Remarks of Illinois State Sen. Barack Obama Against Going to War with Iraq

Note: Following is a speech given by Barack Obama in Oct 2002 while a member of the IL Legislature about the Iraq war while speaking to an anti-war rally and now this same person wants to be President? BTW, this speech is on his website so you could say he approved this message!

Remarks of Illinois State Sen. Barack Obama Against Going to War with Iraq
October 2, 2002

Good afternoon. Let me begin by saying that although this has been billed as an anti-war rally, I stand before you as someone who is not opposed to war in all circumstances. The Civil War was one of the bloodiest in history, and yet it was only through the crucible of the sword, the sacrifice of multitudes, that we could begin to perfect this union, and drive the scourge of slavery from our soil. I don't oppose all wars.

My grandfather signed up for a war the day after Pearl Harbor was bombed, fought in Patton's army. He saw the dead and dying across the fields of Europe; he heard the stories of fellow troops who first entered Auschwitz and Treblinka. He fought in the name of a larger freedom, part of that arsenal of democracy that triumphed over evil, and he did not fight in vain. I don't oppose all wars.

After September 11th, after witnessing the carnage and destruction, the dust and the tears, I supported this administration's pledge to hunt down and root out those who would slaughter innocents in the name of intolerance, and I would willingly take up arms myself to prevent such tragedy from happening again. I don't oppose all wars. And I know that in this crowd today, there is no shortage of patriots, or of patriotism.

What I am opposed to is a dumb war. What I am opposed to is a rash war. What I am opposed to is the cynical attempt by Richard Perle and Paul Wolfowitz and other armchair, weekend warriors in this administration to shove their own ideological agendas down our throats, irrespective of the costs in lives lost and in hardships borne.

What I am opposed to is the attempt by political hacks like Karl Rove to distract us from a rise in the uninsured, a rise in the poverty rate, a drop in the median income - to distract us from corporate scandals and a stock market that has just gone through the worst month since the Great Depression. That's what I'm opposed to. A dumb war. A rash war. A war based not on reason but on passion, not on principle but on politics. Now let me be clear - I suffer no illusions about Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal man. A ruthless man. A man who butchers his own people to secure his own power. He has repeatedly defied UN resolutions, thwarted UN inspection teams, developed chemical and biological weapons, and coveted nuclear capacity. He's a bad guy. The world, and the Iraqi people, would be better off without him.

But I also know that Saddam poses no imminent and direct threat to the United States, or to his neighbors, that the Iraqi economy is in shambles, that the Iraqi military a fraction of its former strength, and that in concert with the international community he can be contained until, in the way of all petty dictators, he falls away into the dustbin of history. I know that even a successful war against Iraq will require a US occupation of undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences. I know that an invasion of Iraq without a clear rationale and without strong international support will only fan the flames of the Middle East, and encourage the worst, rather than best, impulses of the Arab world, and strengthen the recruitment arm of Al Qaeda. I am not opposed to all wars. I'm opposed to dumb wars.

So for those of us who seek a more just and secure world for our children, let us send a clear message to the President today. You want a fight, President Bush? Let's finish the fight with Bin Laden and Al Qaeda, through effective, coordinated intelligence, and a shutting down of the financial networks that support terrorism, and a homeland security program that involves more than color-coded warnings. You want a fight, President Bush?

Let's fight to make sure that the UN inspectors can do their work, and that we vigorously enforce a non-proliferation treaty, and that former enemies and current allies like Russia safeguard and ultimately eliminate their stores of nuclear material, and that nations like Pakistan and India never use the terrible weapons already in their possession, and that the arms merchants in our own country stop feeding the countless wars that rage across the globe. You want a fight, President Bush?

Let's fight to make sure our so-called allies in the Middle East, the Saudis and the Egyptians, stop oppressing their own people, and suppressing dissent, and tolerating corruption and inequality, and mismanaging their economies so that their youth grow up without education, without prospects, without hope, the ready recruits of terrorist cells. You want a fight, President Bush? Let's fight to wean ourselves off Middle East oil, through an energy policy that doesn't simply serve the interests of Exxon and Mobil. Those are the battles that we need to fight. Those are the battles that we willingly join. The battles against ignorance and intolerance. Corruption and greed. Poverty and despair.

