Zarqawi .. nexus of Iraq/Al Qaeda ?

[hfsc_peace]

From a Bill Gertz (Washington Times) Site - URL at bottom

Get this man a bodyguard: The Iraq-Al Qaida connection

Now that Powell has identified him, Al Zarqawi might never be found alive if Saddam Hussein decides to eliminate the link between Al Qaida and himself.

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Abu Mussab Al Zarqawi
Real Name:Fadel Nizar Khalailah
Age:36
Organization:Al Qaida
Whereabouts:Iraq or Syria

These days, Fadel Nizar Khalailah, better known as Abu Mussab Al Zarqawi, is a marked man. Al Zarqawi is the last man that Iraq and Syria want the United States to find.

The reason: Al Zarqawi is the smoking gun. He is the link the Bush administration has uncovered between Iraq and Al Qaida. But Al Zarqawi does not only implicate Iraq. His frequent trips to Damascus and Beirut also implicate Syrian complicity with Al Qaida. It's a link the U.S. administration does not want to dwell on.

Who is Abu Mussab Al Zarqawi and how did he get to be so important? Al Zarqawi is one of the top 20 members of Al Qaida. A Palestinian, he spent many years in Afghanistan and was later sent by Al Qaida to carry out attacks in the Levant. His main targets were Israel and Jordan.

Al Zarqawi was so valuable to the organization that Al Qaida paired him with Abu Zubaydah, Osama Bin Laden's operations chief. The two planned to blow up hotels and tourist buses over the Millennium. Zubaydah was captured in March in Pakistan.

For the last eight months, Al Zarqawi operated the Al Qaida network in Iraq. His job had been to plan attacks in European countries, particularly Britain and France. The network has well over 100 active agents and many more sleepers.

In October, Al Zarqawi's network assassinated U.S. Agency of International Development representative Lawrence Foley. Al Zarqawi provided money, weapons and instructions for a Jordanian-based cell that gunned down Foley in front of his Amman home. In December, Jordan disclosed the capture of a Jordanian and Libyan who said they were acting on Al Zarqawi's orders.


Taher Jaleel al-Hboush, head of the Iraqi intelligence service, holds up photographs of Abu Nidal, once one of the world's most feared terrorists, during a news conference in Baghdad on Aug. 21, 2002. Iraq's claim that Nidal committed suicide has been greeted with widespread skepticism.

<b>He shot himself in the head (4 times)</b>

Al Zarqawi ran an Al Qaida training camp when the United States invaded Afghanistan in October 2000. He was said to have been seriously injured during his flight from Afghanistan and arrived in Baghdad in 2001. Western intelligence believe his leg was amputated in Iraq and he was outfitted with an artificial limb.

In Iraq, Al Zarqawi began training a new force — Ansar Al Islam. He was said to have helped Ansar attack U.S.-aligned Kurdish groups in northeastern Iraq near the Iranian border.

Al Zarqawi has also headed another Al Qaida satellite — Jund Al Shams.

That group operates in Jordan and Syria, but most of its members have been forced to flee into Iraq.

In early 2002, Zarqawi sent operatives to Israel to bomb strategic facilities. In February, members of the cell — two Palestinians and a Jordanian — were arrested by Turkish police after they arrived from Iran.

For months, the United States could not reach Al Zarqawi. Last month, the CIA obtained a key break. Al Zarqawi's deputy spoke to his colleagues on a satellite phone as he was driving out of Iraq. The conversation was intercepted by the U.S. National Security Agency and triggered a manhunt involving Pakistan and Turkey. The deputy was captured in Turkey. Once in U.S. hands, Al Zarqawi's deputy began to talk about Al Qaida's operations in Europe.

Many details of Al Zarqawi's career were included in the speech by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell to the UN Security Council last week. But Powell's omissions were just as important.
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October 1, 2002: Links to mysterious hijacker may have made triggered Abu Nidal's death by "suicide" in Iraq

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For example, the U.S. secretary failed to cite Qatar's help to Al Zarqawi. A close relative of Qatar's emir, identified as Abdul Karim Al Thani, sheltered Al Zarqawi and donated more than $1 million to finance the network.

Powell also didn't mention Syria's help to Al Zarqawi. Al Zarqawi found refuge in Syria several times last year when he traveled there for talks with Hizbullah and Hamas.

In Iran, Al Zarqawi helped form a group of Palestinian Muslims called Al Tawhid, or the union. The group planned suicide operations in Europe against U.S. and Jewish targets. An aide of Al Zarqawi was captured last year and he detailed his boss's role in the terror network.

Western intelligence sources said Tawhid helped Al Qaida escape from Iran to the Middle East and Europe. Al Zarqawi helped hundreds of Al Qaida members move from Iran through Iraq to Syria and Lebanon.

