Iraq Trained Al Qaeda

After some inspecific hints from Secretary Rumsfeld and President Bush, National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice has announced on PBS’s “The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer” that there is specific and documented evidence that Iraq helped train al Qaeda. “This is a story that is unfolding, and it is getting clear, and we’re learning more. … When the picture is clear, we’ll make full disclosure about it,” Rice said. She was also careful to not draw any connection between Hussein and September 11th: “we don’t want to push this too far.” This information apparently came from Al Qaeda detainees, and was released about two months ago. It’s getting another hearing this week, for obvious reasons.
CNN cites President Bush saying that al Qaeda could become “an extension of Saddam’s madness.” The piece also has Rumsfeld admitting that the Iraq-Al Qaeda connection was on the agenda in the NATO meetings this week.