| The attack on Iraq is predicated on the lie that Saddam Hussein is connected with al Qa'ida and with the horrific events of 9/11.
In his State of the Union address in late January, President Bush stated "Evidence from intelligence sources, secret communications, and statements by people now in custody, reveals that Saddam Hussein aids and protects terrorists including members of Al Qa’ida". On 17.03.03, President Bush repeated these claims and, in his war address, on 19.03.03 he stated "We will meet that threat now with our army, air force, navy, coastguard and marines so that we do not have to meet it later with armies of firefighters and police and doctors on the streets of our cities" – the use of firefighters clearly being an emotive reference to 9/11.
When I questioned him on 18.03.03 the Prime Minister said he supported the assertions made by President Bush and the Defence Secretary, Geoff Hoon stated on 20.03.03 "There are clear links between the Iraqi regime and al-Qaeda. We are not sure of the precise nature of those links, but we are certainly aware that they exist". However, when the Under Secretary of State responsible for Iraq, Mike O’Brien, was asked on 25.03.03 what assessment he has made of the links between the Iraqi regime and terrorism in the Middle East, he did not mention any link between Iraq and Al-Qa’ida.
Whilst there are links between Iraq and other terrorists and Saddam Hussein has paid money to the families of suicide bombers in Palestine (although so have other Governments, including Saudi Arabia), there are no links between the Iraqi dictatorship and al-Qa’ida. The small paramilitary groups that Iraq has supported, the Arab Liberation Front (in Palestine) and the Mujahidin e-Khalq (for Iran) have never received access to Iraq’s more advanced weaponry (for more information see 'Counter Dossier' by Labour Against the War and the text of the Speech I prepared for the debate in the House on 18 March 2003).
Despite massive global opposition, in the early hours of 20 March, the US launched the war on Iraq. By chance I had been drawn at no. 1 in the ballot for oral questions that morning. I used the opportunity to highlight the lies Bush was telling his people and to try and call for a suspension of Parliamentary Business to receive an urgent statement before the UK joined the war. (Click here for the Hansard record).
To get public support for their war, George Bush and members of his administration continue to make repeated inferences to 9/11 to maintain the fear level of the American people and thereby scare them into believing the lie that Saddam Hussein is a threat to US shores. By doing so they are manipulating a people’s sincerely held grief in order to wage war for political – not humanitarian – ends which is a terrible thing to do. If we are to avoid future pre-emptive conflicts, this kind of misinformation must be exposed. Despite the fact that the war is now happening history must hold to account those responsible for bringing further chaos and instability to the world.
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