If you ever wondered why credibility is in short supply in Washington, read this:
Republican congressman from North Carolina told CNN on Wednesday that the “evidence is clear” that Iraq was involved in the terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001.
“Saddam Hussein and people like him were very much involved in 9/11,” Rep. Robin Hayes said.
Told no investigation had ever found evidence to link Saddam and 9/11, Hayes responded, “I’m sorry, but you must have looked in the wrong places.”
Hayes, the vice chairman of the House subcommittee on terrorism, said legislators have access to evidence others do not.
President Bush said in September 2003 that “We’ve had no evidence that Saddam Hussein was involved with the September 11 [attacks].”
Nevertheless, Hayes insisted that the connection between al Qaeda and Saddam and “folks who work for him” has been seen “time and time again.”
“Nobody disputes 9/11,” Hayes said. “They would do it again if not prevented.”
Everyone repeat after me:
‘There is no link between Saddam Hussein and 9/11.’
Saddam did a lot of really awful things, and the world is better off without him. He may very well have been thrilled that 9/11 happened. But there is no connection.
Stop it, Rep. Hayes. Just stop the insanity. Why is it always someone from North Carolina or the south?
*** Update ***
I really don’t know what is more maddening- the attempts to claim Saddam had something to do with 9/11, or the attempts to claim Saddam had nothing to do with terrorism in general. Tom Maguire addresses the latter.