Dr. Mohammad T. Al-Rasheed, Arab News

Messrs Bush and Cheney can keep insisting that Saddam’s Iraq had “connections” to Al-Qaeda in the face of all evidence to the contrary. It is their right if they have no problem with twisting facts to suit political ends. Now they are telling us that Saddam had “contacts” with the terror group. Fine. But, pray tell, who in the world did not have “contacts” with Al-Qaeda at one time or another?

I am no fan of Saddam nor am I sad to see the last of him. But “contact” is not enough evidence considering what happened since. Those countries that actually recognized the Taleban rule in Afghanistan had more contact with those people than anyone on earth. This is logical and would need no external evidence. America itself worked with, around, inside, and above the group at one time or another.

The reality of the situation is obvious enough. I don’t need any external evidence to tell me that the people reading their grizzly edicts on those horror-filled videos are not Iraqis and are solid Al-Qaeda members. I can tell from their Arabic accents that they are not Iraqis. Any Arab would tell you that. You don’t need to pay the Chalabis of this world millions for consultation to find out the facts on the ground.

Another bitter reality is that while Saddam was in power these people would not have had access to Iraq. They would have been the ones decapitated along with other Iraqis we never hear about. What is oozing out of the leaking Iraqi situation is blood and not water. Something has to be done. Bush has to come out and declare that he went and invaded Iraq to avenge his father and to feel good about 9/11. It would simply put an end to all the pathetic denials and Bush would maintain his image of being a what-you-see-is-what-you-get man. He is not good at lying like other politicians because he is not a natural politician.

Then he will have to put more resources into Iraq. Now that America has committed to the job, the logical thing to do is put all its might into finishing it. Having gone in the face of public opinion, keep at it regardless and push ahead toward the light at the end of the tunnel if there is one. Half-baked cakes are neither worth having nor eating, even if it means another term for this president.

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