No proof links Iraq, al-Qaida, Powell says

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3909150/

Secretary of State Colin Powell reversed a year of administration policy, acknowledging Thursday that he had seen no “smoking gun concrete evidence” of ties between former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and al-Qaida.

Powell, speaking at a news conference at the State Department, stressed that he was still certain that Iraq had dangerous weapons and needed to be disarmed by force, and he sharply disagreed with a private think tank report that maintained that Iraq was not an imminent threat to the United States.

“I have not seen smoking gun, concrete evidence about the connection, but I do believe the connections existed,” he said.

Powell’s observation marked a turning point in administration arguments in support of the U.S. invasion of Iraq last spring. The assertion that Saddam and the terrorist network led by Saudi fugitive Osama bin Laden were working in concert was a primary justification for the war.

[DuctapeFatwa]

1. He said there was the potential for links

There is the potential for links in a lot of US properties around the world, or as anti-American terrorist sympathizers call them, "other countries."

[Zhade]

2. There sure are now!

We can thank the traitors in the White House for that one... :mad:

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

3. "I believe" is the standard of proof for BushCo

In science, measurable, material proof is required to support a theory.

In the law, a criminal conviction requires "evidence beyond reasonable doubt", while to win a civil case you have to prove "by the preponderance of the evidence" that your claim is valid.

In the Bush* administration, "I believe" is sufficient proof to bomb the shit out of another country without provocation. They also use "there's no doubt" (Cheney), or "common sense says" (Rumsfeld), or some other fantasy reason.

"I believe" is absolutely no standard of proof. It's something you expect from a child: "I believe in Santa Claus."

But no one will call him on it. No one holds these guys accountable for anything they say.

[NNN0LHI]

4. That means he must have been lying before then n/t

[JNelson6563]

5. Yes and we all knew it

No surprise here. They are all liars.

Julie

[truthisfreedom]

6. Powell Admits No Hard Proof in Linking Iraq to Al Qaeda [NYT]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/09/politics/09POWE.html

Powell Admits No Hard Proof in Linking Iraq to Al Qaeda


By CHRISTOPHER MARQUIS

Published: January 9, 2004



ASHINGTON, Jan. 8 — Secretary of State Colin L. Powell conceded Thursday that despite his assertions to the United Nations last year, he had no "smoking gun" proof of a link between the government of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and terrorists of Al Qaeda.

"I have not seen smoking-gun, concrete evidence about the connection," Mr. Powell said, in response to a question at a news conference. "But I think the possibility of such connections did exist, and it was prudent to consider them at the time that we did."


Mr. Powell's remarks on Thursday were a stark admission that there is no definitive evidence to back up administration statements and insinuations that Saddam Hussein had ties to Al Qaeda, the acknowledged authors of the Sept. 11 attacks. Although President Bush finally acknowledged in September that there was no known connection between Mr. Hussein and the attacks, the impression of a link in the public mind has become widely accepted — and something administration officials have done little to discourage.
<snip>
He said that Mr. Hussein had used prohibited weapons in the past — including nerve gas attacks against Iran and Iraqi Kurds — and said that even if there were no actual weapons at hand, there was every indication he would reconstitute them once the international community lost interest.

[grackle]

7. Today show questioning reasons for war!!

Katie Couric (sp?) just gave Richard Hass hell over the Powell admission and the Kaye resignation!!!!!! She openly questioned the BushCo reasons for going to war as "disingenuous".

[underpants]

8. ABC last night and Today this morning "Shocking revelation"

That Haas guy was this morning was fully protecting W&Co. I don't know who he is but he wouldn't take the bait and kept saying that it wasn't manipulation but just that many were wrong (WH, Intelligence, etc.) and that Saddam was lied to by his own people. Some people have a problem with the "Saddam lied to" but I think that is very possible but it doesn't change the fact that W&Co. selective chose intel to support their claims, they worked backwards from their preconceived notions. Chalabi et al weren't a reliable source but that didn't stop them.

ABC WNT last night lead off the story with almost the same words that Katie used this morning, ~"Shocking revelations from Secretary of State Colin Powell...." Damn that was good.

[Rockholm]

9. No shit.....

Natually, this is "news" to the corporate media. They have bought this *administrations distortions and LIES. Powell has the balls to say that 'I have not seen smoking gun, concrete evidence about the connection, but I do believe the connections existed.' I guess the EXACT same thing could be said about Cheney and Rumsfeld and their relationship with Saddam (pre-war). :wtf:

[cthrumatrix]

10. IMUS talking w/Andrea Mitchell -- "where is the outrage"......LOL

IMUS brings up the valid point of why the Americans are not pissed.

I guess he hasn't been reading DU

[UTUSN]

11. How Faux SPUN, uh, BURIED These Stories

Plus, in the build-up to the illegal Iraq attack, ANUS was drooling on himself about how we were going to attack "just because we CAN".

After hearing MSRNC's Andrea MITCHELL report on POWELL's "admission" that there were NO Iraq-Al Qaeda connections, PLUS the report that there were NO WMD AND that KAY is quitting "WITHOUT ISSUING A FINAL REPORT," I moseyed over to Faux to see how they would spin these items. HAH!---they didn't mention these items at all, since of course Britanney is MUCH more important. But then there WAS spin, a diversion, which was THIS topic, about the 1,000 new jobs. The Steve DOOZY clown, who has to suffer the indignity of doing the weather after his hosting job is over, at first said (LIED) that the (unemployment rate?) was the lowest in ELEVEN years, which would of course completely obliterate all of the CLINTON years, but then he had to correct himself and say it was ONE year. Then their other Faux employee from another show said that these 1,000 jobs was a misleading number because SELF-employment is not counted, people who start their own businesses, such that REALLY, the number of new jobs for Shrub is ONE MILLION. Can there be any more documentation of how Faux keeps its loyal wingnuts plausibly ignorant?

[underpants]

14. I missed Douchebag this morning but last night

Britt went fiftenn minutes (Dem in fighting) before mentioning the Blackhawk down yesterday (sad) and then they went to the WH reporter (name? BAD combover) explained that that the LEFT LEANING Carnegie Institute had issued a report backing up their anti-war position. He also explained that Powell had clearly been right and that the possible connection to alQaeda was too dangerous to leave to chance.

[PaDUer]

12. Call the

IMUS show and go on the air to let him know he helped the lies..

[Zenaholic]

13. And I believe monkeys will fly out of my butt!

But that don't make it so, now does it Colon?

“I have not seen smoking gun, concrete evidence about the connection, but I do believe the connections existed,” he said.

[yellowcanine]

15. And I have this really strong feeling I will win megamillions tonight

Is it ok if I take $20 out of petty cash to buy tickets?

My, how the mighty have fallen. Powell, once one of the most trusted men in the world, has lost all credibility.