The consequences of war are dire, the sacrifices immeasurable. We may have occasion in our lifetime to once again rise up in defense of our freedom, and pay the wages of war. But we ought not -- we will not -- travel down that hellish path blindly. Nor should we allow those who would march off and pay the ultimate sacrifice, who would prove the full measure of devotion with their blood, to make such an awful sacrifice in vain.

http://www.barackobama.com/2002/10/02/remarks_of_illinois_state_sen.php
Note: My bold and highlighted

Sadaam, Al Qaeda and 9/11

Note: Obama said the following today: "So I have some news for John McCain," he added, saying there was no al-Qaida presence in Iraq until President Bush invaded the country. Noting that McCain likes to tell audiences that he'd follow Osama bin Laden to the "gates of hell" to catch him, Obama taunted: "All he (McCain) has done is to follow George Bush into a misguided war in Iraq." http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080227/ap_on_el_pr/mccain_iraq

After those comments today by Obama, this website was set up to counter the spin of the Democrats like Obama on Iraq and other issues. The following information and links were provided to this site by Mary Beth Seaha. We want to thank her for doing all this research to provide us the links for our first post on this site. As these links prove Sadaam, Al Qaeda and 9/11 are connected. Obama said he gets his information from newspapers but must have missed the articles that have appeared in the media connecting dots. Must be a selective reader! Samantha

Sadaam, Al Qaeda and 9/11 FACTS:

The Clinton Justice Department's indictment against OBL in federal court which mentions the terrorist's connections to Iraq. November 4, 1998. The federal indictment http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/985906/posts?page=30#30
The back-up to the actual document:http://www.fas.org/irp/news/1998/11/indict1.pdf

Fritz Hollings mentioned on the floor of the Senate that Iraq's state run newspaper knew exactly what was coming to the United States -- in July 2001 they published an article about it. http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/005332.php

Saddam behind first WTC attack. October 18, 2001. Laurie Mylroie, Clinton anti-terrorism czar. PBS. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/gunning/interviews/mylroie.html

Families sue Iraq over 9/11. Thousands of 9/11 victims and family members sue Iraq based on evidence that Iraq knew the attacks were coming, approved the attacks, and supported Al Qaeda for a decade. The lawsuit also notes Iraq's involvement in the first WTC attack. September 5, 2002. CBS. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/09/05/september11/main520874.shtml

Why the Bush administration stopped the lawsuit against Iraq with regard to 9/11: "The administration does not want the victims of Sept. 11 interfering with its foreign policy," says Peter M. Leitner, director of the Washington Center for Peace and Justice (WCPJ). Leitner says the Bush administration may be concerned that if other victims of the Sept. 11 attacks also filed lawsuits and won civil-damage awards it would reduce Iraqi resources that the administration wants to use to rebuild the country. Leitner and others say this explains Bush's reticence at this time to report the convincing evidence linking Saddam and al-Qaeda that has been collected by U.S. investigators and private organizations seeking damages. "The [Bush] administration is intentionally changing the topic," claims Leitner, and sidestepping the issue that "Iraq has been in a proxy war against the U.S. for years and has used al-Qaeda in that war against the United States." Source

As for connections, the MSM has a very short memory...from news archives:
In in 1998, an Arab intelligence officer, who knows Saddam personally, predicted in Newsweek: "Very soon you will be witnessing large-scale terrorist activity run by the Iraqis." The Arab official said these terror operations would be run under "false flags" --spook-speak for front groups--including bin Laden's organization.

Then there were the predictions by an Iraqi with ties to Iraqi intelligence, Naeem Abd Mulhalhal, in Qusay's own newspaper several weeks before the attacks that stated bin Laden would “demolish the Pentagon after he destroys the White House and ”bin Laden would strike America “on the arm that is already hurting.” (referencing a second IRAQI sponsored attack on the World Trade Center). Another reference to New York was “[bin Laden] will curse the memory of Frank Sinatra everytime he hears his songs.” (e.g., “New York, New York”) which identified New York, New York as a target. Mulhalhal also stated, “The wings of a dove and the bullet are all but one and the same in the heart of a believer." which references an airplane attack.

The Arabic language daily newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabic also cited the cooperation between Iraq, bin Laden and Al December 1998 editorial, which predicted that “President Saddam Hussein, whose country was subjected to a four day air strike, will look for support in taking revenge on the United States and Britain by cooperating with Saudi oppositionist Osama Bin-Laden, whom the United States considers to be the most wanted person in the world.” This info is in the link provided below. How could these people have had foreknowledge without Iraq being involved?
Source for this info (Warning...slow loading .pdf file. This was from a lawsuit filed against Iraq after 9/11...the court ruled against Iraq.)

There was also another lawsuit filed by the family of John O’Neill (a former FBI agent who captured Ramzi Yousef after the 1993 WTC bombings) after he died in the WTC on 9/11. His personal files from his years of traveling around the world investigating al-Qaeda are were used as evidence in the lawsuit. The evidence includes documents unearthed in the headquarters of the Mukhabarat (Iraq's intelligence service) and information gleaned from the interrogation of both al-Qaeda and Iraqi prisoners. (Link below). It also quotes Vincent Cannistraro, the former CIA counter-terrorism chief, who stated in October 2000 that Iraq had been wanting to carry out terrorist attacks, and that the Iraqi military had been in contact with Osama bin Laden.
Click Here

We know from these IIS documents that beginning in 1992 the former Iraqi regime regarded bin Laden as an Iraqi Intelligence asset. We know from IIS documents that the former Iraqi regime provided safe haven and financial support to an Iraqi who has admitted to mixing the chemicals for the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center. We know from IIS documents that Saddam Hussein agreed to Osama bin Laden's request to broadcast anti-Saudi propaganda on Iraqi state-run television. We know from IIS documents that a "trusted confidante" of bin Laden stayed for more than two weeks at a posh Baghdad hotel as the guest of the Iraqi Intelligence Service.

