Gen: Al-Qaida Seeks to use WMD in the Mideast
WASHINGTON - Al-Qaida is the main enemy to peace and stability in the Middle East and the terrorist group is seeking to acquire — and use — weapons of mass destruction there, a top U.S. commander in Iraq told Congress.
"The enemy that brought us 9/11 continues to represent one of the greatest dangers to this nation," warned Gen. John Abizaid, the commander of U.S. Central Command.
Oh, so now that it's convenient, you can admit that it it's Al-Qaida, not Iraq, that is responsible for attacking us on 9/11. Nice.
President Bush sent the group to Capitol Hill to try to convince lawmakers — and their skeptical constituents — that the United States is making progress in the war. The back-to-back hearings in the House and Senate are part of a White House effort to bolster slipping public support for the war.
After weeks of being criticized for his hurricane response, Bush also is trying to put the focus back on issues considered his strengths — the fight against terrorism and Iraq.
Funny, that. The Bush Presidency was finally pushed, stumbling and blinking, into the light of day so that every American saw it as it really is- a sham and a failure. Bush's popularity is at an all-time low, and there appears to be no way to repair the damage done.
Time to pull out the WMD Boogeyman!
The president plans to address the nation Oct. 6, following speeches on Iraq by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Vice President Dick Cheney over the next few days.
Be on the lookout for a new "mushroom cloud" metaphor. I'm sure little Karl has been up all night thinking up a new one.
Before the Senate panel, Abizaid stressed the difficulty the U.S. and coalition forces face in the region against an enemy driven by their religious beliefs, and said the Al-Qaida threat "should not be underestimated."
He said Americans should be assured that people in the Middle East "don't buy this perverted view of Islam."
"They do not want the extremists to win," Abizaid said.
Uh, okay... need I mention that if we had gone after Al-Qaida in the first place... oh, fuck it... it's been said a thousand times already and I'm sick of it. But what about these supposed WMDs? Do you have statements? Photos? Proof of any kind?
*crickets chirping*
There is nothing else in the article, other than the title and first paragraph, that would give me any reason to believe this statement. If you're going to sell America on the WMD bugaboo again, you'd better have some pretty rock-solid proof that Al-Qaida is actually trying to obtain WMDs, other than boo-scary statements, especially when the whole reason you are testifying is to lie once again that progress is being made in Iraq.
This is so pathetic. I'm sick and tired of Bush's 9/11-WMD security blanket that he begins clutching every time he fails. And I'm sick of a government that would rather use scare tactics to keep Americans cowed than work to actually protect Americans.
(Great Green Gobs of Greasy Grimy cross-posts...)
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