Now that Powell has identified him, Al Zarqawi might never be found alive if Saddam Hussein decides to eliminate the link between Al Qaida and himself. If Al Zarqawi is in Iraq, he could face the same fate as Abu Nidal, who after years of Saddam's protection was killed after Western intelligence agencies learned of his plans to resume terror attacks.


<a href="http://www.geostrategy-direct.com/geostrategy-direct/secure/2003/2_18/dos.asp?" target="_blank">http://www.geostrategy-direct.com/geostrategy-direct/secure/2003/2_18/dos.asp?</a>

[Brasco]

You guys are really desperate, aren't you?
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[old_n_grumpy]

Brasco,
Excellent retort.

[hfsc_peace]

Casus Belli, by itself, probably not.
Along with a failure to account for WMD which Saddam himself has admitted he had in 1998?
Alogn with his treaty obligations in the temporary cessation of hostilities in 1991 which he himself undertook?
Along with his gleeful use of same on others and Iraqis?
Along with fact that these weapons can kill tens of thousands without warning in an open society with excellent medical facilities?
yadda yadda...

"Just another brick in the wall"
Surely you don't object to the posting of additional factoids?


Do you?

That would be .....................disappointing to the idealists among us. <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

[Brasco]

-"Just another brick in the wall"
Surely you don't object to the posting of additional factoids?


Do you?

That would be .....................disappointing to the idealists among us.-

No objection at all, friend.

I just don't see how this, even together with the other "factoids", show any link between saddam Hussein's regime and Al Qaeda.

From what I see the link is certainly not there.

Would you highlight some of the most robust factoids that you believe demonstrate a link?

Powell and the rest of the administration made so much of the UBL speech when he pledged solidarity with the Iraqi people, as damning proof that the Iraqi regime and Al qaeda were working together.

I believe that any fair-minded child could see that the link does not exist. At least on the evidence presented so far.

"Factoids" are surely not enough, are they?
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[Panoramic]

Brasco I wish theyd understand that!

Colin "power point" Powel is the same man who said several months ago " UBL is dead"
now he is saying about the Alleged UBL "there is a link" so he is saying:
"while I believe he is dead I think there is a link" and while Im not sure its OBL but if it serves the purpose then why not link the 2?

I dont blame them , they got used to George Bush's mentality.

you can fool some ppl some time, but you cant fool all the ppl all the time.

[WT_Sherman]

Saddam Hussein means us ill. This cannot be measured by the LACK of the kind of statements coming from the complete lunatic Kim Jong Ill. He has demonstrated that from 1991 on, he is determined. He has done so with his AGENT Mr. Youssef. He has done in trying to assassinate a president of the USA (a crime for which, btw, US law provides for us to GO GET HIM wherever he is). He has done so in the harboring of terrorists like Abu Nidal. ON AND ON

He has then ability. We and the UN know he had, in 1998 THOUSANDS of liters of anthrax, JUST FOR STARTERS. Thousands of tons of gas (name your flavor), and his CHIEF BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS EXPERT said in as MANY WORDS, THIS YEAR (2003) she has no qualms in working on lethal diseases for him, and is proud to do so. She said this in an interview explaining why she would NOT make herself available for the UN.

He has the opportunity.. and here is the link. He has his CHOICE of ways to get these weapons to us IN THE USA. Container on a container ship? Attache case filled with smallpox? Aerosol cans filled with anthrax for a major convention center? There are numerous groups, I am sure, as I know YOU ALL ARE, who can fill the bill. The point is.. we cannot conduct international relations as we did before the WTC. There is going to be no jury, or jury level proof, or internationally satisfying baloney. You will have to cluck your tongues.

None of you will deal with this issue.

None of you mentions this issue.

The USA is determined that states such as Iraq and NK will either GIVE UP WMD, or....................

The system of relations developed until 9/11 is no more. THAT HISTORY is ended.

This is now.

If you wish to discuss the perils of conducting the world's relations this way, then FINE. But to whine about proof... pointless. You are complaining the Titantic's sides are too thin. And you all KNOW as well as I do, that any proof would immediately meet the chorus of angst and cluckers, that it was all done by the CIA anyway.

[Brasco]

I respect you at least for saying that you require no proof and shall do what you want anyway.

So September 11th made you paranoid, and, as the most powerful economic and military force on earth, you will exercise your right to squash any people who are led by people you don't like.

Your government on the other hand, claims to have proof, and have presented the better part of it for the world to see, and some to the inspectors. Unfortunately, your government hasn't convinced anyone and the "intelligence" provided to inspectors has been of little or no value.

So no. We don't hold our breath for proof. We know that it is not forthcoming and that your government instead prefers to perpetuate lies that even a child can identify, as a pretext for the invasion of a sovereign nation and the slaughter of its people.

At least your way of analysing the situation is far more "honest".

