Americans.”

To use Kornbutt’s anal analysis, we never should have removed the Taliban as the rule of Afghanistan. After all, they didn’t attack us on Sept 11th either…

Palin Links Iraq to Sept. 11 In Talk to Troops in Alaska

By Anne E. Kornblut
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, September 12, 2008; A01

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska, Sept. 11 — Gov. Sarah Palin linked the war in Iraq with the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, telling an Iraq-bound brigade of soldiers that included her son that they would “defend the innocent from the enemies who planned and carried out and rejoiced in the death of thousands of Americans.”

The idea that the Iraqi government under Saddam Hussein helped al-Qaeda plan the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, a view once promoted by Bush administration officials, has since been rejected even by the president himself. But it is widely agreed that militants allied with al-Qaeda have taken root in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion.

“America can never go back to that false sense of security that came before September 11, 2001,” she said at the deployment ceremony, which drew hundreds of military families who walked from their homes on the sprawling post to the airstrip where the service was held.

Palin’s return to Alaska coincided with her first extensive interview since she became the Republican vice presidential nominee. In the interview, with ABC News correspondent Charles Gibson, she was confronted with questions about the U.S. relationship with Russia and her fitness for office, and she appeared to struggle when asked to define the “Bush doctrine” on foreign policy. Palin drew repeated follow-up questions from Gibson about whether she believed in the right to “anticipatory self-defense” and crossing other nations’ borders to take action against threats.

“I believe that America has to exercise all options in order to stop the terrorists who are hellbent on destroying America and our allies,” she said after several questions on the topic. “We have got to have all options out there on the table.”

That response put her in line with a view expressed by Sen. Barack Obama, now the Democratic presidential nominee, in August 2007, when he stirred controversy by saying that if he were elected president, he would be willing to attack inside Pakistan with or without approval from the Pakistani government. “If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharraf won’t act, we will,” Obama said. At the time, McCain called Obama’s comments “naive.”

Palin continued to take a hard line on national security issues when asked whether war with Russia could be necessary if Georgia were to join NATO and Russia crossed its borders again. Palin replied, “Perhaps so.”

“I mean, that is the agreement when you are a NATO ally, is if another country is attacked, you’re going to be expected to be called upon and help,” she said.

In the interview, Palin said “I’m ready” when asked whether she had sufficient experience to serve as vice president. She added that she did not hesitate when McCain offered her the No. 2 spot on the ticket.

“I answered yes because I have the confidence in that readiness and knowing that you can’t blink, you have to be wired in a way of being so committed to the mission, the mission that we’re on, reform of this country and victory in the war, you can’t blink,” she told Gibson.

The event Thursday, held on a barren Army post on the seventh anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, provided a powerful visual backdrop for Palin’s first solo appearance after weeks of traveling alongside McCain and reading from a carefully prepared script.

McCain aides were adamant that the ceremony had not been coordinated with the campaign, and officers at the installation said the Alaska governor had agreed to attend months before she was chosen for the GOP ticket. Palin’s son Track, 19, will deploy to Iraq with his unit later this month. McCain’s son Jimmy is with his Marine Corps unit in Iraq, but the senator from Arizona has taken pains to keep him out of the campaign spotlight.

As she has been since McCain plucked her from relative obscurity two weeks ago, Palin continues to be surrounded by senior McCain advisers even here; the senator’s top strategist, Steve Schmidt, and several others accompanied her to Alaska. The group is guiding Palin through a crash course on policy issues and is revising the campaign’s original plan to send her on fundraising missions separately from McCain.

Instead, seeking to seize on the outpouring of enthusiasm for Palin, McCain advisers are “seriously considering” having McCain and Palin campaign together on the road. It would be an unusual arrangement — running mates traditionally split up to cover as much ground as possible — but aides believe it would help brand McCain and Palin as a single unit. It would also prevent Palin from having to contend with her own dedicated press contingent as she works to become more comfortable with an array of national and international issues. The campaign is also cognizant of the fact that McCain has consistently drawn bigger crowds since adding Palin to the ticket.

“It is under serious consideration that they will spend more time together than not, and more time together than is traditional,” said a senior McCain adviser, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “They are a great duo together, from the perspective of delivering a message.” The adviser added: “Sometimes these vice presidential selections, the pairings work in a magical way; they click.”

