Pentagon: "no direct connection between Saddam's Iraq and al Qaeda"
In a modern parallel to the Pentagon Papers, ABC has released a redacted version (12MB PDF) of the Pentagon's "Iraqi Perspectives Report." The report was discussed by ABC several days ago, and discussed at TPM here and here, among many other places. After reviewing more than 600,000 documents and "several thousand hours of audio and video footage," (p. v, Foreword) the Pentagon's IDA (Institute for Defense Analysis) concluded:
"This study found no 'smoking gun' (i.e., direct connection) between Saddam's Iraq and al Qaeda." (p. ES-1, Executive Summary)
In light of this unsurprising revelation, I am issuing a retroactive Lie of the Day award to George W. Bush:
"The reason I keep insisting that there was a relationship between Iraq and Saddam and al Qaeda: because there was a relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda." (Washington Post, 18 June 2004)