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Did WH politicize capture of top al Qaeda leader?»

Today, the Bush administration announced that it has arrested the “highest-ranking Iraqi leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq.” The announcement comes just one day after the release of the National Intelligence Estimate. Interestingly, as TPM notes, “the capture took place two weeks ago but was not announced until today.”




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101 Responses to “Did WH politicize capture of top al Qaeda leader?”

  1. spit take Says:

    Did WH politicize capture of top al Qaeda leader?

    Did the sun rise in the east this morning?

    Come to think of it, I’m surprised the WH hasn’t tried to politicize the sun rising yet.


  2. PaulB Says:

    Yes. This has been another edition of easy one-word answers.


  3. orwell08 Says:

    Ya think!?


  4. Ophelia Heinie Says:

    Duh…is there anything the WH doesn’t politicize?


  5. Jay Randal Says:

    LOL they capture an Iraqi cab driver, or goat herder, and call him the top Al-Qaeda guy in Iraq.


  6. Ranting Tommy Says:

    Politics is the first and last consideration for every decision by these fools.


  7. Zimzone Says:

    White House politicizing the war? You’ve got to be kidding!

    Where will they be taking him? Saudi Arabia? Tehran? Israel?

    Perhaps the Bill O show, where he will eat the terrorist alive on Fox.


  8. Texas Democrat Says:

    Of course he did…. and?


  9. Frank J Says:

    I guess they should release him then, moonbats.


  10. PatrioticLiberalChristian(PLC) Says:

    Come on, conspiracy nuts. The truth is simple.
    BushCo had to have an election among all those they have captured to elect one as a “leader” to denounce. Elections take time. They are hard work. Democracy is on the march, you know.


  11. Bob Says:

    Oh, good. We can go home now.


  12. upside00 Says:

    When you are going down faster than Mark Foley on Dennis Hastert, you need to do whatever it takes to hold on til the Rapture ‘cums’!


  13. TerrytheTurtle Says:

    Weak, TP. Why would they announce a capture and tip everyone off while they are still trying to leverage intelligence to roll up his network?


  14. hil Says:

    ok so now the war can be over right?


  15. Candyce Says:

    Yesterday:

    President Bush’s top counterterrorism advisers acknowledged Tuesday that the strategy for fighting Osama bin Laden’s leadership of Al Qaeda in Pakistan had failed, as the White House released a grim new intelligence assessment that has forced the administration to consider more aggressive measures inside Pakistan.

    Today:

    President Gen. Pervez Musharraf said he would not declare a state of emergency in face of the mounting bloodshed and claimed that al-Qaida in Pakistan was on the run, his spokesman told The Associated Press.

    Al-Qaida has weakened because of the actions taken by Pakistani forces,” Musharraf was quoted by spokesman Rashid Quereshi as telling newspaper editors.

    What a difference a day makes!


  16. upside00 Says:

    #13 Weak, TP. Why would they announce a capture and tip everyone off while they are still trying to leverage intelligence to roll up his network?

    Comment by TerrytheTurtle

    The flaw in your logic is that there is any intelligence in this Cabal!


  17. ForTruth Says:

    I guess this means no terror attack on US soil now. Sorry Repubs.


  18. Candyce Says:

    Tip off who, TerrytheTurtle? You mean, no one noticed he was missing?


  19. DM Says:

    #1 ~ just for you.

    Republican Leadership Reaffirms Solar Power

    Washington - Republican Senators and Department of Energy officials met to celebrate the continuation of their plan to provide earth with free and lasting solar energy Monday, and tout the uniterrupted delivery of power.

    “The Republicans have provided leadership and stability on this issue,” said Senator Blowhard, “where Democrats waged an active campaign to try to eliminate solar power.”

    A full review showed an impressive record of over 2200 days of continuous solar radiation delivery, and implemented techniques that have “never before in history been able to boost the net gain from global solar energy,” primarily through expanded emissions of carbon dioxide and exempted flurocarbons.

    Energy secretary Bill Dabrijtohevn took the opportunity to denounce his critics who he claimed have “tried to turn the positive benefit of solar energy into a partisan boogeyan of global warming.”

    Although the Department has yet to declare a destination for the surplus radiation, it noted that the excess residual heat was well within the new EPA guidelines and publicized side-effects of unprocessed radiation were well within acceptable limits.


  20. PatrioticLiberalChristian(PLC) Says:

    “The highest-ranking Iraqi leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq has been arrested and told interrogators that Osama bin Laden’s inner circle wields considerable influence over the Iraqi group, the U.S. command said Wednesday.”

    And, if I recall, we have had Americans who were POW and gave the name of American baseball players instead of their own names just to throw off the enemy. Couldn’t happen with the al-Qaeda “leader” could it?


  21. RUCerious Says:

    Hoorayy! We got the #2 Guy.
    Now who’s the new #2 guy?
    What the hell about OBL>?


  22. DRxJ Says:

    Hey! Was this “top leader” in Iraq the second highest ranking member of AQ?


  23. RUCerious Says:

    Breaking news from the White House!
    Our great and valiant leader, GW Bush the Greater allowed the sun to come up this morning.
    Every right thinking American should get on his/her knees and thank the leader for allowing us this day.