Other campaign formalities have also been taken care of in recent days. Aides confirmed that Palin and her husband, Todd, have been assigned Secret Service names: hers is Denali, after the Alaska national park and wildlife preserve that includes Mount McKinley; his is Driller, a nod to his work as an oilman on the state’s North Slope.

On the Army post outside Fairbanks early Thursday afternoon, thousands of soldiers stood in formation as a low sun beamed on the chilly tarmac. One officer who said he had come to know Track Palin said that the ceremony would have taken place in the same way had the governor not been tapped to run for higher office, and that her son was determined to remain as anonymous as possible.

Pvt. 1st Class Palin is being sent to Iraq with the Stryker Brigade Combat Team of the 25th Infantry Division. Palin, 19, will be deployed to northern Iraq and will be primarily tasked with protecting and helping transport the deputy commander of his unit, Lt. Col. Michael W. Smith. His position is one of dismounted infantryman.

“He wants to pave his own route in life. He wants to do his own thing,” Maj. Chris Hyde said. “He doesn’t want to just be known as Governor Palin’s son.”

Hyde said Col. Burt Thompson had arranged the deployment ceremony to coincide with the Sept. 11 anniversary as a symbol of the importance of the military. “That was intentional,” Hyde said, describing the effort as a “theatrical” one but adding quickly that it had nothing to do with the Palins. “I talked to Track Palin last week, and he’s still just an all-American kid,” Hyde said.

The governor did not address her son by name in her remarks but spoke broadly on behalf of the troops’ families. “Don’t mind us — your parents, your friends, your family — if we allow for a few tears or if we hold you just a little closer once more before you’re gone,” she said. “We’re going to miss you. We can’t help it, we’re going to miss you.”

She continued: “You may not need our protection anymore. In fact, you’re the ones who will now be protecting us, protecting America.”

Hat tip: Scott’s post and American Power

I am always surprised to see how the World perceives Georges W.Bush. I have admiration for that President who did what he had to do to protect America. But the Medias as so biased that they have succeeded worldwide, to ruin his reputation. I do believe History will have the last word and will restore Georges W.Bush reputation in future books.

The best book I have read so far on G.W. Bush is:

WHAT BUSH WANTS – A Reconstruction of the World”, by Guy Millière (Editions de La Martinière)

I echo Missy’s sentiments. That was an outstanding read, and should be made into a post for a wider audience. Your vivid, concrete detailing made me feel the horrors of being there more than simply watching the video footage. Difficult to imagine, so accounts like yours helps one to empathize. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience.

Starting us out with your personal experience and then explaining why you believe this to be America’s war is also a more compelling explanation for this war than I’ve ever seen.

My hope and prayer is that your scars will heal and peace reigns in your life again.

There are many things about that day (9/11) that the general public doesn’t know.
For example: many of us thought there were “3″ attacks (not 2)

After the 1rst collapse, visibility south of the area was lousy. The sky was entirely blocked out. Visibility was very low. At one point, I was crawling on my hands and knees trying to help an elderly woman climb over construction and power generators on the west side of the building as the aftermath of the first collapse raged around us. (like being in a hurricane of debris and dust) At that point, we knew it was “planes” that had hit the buildings and that we were under attack. Here’s the point…..we could not see…but we could “hear” jets going super sonic over us. We thought it was more rogue planes. (it was only later, that I found out that they were in fact “our” planes) And as we shuffled along towards the brooklyn bridge…some people were praying…and everytime a plane would go over…people would start to moan, shuffle a little faster…and people just tried to stay calm and keep moving. There were “thousands’ of people. Shoulder to shoulder. We were using our shirts, whatever, to try and breath.

Every now and again…another plane…moans, a scream…and people would calmly press forward and say keep moving, keep moving. There were woman, children, injured, elderly, ….and we all pressed on. Some helping others, some carrying others, some just left by the wayside, who had abandoned all hope. Then came a quick Swwwossssshhhh….BOOM and a huge rumble/explosion. (it was the 2nd collapse, but we thought it was another plane (a 3rd) landing close by). A blinding rush of debris/dust came rolling up the foot of the brooklyn bridge, onto the bridge. People disappeared in the cloud right in front of us…and you could hear screams. Then…some started jumping off the bridge ramps. People panic’d and rushed back down the bridge ramp…and others tried to stop them. The family in front of me..eyes wide….started to run back….realizing we could not go back…then tried to go forward, realizing they couldn’t go forward…then jumped off the side of the bridge ramp down to the street. All of them. Baby included. (it’s about 15-20 feet).

