Socio-Economics History Blog

Socio-Economics History Blog

Fabricated Iraq War WMD Pretext: Who was Behind the “Terrorist Network” in Northern Iraq, Baghdad or Washington?

by mosesman

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  • Fabricated Iraq War WMD Pretext: Who was behind the “Terrorist Network” in Northern Iraq, Baghdad or Washington? 
    by Prof Michel Chossudovsky, http://www.globalresearch.ca/ 
    First published by Global Research on 5 February 2003
    “What we’re giving you are facts and conclusions based on solid intelligence…” (Colin Powell, 5 February 2003)
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    The plagiarized British “intelligence report” cited by Powell in his UN address is part of a war propaganda campaign, which went disastrously wrong in the weeks leading up to the planned invasion of Iraq. Yet the matter of political deceit and disinformation, not to mention the incompetence of the CIA and Britain’s MI6 is but the tip of the iceberg.
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    While Colin Powell points a finger at Saddam Hussein, there is firm evidence that “Enemy Number One”, namely Osama bin Laden’s Al Qaeda is a creature of the US military-intelligence establishment.
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    Secretary of State Powell in his February 5 2003 address to the United Nations Security Council accused Saddam Hussein of collaborating with Osama bin Laden’s Al Qaeda.
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    Powell accused Baghdad of supporting Ansar al-Islam, a “deadly terrorist network” based in the ethnic Kurd controlled region of Northern Iraq. According to Powell,  Ansar al-Islam has been responsible for plotting terror attacks in a number of countries including France, Britain, and Germany. US officials have also pointed to the role of Iraq’s embassy in Islamabad, which was allegedly used as a liaison between Al Qaeda operatives and representatives of the Iraqi government.
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    Baghdad has no jurisdiction in the ethnic Kurd controlled region of Northern Iraq. In fact, the region is in the US sphere of influence. “But the picture is neither complete nor conclusive. Ansar al-Islam has its bases in the Kurdish-controlled area of Iraq, beyond the control of Saddam Hussein.” (NYT, 14 Febrauary 2003)
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    There are two regional governments in “liberated Kurdistan”, both of which are supported by Washington. The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) controls the West, whereas the eastern part is under the jurisdiction of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). The two rival governments have separate administrations and Armed Forces, which are financed by US military aid under Clinton’s 1998 “Iraq Liberation Act” of 1998.
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    Ansar al-Islam, a pre-existing Islamist group, developed into a small yet significant paramilitary organisation, shortly after the 9/11 attacks. It was largely involved in terrorist attacks directed against the secular institutions of the Kurdish regional governments. It was also involved in assassinations of members of the Kurdish PUK. In the days following Colin Powell’s statement, a senior military leader of PUK forces General Shawkat Haj Mushir was murdered allegedly by Ansar al-Islam. (The Australian, 11 February 2003)  Surrounded in mystery, the assassination of Shawkat was barely mentioned in the US press.
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    Since September 2001, Ansar al-Islam has grown in size, incorporating Al Qaeda fighters who fled Afghanistan in the wake of the US bombings. (Christian Science Monitor, 15 March 2002) Revealed by Seymour Hersh, “an unknown number” of Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters “were flown to safety” in a US sponsored airlift organised by Pakistan’s Military and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). These Mujahideen fighters were apparently evacuated to Kashmir, where they joined Al Qaeda and ISI supported Islamic terrorist groups. While there is no firm evidence, one suspects that some of the Mujahideen fighters may also have fled from Afghanistan to other countries (eg. Northern Iraq), with the tacit approval of the Pentagon.
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    read more!

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