ABC News reports on newly de-classified intelligence that confirms Al Qaeda’s desire for a base of operations in Iraq.
As usual, the news report dwells more on the timing than the import and content of the intelligence. To them this is another Bush “low blow”, but when your primary mission is being jeapordized by a delusional congress then you must pull out all the stops, even if that includes releasing intelligence reports earlier than you would like to.
The report specifically indicates that Osama Bin Laden charged Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi to plan attacks on western countries, including the US, from Iraq. Zarqawi happily accepted the assignment. It also indicates that the United States would be the priority target. Bush spoke about this in a commencement address at the US Coast Guard Academy today. When trying to find news stories on this I can only locate the original newsire alerts, but no stories. I’ll update if more comes in.
What the analysis misses is that if this were released prior to the Anbar and Iraq salvation councils forming and the Anbar awakening, that tide easily could have shifted the other direction. It’s extremely dangerous to our strategy to constantly have to show our hand or telegraph our timetables because loons in Congress want to posture.
UPDATE: John Stopped by and left a link to the video of President Bush’s speech at the Coast Guard commencement address.
The ABC news story was pretty good…here’s the clip of the actual address…where he says Zarqawi was ordered to target the US. (http://thenewsroom.com/details/332949/Politics?c_id=tvo)