Bush claimed we had to attack Iraq because Abu Musab al-Zarqawi had a leg removed in Baghdad

[NNN0LHI]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Musab_al-Zarqawi

Reports of Zarqawi's death, detention and injuries

Missing leg

Claims of harm to Zarqawi have changed over time. Early in 2002, there were unverified reports from Afghan Northern Alliance members that Zarqawi had been killed by a missile attack in Afghanistan. Many news sources repeated the claim. Later, Kurdish groups claimed that Zarqawi had not died in the missile strike, but had been severely injured, and went to Baghdad in 2002 to have his leg amputated. On October 7, 2002, the day before Congress voted to give President Bush authorization to invade Iraq, Bush gave a speech in Cincinnati, Ohio, that repeated as fact the claim that he had sought medical treatment in Baghdad. This was one of several of President Bush's primary examples of ways Saddam Hussein had aided, funded, and harbored al-Qaeda. Powell repeated this claim in his February 2003 speech to the UN, urging a resolution for war, and it soon became "common knowledge" that Zarqawi had a prosthetic leg.

In 2004, Newsweek reported that some "senior U.S. military officials in Baghdad" had come to believe that he still had his original legs. Knight Ridder later reported that the leg amputation was something "officials now acknowledge was incorrect."

[htuttle]

1. Or maybe Saddam just gave him really excellent health care and it grew back!

Ever think of that? Huh? Huh?

:sarcasm:

[NNN0LHI]

3. And this is the person who created "al-Qaeda in Iraq" according to WaPo

And we know WaPo doesn't lie. Much anyway.

Don

Same link:

Alleged links to al-Qaeda

A 'wanted' poster distributed by the U.S. Army.After the 2001 war in Afghanistan, Zarqawi appeared on a U.S. list of most-wanted al-Qaeda terrorists still at large in early 2002. Since that time, Zarqawi's ties to al-Qaeda have been questioned, with some arguing he was more a rival to Osama bin Laden and acted independently of him. However, it was reported he received the equivalent of U.S. $5000 for his activities from Osama bin Laden.

According to the Washington Post, he formally swore loyalty to bin Laden in October 2004 and changed the name of his Monotheism and Jihad network to "al-Qaeda in Iraq."

[leftchick]

2. If that is so, Why did we not Bomb the Crap out of Dubai and Occupy it?

oh yeah, OIL......

The CIA met Bin Laden while undergoing treatment at an American Hospital last July in Dubai
by Alexandra Richard
Translated courtesy of Tiphaine Dickson

Le Figaro, 11 October 2001
Posted at globalresearch.ca 2 November 2001

Dubai, one of the seven emirates of the Federation of the United Arab Emirates, North-East of Abi-Dhabi. This city, population 350,000, was the backdrop of a secret meeting between Osama bin Laden and the local CIA agent in July. A partner of the administration of the American Hospital in Dubai claims that public enemy number one stayed at this hospital between the 4th and 14th of July.

Having taken off from the Quetta airport in Pakistan, bin Laden was transferred to the hospital upon his arrival at Dubai airport. He was accompanied by his personal physician and faithful lieutenant, who could be Ayman al-Zawahari--but on this sources are not entirely certain--, four bodyguards, as well as a male Algerian nurse, and admitted to the American Hospital, a glass and marble building situated between the Al-Garhoud and Al-Maktoum bridges.

Each floor of the hospital has two "VIP" suites and fifteen rooms. The Saudi billionnaire was admitted to the well-respected urology department run by Teerry Callaway, gallstone and infertility specialist. Dr Callaway declined to respond to our questions despite several phone calls.

As early as March, 2000, 'Asia Week,' published in Hong Kong, expressed concern for bin Laden's health, describing a serious medical problem that could put his life in danger because of "a kidney infection that is propagating itself to the liver and requires specialized treatment". According to authorized sources, bin Laden had mobile dialysis equipment shipped to his hideout in Kandahar in the first part of 2000. According to our sources, bin Laden's "travels for health reasons" have taken place before. Between 1996 and 1998, bin Laden made several trips to Dubai on business.

On September 27th, 15 days after the World Trade Center attacks, at the request of the United States, the Central Bank of the Arab Emirates announced an order to freeze assts and investments of 26 people or organisations suspected of mainting contact with bin Laden's organization, and in particular at the Dubai Islamic Bank.

http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/RIC111B.html