Why do people believe that Iraq had something to do with the 9/11 attacks?

Here are a few reasons:

2001

Vice President Cheney said it was "pretty well confirmed" that attack mastermind Mohamed Atta met with a senior Iraqi intelligence official.

19 Sep 2002

Defense Secretary DONALD RUMSFELD tells the Senate Armed Services Commitee: "There are a number of terrorist states pursuing weapons of mass destruction -- Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, just to name a few -- but no terrorist state poses a greater or more immediate threat to the security of our people than the regime of Saddam Hussein and Iraq."

7 Oct 2002

During a speech in Cincinnati, PRESIDENT GEORGE W BUSH declares: "Iraq could decide on any given day to provide a biological or chemical weapon to a terrorist group or individual terrorists."

20 Jan 2003

Defense Secretary DONALD RUMSFELD declares: "It should be noted that biological weapons -- which Iraq and North Korea both possess -- can be as deadly, and arguably more immediate a danger -- because they are simpler and cheaper and deliver, and are even more readily transferred to terrorist networks than are nuclear weapons."

Mar 2003:

Bush said: "If the world fails to confront the threat posed by the Iraqi regime, refusing to use force, even as a last resort, free nations would assume immense and unacceptable risks. The attacks of September the 11th, 2001, showed what the enemies of America did with four airplanes. We will not wait to see what terrorists or terrorist states could do with weapons of mass destruction."

1 May 2003

Then, in declaring the end of major combat in Iraq on May 1, Bush linked Iraq and the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks: "The battle of Iraq is one victory in a war on terror that began on September the 11, 2001 -- and still goes on. That terrible morning, 19 evil men -- the shock troops of a hateful ideology -- gave America and the civilized world a glimpse of their ambitions."

Moments later, Bush added: "The liberation of Iraq is a crucial advance in the campaign against terror. We've removed an ally of al Qaeda, and cut off a source of terrorist funding. And this much is certain: No terrorist network will gain weapons of mass destruction from the Iraqi regime, because the regime is no more. In these 19 months that changed the world, our actions have been focused and deliberate and proportionate to the offense. We have not forgotten the victims of September the 11th -- the last phone calls, the cold murder of children, the searches in the rubble. With those attacks, the terrorists and their supporters declared war on the United States. And war is what they got."

7 Nov 2003

During a speech in Denver, DICK CHENEY declares: "In Iraq, a ruthless dictator cultivated weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver them. He gave support to terrorists, had an established relationship with al Qaeda, and his regime is no more."

A number of nongovernment officials close to the Bush administration have made the link more directly. Richard N. Perle, who until recently was chairman of the Pentagon's Defense Policy Board, long argued that there was Iraqi involvement, calling the evidence "overwhelming."

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In his recent interview with Katie Couric, Bush said that the hardest part of is job was trying to make the American people see a connection between Iraq and the war on terror.

Finally, both the 9/11 commission and the recently released Congresssional report on pre-war intelligence state that:

- there were NO terrorists in Iraq before Bush invaded

- there was no connection between Iraq and OBL, AQ, or any terrorist organization

- Hussein did not provide training camps to terrorists

- Hussein hated AQ before we did

- Hussein did not hide al-Zargawi - he tried to have him arrested

A recent survey of Americans, all of voting and dying age, 42% declared last week that Iraq, or Saddam had something to do with the 9/11 attacks.

While not true for the other 58%, maybe the direct statements of Bush and crew are why many Americans believe that.

While Bush stated that he never said that, he sure as hell implied it and at the time of the runup to the War did everything he could to create that impression.

There are also reports coming out of the Gitmo investigations that the CIA tortured men in Egypt to gain "confessions" that Osama BinLaden tried to provide WMD to Iraq. These confessions served as a basis to invade. (Quote provided below with link)

So the summary to your question?

People believe that because it served the political purposes of George W. Bush, aka KickAss43.

Thanks.

From Begg's new book, Enemy Combatant: A British Muslim's Journey to Guantanamo and Back, co-written with Victoria Brittain

"My other experience was when I was threatened be sent to Egypt in order to face further torture. That was where a man previously (Ibn al-Shaykh al-Libi) had been sent and tortured. He confessed under torture that al Qaeda was trying to provide Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction. That was used as a justification to enter Iraq"

who can tell what Iraq really did when Saddam was in power. It was all very secret. He was definitely on the side of the terrorists because of what we did to him in the Mother Of All Wars in the early 1990s. He was paying off human bombers by giving $25,000 to their families. Why didn't he put on a bomb belt and push the button? I would give his family $25,000. Indirectly, Iraq may have had something to do with 9/11. Who can tell, except Saddam. Incidentally the words of moral808 were powerful and hit home. Everyone should read this reply and frame it. It is 100% true.

i wager they by no skill polled me. possibly it develop right into a television poll - that can evidently in hardship-free words comprise television visitors. were given a source? to respond to your question, obviously the managed media develop into propagandizing Iraq with the intention to drum up help for the warfare. Propagandists do not enable pesky such issues as info get of their way. yet I in actual actuality doubt that ninety seven% of people ever believed Iraq had some thing to do with 9/11. maximum polls are entire garbage. Why are not you asking what delivered down construction 7? that's a miles better exciting question.

Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. Iraq happened because bush wanted to finish daddys war and Chenny wanted the oil.

The first Bush was smart enough to stop when he did, cause he knew if he continued it would be a war he could not win. He listened to his military not like the idiot in office know. The idiot in the office now won't listen to those that know. He listens to idiots like Rumsfield. We will never win Iraq cause the poeple there never liked us to begin with. They hate us more than the terrorist, So how can you win, when the people you are trying to help are helping the enemy more. Also over there they like killing each other, stealing and raping more than freedom. You free a pack of wild animals they will sooner or later they attack each other and any one that stands in their way even if you are trying to help.

Sorry friend, world body does not show its finger on Iraq of 9/11 attack it was Taliban who carried this event, and they were bought up by US to handle th Afghan Situation in Cold war era. They were helped with Money, weapons, Plans, and all their basic needs were funded by CIA through ISI. Iraq blunder mistake was occupation of Kuwait. and killing of its own people (Kurdish). I can tell you that the person who link 9/11 operation with Iraq has analyzed world events wrongly

No, the attacks on New York city were the doings of a few, well organized, radicals. They might have moved money, plotted, and did some early training in Iraq, but even as insane as Saddam is, I do not think he would have wanted to risk open war with the US, let alone any modern western country, after the first Gulf War.

The uninformed people believe this. Saddam wasn't involved with 9/11 but certainly supported terrorism before & after 9/11.

Iraq had nothing to do with 911. It continually violated UN sanctions until the UN was forced to act. And since no one in the UN has any gonads, the US and other countries took Hussein out.The whiney dimocrats are the ones that keep harping on the WMD mantra. Iran and North Korea are currently doing the same thing. The dimocratic party has no plans for America's future, just lies and bullcrap. Your question is proof that the dims have affected your brain. Buck up little trooper, the dims will get nailed in November AGAIN.

Because it helps justify war along with the weapons of mass destruction. Before that war began Dubya should had done a Grand Jury style investigation to know if evidence could be presented ina court of law and have a conviction to those in Capital Punsihment meaning beyond a reasonable doubt. Yes Saddam Hussein is EVIL but he was not religious like Usam Bin-Laden. Iraq had no intenetion of attacking the US directly or indirectly. The Republicans just made the reasoning to do as they please just like they disregard the US Constitution. The Democrats are just as guilty.