Surprise, Surprise, Surprise

As good ole Gomer Pyle would say. As incredible as it may sound, apparently there are now documents seized in Iraq stating that, hush....Iraq and al Qaeda were working together against the US and western interests. I told you that you wouldn't believe it, but there's more. Are you sitting down? Iraq obtained chemical and biological weapons in 2000 and 2001 after kicking out UNSCOM inspectors (they found the invoices). I'll give you a moment to collect yourself after suffering such a shock, believe me I know, my neck is sore from shaking my head, NO!

Smash has linked a report by CNS news reporter, Scott Wheeler regarding documents leaked by a "senior government official who is not a political appointee" that show a relationship with AQ dating back to 1992.

"In a continuity with our former book#7184/K on Dec. 20th, 1992, it’s decided that the party should move to hunt the Americans who are on Arabian land, especially in Somalia, by using Arabian elements, or Asian (Muslims) or friends."

It has been well established that the incident memorialized in the film "Black Hawk Down" was orchestrated by al Qaeda operatives who devised the RPG attack on the tail rotor strategy that proved very effective. The battle and the subsequent US withdrawal from Somalia are generally recognized by AQ as a turning point in their struggle against the US. It was around this time frame that UBL began to issue Fatwas against the US and in fact one of the signatories of his initial Fatwa is personally named by Iraqi intelligence as an asset in one of the recovered documents.

Does this come as a surprise to anyone? Why wouldn't Saddam support AQ against the US in Somalia? We had just soundly defeated and humiliated him on the battlefield less than a year prior, and he was forced to sign very restrictive armistice documents that would limit his ambitions for the next decade plus. And after "investing" in a successful operation that did, in fact, cause the US to retreat from the conflict, is it possible to actually believe that Saddam would not continue to pursue sponsorship opportunities that would further his vengence against the US and its allies? Documents further confirm a relationship with Egyptian Islamic Jihad, which is the farm team from which UBL recruited his executive officer, Ayman al-Zawahiri. Other recovered documents reveal a supportive relationship with the group now led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, our current chief nemesis in Iraq today. Having been involved at the ground level of the terrorist success in Mogadishu, it is certain that Saddam had surely found a way to fight the US covertly and successfully throughout the 1990's. Can there be any doubt that Saddam, having worked with AQ for 10 years and having witnessed the spectacular 9/11 attacks, would do all that he could to support AQ financially, and technically?

Its getting late. More to come tomorrow. Froggy OUT