need help answering someone- were there terrorist in Iraq before?

[geekgrrl]

Before we invaded? I posted on my blog about how a report came out that said Iraq was the new terrorist training ground for terrorist. I posted that there weren't terrorists there before- so way to go Bush for making some terrorists!

I know it depends on the definition of terrorist- but I need help answering. I suppose there were people pissed at the US for the first gulf war and sanctions. So, where there terrorists in Iraq before we invaded?

My blog is here: http://knitmemoretime.blogspot.com

Thanks!!

[StephanieMarie]

1. NO. None. No links.

[Baconfoot]

2. You need to distinguish been "no terrorists" and "no links"

There are two seperate questions which oughtn't be conflated here.
Q1: Were there terrorists in Iraq prior to our invasion of it?
Q2: Were there links between the Iraqi government and terrorist organizations prior to our invasion of it?

They ought to be distinguished even if a negative answer is given to both as their truth conditions are different.

[geekgrrl]

3. thanks- I thought not. Link anyone? n/t

[bossfish]

4. Are there "terrorists" there now?

Or are there "freedom fighters" or "partisans" or "le resistance"?

[geekgrrl]

5. well those "insurgents" and "rebels" are freedom fighters

I suppose if they attack another country/people they would be terrorists.

[Eugene]

6. The supposed training grounds were in NORTHERN Iraq

beyond the reach of Saddam's government.
Reports of Al Qeada terrorists in Baghdad
before the invasion cannot be verified.

[tuvor]

7. If someone contradicts you, get them to show you proof.

Call their bluff. Demand it. Besides, it's up to them to prove claims they make, not you.

[Dr.Phool]

8. There weren't any

Sadaam ruled with a heavy iron fist. According to Richard Clarke's "Against All Enemies", Iraqi intelligence were considered the Keystone Kops of the mideast.

Also, being a secular state, He kept his thumb on Muslim fanatics pretty firmly.

[roguevalley]

9. saddam didn't like them because he couldn't control them and

because they were usually religious fighters and he was secular, using Islam only when it was necessary to him. I would say no.

[teakee]

10. No. Saddam ran a tight ship.

All the foreign terrorists came in the country probably post-MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. Remember when all the looting and chaos was going on? Well, there was alot going on besides that too. But no worries, said Rummy and Bush. Part of the problem is they fired all of the army which left people without a job, locked innocent people up, word of Abu's abuses probably leaked out, Baath party regrouped, foreign terrorists along with foreign money was diverted into Iraq from (a good guess would be Afghanistan). Didn't Bush divert some of the money and troops marked for Afghanistan to Iraq? The bad guys did too.

Things really did go 'puff' in the 'shape of a mushroom cloud'---of chaos. Bush lied to his country and the world. Half his country bought it. :nuke: Maybe Bush is having regrets for more then his stupid words of "Bring it on!" to terrorists. Bring it on, they did....... :(

[seabeyond]

11. as someone said above there was a large compound

on the northern border to iran. not in saddams control. zaquowi (sp) the terrorist they blame it all on. he went from afghanistan invasion injured and supposedly to iraq and had medical attention. saddam wasnt aware or allowed. then he went to the compound in the north. the bush administration had three opportunities of taking this man down. twice at the compound and one other time. all three times the state department got everything ready, and bush said stand down. he didnt wantt to go after the dude because he thought it would interfer with his plans of invasion against saddam. bushco's are the one that allowed that compound of terrorists. they had the control in that area and they allowed it to stand. and this oh so bad terrorist to roam around.

when they did invade, they left that compound alone. was days before they got to it and of course all the terrorists had fled into iran

story i heard

also, about in fall prior to the invasion when saddam was trying to make a deal, trying to get other middle east to support him he started paying the suicide bombers in palestien to the families. prior to the threat from bush and saddams fear of invasion saddam had never been interested in palestien movement. this was merely because the invasion was coming so in my book bush created this