Cutting Through the Fog of War

Matt Welch | May 29, 2003

Feeling dizzy about the various myths and counter-myths emanating from Iraq? The invaluable fact-checkers at Spinsanity.org have a useful primer.

Link via InstaPundit.

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|5.29.03 @ 2:51AM|#

Having read some links from this story, it is pretty clear that Wilbur Smith doesn't know his ass from his elbow when it comes to military equipment. Either know what you are writing about, or don't write.

fyodor|5.29.03 @ 3:00AM|#

They don't seem to address the Telegraph's chemical warheads. Anyone here know what the deal is with that story?

|5.29.03 @ 3:02AM|#

To summarize the piece:

WMDs: On this, an essential issue, the Iraq hawks presently appear to be wrong.

Links with Al Qaeda: On this, an essential issue, the Iraq hawks presently appear to be wrong.

Museum looting: On this, a peripheral issue, certain doves seem to have exaggerated a bit.

Statue flag: On this, a peripheral issue, certain hawks seem to have embraced an urban legend.

Private Lynch: On this, a peripheral issue, there is evidence that the initial story (generally favored by hawks) is wrong. At the same time, one of the efforts to debunk that story, but not all of them, includes some inaccurate information.

HH|5.29.03 @ 3:23AM|#

"On this, an essential issue, the Iraq hawks presently appear to be wrong."

Except that they barely touched the tip of the iceberg when it came to the evidence of links... the judge, despite his qualms, found that the links were proven enough.

|5.29.03 @ 3:28AM|#

I disagree with the characterization of some stories as peripheral. The government's lies (hawk + dove) are not peripheral.

david f|5.29.03 @ 3:39AM|#

hi HH,

what do you mean? what are the links? links between SH and AQ would be really interesting to see, pls send!

hi Anon,

careful, your critique may get you labeled "anti-american". (reference to "being a hawk" from reason, reason.com/links/links030603.shtml)

thanks and happy onion day,
drf

HH|5.29.03 @ 4:39AM|#

Their link to a four month old Guardian piece isn't that convicing... the status of the claims of a Mohammed Atta meeting, for example, as they linked in an earlier column like this, has reportedly changed since then. Most of the connections have been chronicled in multiple posts here.

HH|5.29.03 @ 4:46AM|#

The link to a four month old Guardian piece is unconvincing and, according to a link in a previous Spinsanity column, outdated and/or not entirely accurate on the Mohammed Atta point at the very least, as another British news service has followed up on that story. This blog has a rather extensive list of the connections in multiple posts.

HH|5.29.03 @ 4:47AM|#

Oops sorry for the repetitive posts, didn't realize the first one went through.

david f|5.29.03 @ 5:06AM|#

thanks, HH!

|5.29.03 @ 5:13AM|#

Not all the hyperlinks on that blog are working. Is there more there than reports that "Al Qaeda fighters" went to Iraq to fight alongside the natives? Because that's not exactly the sort of link that most people are worried about.

HH|5.30.03 @ 2:01AM|#

Yes there is more than that, like the aforementioned Atta meeting.

Croesus|5.30.03 @ 9:13AM|#

HH,

What Atta meeting? Now you act like it really occurred.

HH|5.30.03 @ 9:33AM|#

Scroll back up where I said that the Guardian's story was, at minimum, outdated on the status of the claims of the meeting, I didn't say the meeting definitely existed. However:

It also includes a new affirmation by the Czech government that Mohamed Atta, the leader of the 9/11 plotters, met an Iraqi intelligence officer, Ibrahim al-Ani, in Prague in April 2001. Some US officials have suggested this meeting did not happen. But in a signed statement dated 24 February, 2003, Hynek Kmonicek, the Czech ambassador to the UN, says his government 'can confirm that during the stay of Mohamed Atta ... there was contact with Mr al-Ani, who was on 22 April, 2001 expelled from the Czech Republic on the basis of activities not compatible with his diplomatic status [the usual euphemism for spying]'. Garzon's indictment says Galan was part of a cell which organized bank robberies on behalf of al-Qaeda, and which had supported the group around Atta financially and logistically

|5.30.03 @ 9:49AM|#

Assuming the reliability of Czech intelligence, why would a man with the backing of a government with billions of dollars need to turn to back robbery to finance a terror cell? Unless he didn't really have the backing of that government.

Croesus|5.30.03 @ 10:11AM|#

Its fun to watch the Bushies try to cover their arse.

Croesus|5.30.03 @ 11:51AM|#

The story about the "decapitation strike" is likely the most humorous or embarressing.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/05/28/eveningnews/main555948.shtml

Consolidation loan|9.10.04 @ 12:24AM|#

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DATE: 02/01/2004 08:34:31
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