The US government is living in a paradox of power. On one hand she is inept at foreign policy and does not understand the skill and touch needed to handle foreign affairs, partivularly given her hyperpower status. She simply does not understand the consequences and waves created internationally by her own policy decisions. This is bad for the world and for the American people, as we have seen.

On the other hand, the US believes too much in her own power. Believing that she has all under control; totally underestimating the impact of an Iraqi invasion and her blunt instrument approach to security in her "war on terrorism". Bomb Iraq, occupy it, and the American people will be a whole lot safer. Do you really believe that?

This is bad for the world and bad for the American people.

Bomb Iraq and then turn your hand toward other "rogue" or "evil" nations. Do you think bombs and occupation will turn "hearts and minds" in the words of your esteemed President?

Your government should learn how to distribute your 400bn of security dollars more constructively.

But for Bush and his gang, paranoia is a great enabler.

[hfsc_peace]

<blockquote><font class="small"><hr />
Bomb Iraq, occupy it, and the American people will be a whole lot safer. Do you really believe that?


<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Not in and of itself. This is ONE PIECE. In fact, it's my personal belief that there WILL be 'attempts' here. But who will it be? Iraqi agents? (Some were just busted casing te embassy in Cairo). The mass murderers again? Or will Yassin finally slip the bonds of reality and send Hamas here?

What you must do is think of all this in your mind, that our over-arching behavior is that after Pearl Harbor.
Guadalcanal .. a piece.
Midway a piece.
Invasion of N africa, a piece.
Covoys to Britain, a piece.
At no time in WW2 did anyone wonder why japan bombed pearl harbor, nor did we care. This is what you are pointing out when you ask if this bombing will make us safer.

WE DON'T CARE.

When it's over, and it may be the REST OF OUR LIFETIMES, there will be as different a reality as there was on Sept 2, 1945. On that day, it didn't matter why they bombed Pearl Harbor.

Many outside the US 'hamletize' themselves into inaction. 'I can't do this because then this one would get hurt, and I can't do that because that one would get hurt'.
Impotence.
In America the question is: "WHAT CAN WE DO, and TODAY?"
People are getting hurt TODAY. Whether we act or not.

There is no hiding from this world where pre-emption PROPERLY APPLIED will save lives (american in this case).

If Saddam has the weapons he claims to have destroyed, then this will be properly applied.

If North Korea keeps it up, it will be PROPERLY APPLIED (by Japan ironically as it looks today).

Iraq and North Korea have something in common which almost No other nations share. Not even Iran. They both show a hearltess contempt for their own citizens, starving them, killing them, while at the same time exuding either horrific threats backed by treaty violations involving WMD, large out of proportion military forces, and breathaking dictatorial regimes. Having such enemies tells US who we are.

We prefer Saddam to GO. The second choice is NOT our preference. The third choice is, so sorry, unacceptable to every american I know (except 2.. who want to give Saddam until NEXT winter with inspections). This tells me americans wordlessly KNOW the difference in the world.. not the just government (which we supply every 2 years anyway), but the people. We are NOT comfortable with this. But this IS.

We also recognize that use of force alone cannot be the answer. Here, we apply the lessons of Germany and Japan as well. The PROBLEM is that many wish us to fail and will act on that nomatter what is helpful to the welfare of the Iraqis. Will they all hate us? Not if it's 2-3 weeks. Will they look on us as liberators? God alone can guess at this. Anyone who can tell you how the people will react after being under Baath control since 1979 is nuts. They certainly were happy in Hungary, in Czechoslovakia, in Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia.

As far as the distribution of $400 B... it's not enough. By next year, if there are attacks, it will be $500b. Exotic non lethal weapons. Watch for SMART GLUE BOMBS in urban fighting (think I'm kidding?). The smarter we can make them, the fewer innocents die or are maimed. A righteous way to spend more money.

We tried radical decreases through the 90's. POINTLESS in the face of evil.

[Brasco]

-WE DON'T CARE.

When it's over, and it may be the REST OF OUR LIFETIMES, there will be as different a reality as there was on Sept 2, 1945. On that day, it didn't matter why they bombed Pearl Harbor.-

Yes. Thanks. That is indeed the reality of the situation that we are all faced with. The US will not stop until she has stamped out her current and potential enemies, and until supremacy has been "proved" to any would-be pretenders.

Yes. No surprise for those that care to look. The US administration's National Security Strategy document makes it perfectly clear.

That is exactly why this "war" will not end with a US victory. It cannot because she herself perpetuates and multiplies and gives strength to her enemies, who are increasingly hard to identify and destroy due to the formless structure that her enemies are forced to adopt in the face of such awesome military power.

If you "don't care" why, then you are right: $400bn, $500bn, $1tn...it will never be enough.

You should care why. If for nothing else, only to understand your enemy better.

Because right now, your government does not understand it at all.