Their Own Words

In yesterday's VP Debate, Dick Cheney said he never said there were ties between Saddam and Al Quaeda, only ties between Saddam and terrorism in general. So how about this quote from Vice-President Dick Cheney's Interview on CNBC, June 2004:

There clearly was a relationship. It's been testified to. The evidence is overwhelming... It goes back to the early '90s. It involves a whole series of contacts, high-level contacts with Osama Bin Laden and Iraqi intelligence officials...

And here's Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld at a Pentagon news conference, September 2002:

We have what we consider to be very reliable reporting of senior level contacts going back a decade, and of possible chemical and biological agent training. And when I say contacts, I mean between Iraq and al-Qaeda.

We have what we believe to be credible information that Iraq and al Qaeda have discussed safe-haven opportunities in Iraq, reciprocal non-aggression discussions. We have what we consider to be credible evidence that al Qaeda leaders have sought contacts in Iraq who could help them acquire... weapons of mass destruction capabilities.

And how about little George W. himself, at a news conference, June 2004:

The reason I keep insisting that there was a relationship between Iraq and Saddam and al-Qaeda is because there was a relationship between Iraq and al-Qaeda...

More here - In quotes: US policy on Iraq.