Townsend: ‘I Don’t Know’ If Al Qaeda Was In Iraq Before The War

[babylonsister]

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/07/18/townsend-nie-iraq/

Townsend: ‘I Don’t Know’ If Al Qaeda Was In Iraq Before The War

Yesterday’s National Intelligence Estimate concluded that al Qaeda remains strong in Iraq and has been energized by the Iraq war. It stated:

Of note, we assess that al-Qa’ida will probably seek to leverage the contacts and capabilities of al-Qa’ida in Iraq (AQI), its most visible and capable affiliate and the only one known to have expressed a desire to attack the Homeland. <…>

In addition, we assess that its association with AQI helps al-Qa’ida to energize the broader Sunni extremist community, raise resources, and to recruit and indoctrinate operatives, including for Homeland attacks.

Today in an interview with NPR, Homeland Security Advisor Frances Frago Townsend argued that the NIE’s findings strengthen the administration’s argument to stay the course. “Al Qaeda’s resources are focused in Iraq because that’s where we are capturing and killing them every single day, so it drains their resources there,” she said. “{T}hey are very much tied down because we are keeping them tied down fighting them in Iraq.”

NPR host Steve Inskeep challenged Townsend, pointing out that al Qaeda had “no capability in Iraq before the war.” Townsend refused to answer the question, stating, “I don’t know — I wasn’t at that briefing.” She then added, “I’m going to rely on the intelligence community. … I would refer you to them.”

Listen/read transcript at link~

It is widely known that al Qaeda was not operating in Iraq before 9/11. The Senate Intelligence Committee found that Saddam “did not trust al-Qa’ida or any other radical Islamist group and did not want to cooperate with them.”

Rather than tying down and draining al Qaeda’s resources in Iraq as Townsend said, the war has lured the the network to that country. The last NIE found that the “Iraq conflict has become the “cause celebre” for jihadists,” “shaping a new generation of terrorist leaders and operatives.” Additionally, a new government threat assessment concludes that “Al-Qaeda has rebuilt its operating capability to a level not seen since the summer of 2001,” and with strengthened capabilities to attack the United States.

[EST]

1. This bunch of friggin idiots cannot seem to grasp that the vast

majority of "AQI" were not "AQ" before chenybush's illegal romp in the middle east and the majority of that majority is strictly home grown.
"Punching the hornets' nest," as that dumbass talked about, yesterday, is just not a good idea unless you intend to be stung, severely.

[lisa58]

2. What a Jerk

[11 Bravo]

3. OK, let's talk about something you fucking know about.

Ummm, on second thought, never mind.