I had to stop and get my self straight. I held my head with my hands to try and drown out the screams…and I started shaking. I knew I could not go back. And I knew it was only getting worse…so I pulled my shirt over my face…and held my breath…and started pushing forward as fast as I could. When I entered the debris….I started stripping over stuff I couldn’t see. My hand came off my face. And the dust blinded me. I reached out with my hand and I could hear people around me….but I couldn’t see them. And I kept walking. I ran into a car or something on the bridge. I could not really even see it. I felt around it and kept walking. By this time, my lungs were about to explode, I let the air out and I took a quick shallow breath which was so acrid…I immediately began coughing. And the more I coughed, the worse it got. I fell down on my knees…I was right next to the railing. And I heard another plane. I thought about jumping. And then my lungs were in full panic mode.

There is this moment of great clarity. It’s like the difference between “thinking” you’ve locked your keys in your car….and looking through the window to see them dangling there. That was the feeling. A sinking feeling, where the possibilities for other outcomes run out. I knew I was going to die. And my mind raced with thoughts….what about my wife, what about the bills, what about..etc..and they quickly left because you realize…ain’t crap you can do about it now. And although I was very scared, and panicked….I kind of knew…it was going to be ok. That people I loved…”knew” I loved them. Thats all that really mattered at that moment…that I was not leaving the world with things unsaid to the people I love. I was just going to try and make it as far as I could. But, it wasn’t that long..the air started to dissipate…clear. The smoke got thinner. The air got clearer. Although my eyes were crusted and watering…I could see. I was still coughing but it was easing. The screams were becoming muted behind me and seemed far off. And I “knew” I was going to make it. I stopped, next to an old woman gasping for air…in what was left of her tattered dress. And we watched people come out of that fog as we caught our breath.

Out of the fog…very calmly, walks this wall streeter. His suit, torn and burned off. Some of it stuck to his burned skin. His scalp was laid open…sticking up. Blood from his nose. He was carrying only the handle and what was left of the top of his brief case. Like he was going to work.
The woman and I just watched..in shock as he teetered down to the bottom where a temp aide station had been setup…and they rushed out to get him. I walked into a deli on Atlantic Ave to get some water. There were 2 ME men, celebrating, laughing as they watched the planes on a small tV flying into the buildings over and over. The entire scene was so out of place I could not even take it in. My brain was shutting down. I struggled to get a bottle of water, and just started to walk out and one of them said something. I realized I had not paid for the water and he was asking for a dollar. I reached in my pocket…and it was full of glass/debris and dust and wadded up bills. I piled the entire thing up on his counter and left. I have no idea how much was in there. But, I was going into shock and my systems were shutting down and it was getting harder and harder to think and I knew I had to try and get somewhere.

I walked 7 miles to a friends house which was the only thing I could force my mind to remember or remember the way to get there from where I was. It was there, that I pulled pieces of what used to be a human being out of my hair in the shower. They say I slept for almost 2 days, then just sat in the back garden and stared…drinking large amounts of alc. I still have bouts of PTSD. I still have trouble with some things. But, one thing I “don’t” have trouble with…is understanding what that day meant and what kind of a war we are in, and that it goes FAR beyond “Al Queda” in caves in Aghanistan and Pakistan or a few dozen disgruntled well to do saudis kids attending college in Europe. I knew it was far beyond a logistical/tactical military campaign. It was more the realization that EVEN my own damn neighbors…had been part of this, supported this, gave money to this, recruited and even trained for this….offered logistical support to them, etc. People who lived “here”. How were we going to change that? How were we going to fight that without loosing who we are and what we are as Americans?

Regardless of what anyone believes…what has happened in Iraq….is what needed to happen to change this dynamic. Even as we fought in Afghanistan….people STILL held up Osama as a hero and supported his call and cause. Now, because of Iraq and what they have done there…people are rejecting them and their ideology and beliefs. They reject it also because they have in front of them a future that they concluded would never exist for the majority of people who live there (courtesy of OIF and our coaltion partners thank you very much) and have watched AlQueda, and others try and dismantle and destroy any semblance of hope for that and to try and replace that with ethnic cleansing and holy war to divide everyone along those lines. They reject it because it has been exposed for what it truly is and what it stands for…despite their “glorious” propaganda they can use knowing us so well…and with help from people like Adam Gadhan (may he rot in hell).

