Cannon on Al-Zarqawi

I'm really starting to enjoy the blog Cannonfire, and am adding it to the blogroll. Today, there's a sweet overview of the role of alleged Al Qaeda mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in Iraqi insurgent attacks, dissecting the facts supporting the (Administration's) assertion that he's behind most IEDs and terrorism in Iraq, and the growing suspicion that his role is being inflated (or even invented) to suit U.S. propaganda purposes -- both in Iraq and, more ominously, at home.

I've already pointed out the disconnect between the evidence and the Administration's blithe statements about al Qaeda's role in Iraq (which, according to the 9-11 Committion and other authorities, was nonexistent under Saddam's regime). Recent reports suggest that the Administration's claims of al Qaeda's importance have been overblown. Cannon takes that to the next level:

As Rachel Maddow noted on her program today (she provided some juicy sound bites), George Bush somewhat incoherently cited this very letter yesterday during a Q-and-A session with students at Johns Hopkins:

In 2004, we intercepted a letter from Zarqawi to Osama bin Laden. In it, Zarqawi expressed his concern about "the gap that will emerge between us and the people of the land." He declared "democracy is coming." He went on to say, this will mean "suffocation" for the terrorists. Zarqawi laid out his strategy to stop democracy from taking root in Iraq.

Bush said these words on the same day the Post story identified this letter as the product of an American psyops team!

Now let's imagine two different political worlds: the one we have, in which half of Beltway Democrats more or less support the war, and a better one, in which all Democrats voted against it and clearly labeled it a debacle and a mistake thereafter. In which one would Joe Lieberman flourish and be suggested as the next Secretary of Defense? And in which one would fact patterns like this one lead to overwhelming public and political support for Bush's impeachment?

Just askin'.
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