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July 13, 2003 Oh, what a tangled web we weave! First, it was the weapons of mass destruction. Next, the claim that Saddam was shopping for uranium in Africa. The latest tale in the shredder is the reported link between the Hussein regime and al-Qaida. Prior to the war, the Bush administration claimed Saddam was harboring top al-Qaida operatives and could furnish them with chemical, biological or nuclear weapons. Now, two former of the administrations intelligence operatives say the evidence linking Saddam to Osama bin Laden and the September 11th terrorist attack was never more than sketchy, at best. Remember, not one of those 19 terrorists was an Iraqi. Keeping 9/11 in mind, the administration was tryimg to maintain that Saddam was aiding and protecting terrorists and he was able to provide them with his hidden weapons of mass destruction and/or help them develop their own. Even in mid-June more than half the people in this country believed there was a link between Iraq and al-Qaida as the administration had claimed, even though no such evidence had ever been found. The truth lies in the face of the differences between Osama bin Laden and the fundamentalist Taliban regime and Saddams secular regime in spite of the fact both groups are Islamic. The major difference is the treatment of women. They were able to walk the street of Iraqi cities and towns without being burdened down with the cumbersome burkas which is the law of the Taliban. Women were able to drive, attend schools, hold down jobs and even serve on Saddams executive council. In fact, there is a greater similarity between the treatment of women by the Taliban and the treatment of women of Saudi Arabia, the birth land of Osama bin Laden, and our major US ally in the Middle East. Saudi women have to cover their faces in public, are not allowed to drive and only those who can afford it are home schooled. Here is a very scary thought! With his country destroyed and in chaos, Saddam, wherever he may be, has nothing to lose. Now, he is ready for anything that will drive the Americans out of Iraq and help him regain the control of his Baath regime, including a possible unholy alliance with bin Laden and al-Qaida. I wonder if the Bush administration has taken that possibility under consideration. ------------ About the author: Bobbie Hart ONeill is a retired print media journalist, CSU-Sacramento, 74, with 40 years experience in the field. She has worked as a reporter, feature writer, columnist, public relations writer, magazine/newsletter editor and publisher. She is currently a freelance writer residing in Yuma, Arizona and has published a childrens book, written three screenplays and a novel. In addition, she is interested in civic affairs, politics, current events, ethnology and animals. Email Bobbie: bobbieo@digitaldune.net Comment on this column in the forum. Tell a friend about this site! ------------ |
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