Abu Nidal, September 11 and Saddam The terrorist network may be closer knit than we think

Weekly Standard: The Mother of All Connections

List of newspaper article in the 90's which mention the world's concern regarding the growing relationship between OBL and Saddam

Son of Saddam coordinates OBL activities

The AQ connection (excellent):

Western Nightmare

Saddam's link to OBL

NYT: Iraq and AQ agree to cooperate

Document linking them

Iraq and terrorism - no doubt about it

A federal judge rules there are links

Wall Street Journal on Iraq and AQ

Iraq and Iran contact OBL

More evidence

Saddam's AQ connection

Further connections

What a court of law said about the connections

Some miscellaneous stuff on connections

Saddam's Ambassador to Al Qaeda (February 2004, Weekly Standard)

Yes - it's NewsMax but loaded with interesting bullet points

Saddam's Fingerprints on NY Bombing (Wall Street Journal, June 1993)

Colin Powell: Iraq and AQ Partners for Years (CNN, February 2003)

The Iraq-Al Qaeda Connections (September 2003, Richard Miniter)

Oil for Food Scandal Ties Iraq and Al Qaeda (June 2003)

Saddam and OBL Make a Pact (The New Yorker, February 2003)

Al Qaeda's Poison Gas (Wall Street Journal, April 2004)

Wolfowitz Says Saddam behind 9/11 Attacks

Saddam behind first WTC attack - PBS, Laurie Mylroie

Growing Evidence of Saddam and Al Qaeda Link, The Weekly Standard, July 2003

Qusay Hussein Coordinated Iraq special operations with Bin Laden Terrorist Activities, Yossef Bodansky, National Press Club

The Western Nightmare: Saddam and Bin Laden vs. the Rest of the World, The Guardian Unlimited

Saddam Link to Bin Laden, Julian Borger, The Guardian, February 1999

The Al Qaeda Connection, The Weekly Standard, July 2003

Cheney lectures Russert on Iraq/911 Link, September 2003

No Question About It, National Review, September 2003

Iraq: A Federal Judges Point of View

Mohammed's Account links Iraq to 9/11 and OKC

Free Republic Thread that mentions some books Freepers might be interested in on this topic

The Proof that Saddam Worked with AQ, The Telegraph, April 2003

Saddam's AQ Connection, The Weekly Standard, September 2003

September 11 Victims Sue Iraq

Osama's Best Friend: The Further Connections Between Al Qaeda and Saddam, The Weekly Standard, November 2003

Terrorist Behind 9/11 Attacks Trained by Saddam, The Telegraph, December 2003

James Woolsey Links Iraq and AQ, CNN Interview, March 2004, Also see Posts #34 and #35

A Geocities Interesting Web Site with maps and connections

Bin Laden indicted in federal court, read down to find information that Bin Laden agreed to not attack Iraq and to work cooperatively with Iraq

Case Closed, The Weekly Standard, November 03

CBS - Lawsuit: Iraq involved in 9/11

Exploring Iraq's Involvement in pre-9/11 Acts, The Indianapolis Star

The Iraq/AQ Connection: Richard Minister again

Militia Defector says Baghdad trained Al Qaeda fighters in chemical weapons, July 2002

The Clinton View of Iraq/AQ Ties, The Weekly Standard, December 2003

Saddam Controlled the Camps (Iraq/AQ Ties): The London Observer, November 01

Saddam's Terror Ties that Critics Ignore, National Review, October 2003

Tape Shows General Wesley Clark linking Iraq and AQ

The Missing Link (What the Senate Ingelligence Report Said about Iraq/AQ Connections)

Credit to Mary Beth Seaha for the above info.

Credit to joesbucks for the following links:

Dozens of links here

Just a few of those links include:

The Clinton Justice Department's indictment against OBL in federal court which mentions the terrorist's connections to Iraq. November 4, 1998. The federal indictment

Iraq and AQ agree to cooperate. The federal indictment against OBL working in concert with Iraq and Iran is mentioned. November 1998. The New York Times

Saddam reaching out to OBL January 1, 1999. Newsweek

ABC news reports on the Osama/Saddam connections January 14, 1999. ABC News

Western Nightmare: Saddam and OBL versus the World. Iraq recruited OBL. February 6, 1999. The Guardian

Saddam's Link to OBL February 6, 1999. The Guardian

Saddam offered asylum to bin Laden February 13, 1999. AP

Video coverage from drzz:

Saddam- Al Qaeda VIDEOS library (MUST SEE)

And kabar submitted these two little gems showing Bin Laden supported Iraq and its struggle against the US and the West:

1996 Fatwa: "Declaration of War against the Americans Occupying the Land of the Two Holy Places."

1998 Text of Fatwah Urging Jihad Against Americans