I’ve always understood, since 9/11, that this was a “war” and that Iraq was a 2nd front in a larger war. It took Iraq, and a bunch of very, VERY brave young men and women who have sacrificed enormously….while we play dressup and pretend we live in repression at home (if real dictators were only as easy to get rid of) to get to the very heart of this, expose AlQueda and groups like them and slowly begin to turn this around. This isn’t Bush’s war. It’s America’s war. Bush will be gone in a few months. It’s America and our way of life that is on the line here. Not Bush. He’ll go on to be Bush the private citizen after this. But, if you want to know what is at stake in this war….regardless of how you feel about Iraq or any other action taken by this president…..take a look across your dinner table at your family. Look at your neighbor…your friends. Everything that you hold dear…is at stake in this war.

You may not know it. You may not feel it like some other families do who have people right now with their lives on the line in this war. But, you ARE part of it and your life “is” on the line every single day. Even if all you do is just show up for work one bright sunny Sept morning.

I mentioned this book yesterday, it’s about how the media and democrats damaged President Bush and this country’s war efforts to gain power. Borden worries that it also damaged our future ability to take on Iran. Just ordered it, haven’t read it yet but I think it will be much like your line of thought.

A Better Country: Why America Was Right to Confront Iraq”
Arthur Borden

When you have left-wing lunatics out there, like Jeanine Garofalo, it’s no wonder such myths spread.

The FA blog hosts are the best, it’s Christmas everyday in here, thank you.

Ho, Ho, Ho! On behalf of the FA crew, THANK YOU for such a morale-boosting, ego-injecting compliment.

Missy, what part of the country do you live in? I’m out here in Los Angeles, and I’m drowning in a sea of blue. The funny thing is, I think at least half the people I talk to would not be pro-Obama and anti-Bush if they were better informed. It may sound presumptive and arrogant of me, but I really do believe that the MSM in general has made Bush “damaged goods” by how they’ve characterized him and his presidency and his policies, as much as anything Bush himself has actually done to earn the image and reputation.

btw…ever eat at the square egg diner in West Chester?

Sounds like a question for skye.

Glad you survived 9/11, Dc. That must have been quite the surreal experience. I think your first instincts regarding possible involvement from Saddam wasn’t at all unusual from anyone who follows the news.

I was in WTC plaza on 9/11. We were busy for quite a while just trying to reach safety and didn’t really know what was going on after the first explosion. But, my first thought, and I said it out loud, after the 2nd plane hit and I picked myself up off the ground was….. “Saddam”. I guess, because there was a heavy Iraq link to the first WTC bombing in 93.

There were known connections in that case between AlQueda (Kalid Sheik Muhammad was Ramsi Yoseff’s uncle) and several of the conspirators. I think at the time, this was passed over/glossed over because AlQueda, at that time had yet to gain the kind of attention in the Clinton admin that Iraq/Saddam had. There were also complications in the prosecutions of this, including of the Blind Shiek, because of the Gorelick memo/Reno “Wall”, that kept a lid on information reaching the public in a broader way. The Clinton admin was “heavily” focused on Saddam/Iraq.

But, there were at least 2 times..when the Clinton admin (Cohen, R. Clarke and Sandy Berger) made a “clear’ link. One was the Shifa Pharma plant bombed in Sudan, it’s connection with Bin Laden and its connection to Saddam. Perhaps “that’ might be where we’ve heard it before????

Both my husband and I were one of five siblings, out of the 10 of us, three left the Dem party and we have paid dearly, our relationship with our siblings and extended family is strained. But our little Army Sarge is on board with us and we will support him forever. His dad, my brother, passed away March 19, 2003, the night the Iraq war began, he supported President Bush and would have been very proud of his son.

Throughout the WOT the rest have been in the Bush Lied, people died category. None of them have ever bothered to do any research, read any books or keep up with the war, they get their news in soundbites and the union halls my brothers belong to. Hubby’s side is too busy socially to pay attention but still have ill informed opinions. All have been bitter since the 2000 election and choose to believe the worst and will until Obama saves them. If I e-mailed this to them, they wouldn’t even read it.

I suspect this is the way it goes across the nation, many that supported our efforts in the beginning are simply, worn down at this point.

The FA blog hosts are the best, it’s Christmas everyday in here, thank you.