Contributed by Working Assets – 2004-06-23 12:25:22

http://www.workingforchange.com/activism/action.cfm?itemid=17162

Vice President Dick Cheney is at it again. From the earliest moments after the tragedy of 9/11, Mr. Cheney has sought to convince the American public that Saddam Hussein’s Iraq was linked to Al Qaida.

As the echo chamber of the right wing media picked up the message, the public bought it to the degree that large majorities believed that Iraq was behind the 9/11 attack itself. Second only to the now disproved claims of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, the Iraq – Al Qaida story was and still is essential to justifying our invasion of Iraq.

So far, all the evidence goes the other direction, yet Mr. Cheney keeps pushing his tale. And now he indicates that he has evidence not previously revealed to the 9/11 commission. If he does, he should reveal it immediately and let the experts and the public judge it. Frankly, in other times, withholding such evidence would be grounds for impeachment. If he does not have such evidence, he should stop making it up and resign.

In the absence of evidence, Mr. Cheney falls back on the old ploy of simply attacking the press for questioning his unsupported claims and contradictions. This is conduct unbecoming a vice president.

Immediately after the 9/11 Commission issued a staff report stating that they found “no credible evidence” that Iraq was involved in the September 11 terrorist attacks and that there was “no collaborative relationship” between Iraq and Osama bin Laden, Vice President Cheney immediately went on the attack and accused the media of being “irresponsible” in its reporting of the 9/11 Commission’s findings and claimed that the evidence is “overwhelming” that Al-Qaida had a relationship with Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq. He also continued the charade by going so far as to answer “we don’t know” when asked in a CNBC interview if Iraq was involved in 9/11, even when he knows there is no evidence, circumstantial or otherwise, of such a relationship. He also said that he “probably” knows information about this that the 9/11 Commission does not.

Call to Action
Urge Vice President Dick Cheney to either provide any evidence he has that would show material links and coordination between Al Qaida and Iraq under Saddam Hussein to the 9/11 Commission or, if he doesn’t have such evidence, to resign.

Sample Letter

I am writing to urge you to provide any evidence you have that would show material links and coordination between Al Qaida and Iraq under Saddam Hussein to the 9/11 Commission. If you don’t have such evidence, you should resign immediately.

From the earliest moments after the tragedy of 9/11, you have sought to convince the American public that Saddam Hussein’s Iraq was linked to Al Qaida.

So far, all the evidence goes the other direction, yet you keep pushing your tall tale. You have indicated that you have evidence not previously revealed to the 9/11 commission. If you do, you should reveal it immediately and let the experts and the public judge it. Frankly, in other times, withholding such evidence would be grounds for impeachment. If you don’t have such evidence, you should stop making it up and resign.

Please let me know how you intend to proceed on this issue.

Sincerely,