  24. WaltTheMan Says:

    Actually, they arrested the former “highest-ranking Iraqi leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq”. Now he is non-combatant terrorist prisoner and there is a new “highest-ranking Iraqi leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq.”


  25. Dumb Trolls Says:

    Comment by Mr. President — July 18, 2007 @ 3:00 pm

    Come on out, Darryl, and pray for the pissant troll that is stupid enough to believe the Bush administration. Can anyone believe there is actually someone this stupid??


  26. Powkat Says:

    It would be news if BushCo didn’t politicize something, this is just business as usual.


  27. RUCerious Says:

    Have they caught the #2 guy in Al-Qaeda in Crawford?


  28. Zimzone Says:

    An Ivy League Cheerleader at the Pep Fest…

    KKKarl & Dirty Dick times this to offset the PR on the filibuster.

    Bush is just the cheerleader in the bunch. (The only thing he ever really enjoyed or was successful at.)

    Cheer, W, Cheer! Your team’s losing, but go! go! go!


  29. leftcoast Says:

    Isn’t this the 17th No. 2 guy captured?


  30. leftcoast Says:

    Whenever the WH is in trouble domestically with things like subpoenas it turns to terror and threats of terror and parades the captured.
    This is just all too obvious!


  31. CT_V1 Says:

    Who cares if they want some PR-loving and recognition, the point is that they’re fighting terror! Sometimes, people like to talk about themselves. It’s perfectly normal.

    Leftinites….gotta laugh at their stupidity.


  32. chadwick Says:

    Probably the Top Al Queda leader’s house-boy.


  33. leftcoast Says:

    Their not fighting terror. If they were we would have captured or killed Bin Laden years ago.


  34. Buck Fush Says:

    I just can’t help thinking that it is a lie, when liars constantly lie then everything they say you have to assume is a lie.

    Mr. P(rick), it is amazing just how stupid you can be day after day, you have a good supply of stupid pills.


  35. leftcoast Says:

    Make that They’re


  36. JG Says:

    Whenever the WH is in trouble domestically with things like subpoenas it turns to terror and threats of terror and parades the captured.
    This is just all too obvious!

    You are absolutely right. This is just so blatantly transparent.
    Olbermann has said it the best with his “Nexus of Terror timeline”.
    http://www.crooksandliars.com/ 2007/ 06/ 04/ olbermann-the-nexus-of-politics-and-terror-2/
    Black and white, plain and simple, as concrete as it gets.


  37. leftcoast Says:

    The only thing this administration is fighting is the US Constitution.


  38. CT_V1 Says:

    (A)
    (C) — CONSPIRACY GENERATOR (w/CD), only $79.95 for a limited time.
    (E)


  39. leftcoast Says:

    JG- Read it. It’s eye opening.


  40. Buck Fush Says:

    Oh and CT_V1 you stupidity goes without saying….have you had your Butt Slush Slurpy today? Idiot.


  41. GregM Says:

    “Today, the Bush administration announced that it has arrested the “highest-ranking Iraqi leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq.”

    So what. Someone is already there to take his place.


  42. Roger_Roger Says:

    This is very good news. I only hope they keep having this great success against AQ in Iraq. The moment we make it easy on AQ in Iraq is the moment we start the fight with AQ in New York city again. I am assuming we are all supporting out troops great effort on this one. No one wants AQ attacking our wives and grandparents on American streets afterall.


  43. leftcoast Says:

    A)
    (C) — CONSPIRACY GENERATOR (w/CD), only $79.95 for a limited time.
    (E)

    Comment by CT_V1 — July 18, 2007
    Actually, that’s funny.


  44. CT_V1 Says:

    Comment by Buck Fush — July 18, 2007 @ 3:19 pm

    Typical lefty ignorance. Every administration will “politicize” their accomplishments, dumbf*ck.


  45. JG Says:

    My top 2 most important need-to-see videos for all Americans who still need a wakeup call and call to action:

    Keith Olbermann’s Special Comment: You ceased to be the President of the United States
    http://www.crooksandliars.com/ 2007/ 07/ 03/ keith-olbermanns-special-comment-you-ceased-to-be-the-president-of-the-united-states/

    Bill Moyers Journal on PBS:
    “Bill Moyers gets perspective on the role of impeachment in American political life from Constitutional scholar Bruce Fein, who wrote the first article of impeachment against President Bill Clinton, and THE NATION’s John Nichols, author of THE GENIUS OF IMPEACHMENT.”
    http://www.pbs.org/ moyers/ journal/ 07132007/ profile.html


  46. CT_V1 Says:

    Comment by Mr. President

    Besides the Senate, do you know of any other convenient locations where the lefties can put in their surrender papers?


  47. calscientist Says:

    Speaking of politicization, check out this scary exec order discussed today on Thom Hartmann, issued yesterday by Bush.

    Would this allow BushCo to seize, for example, assets of producers and copies of the film No End In Sight mentioned here the other day?

    I urge you to write your senators and reps about this. It is way over the top.


  48. leftcoast Says:

    Karl Rove has made all his staff read Niccolo Machiavelli.
    Just because you don’t believe in conspiracy doesn’t mean they’re not conspiring.


  49. JG Says:

    leftcoast, I’m sorry, I missed something.. Read what?


  50. leftcoast Says:

    JG- from crooks and liars.


  51. Marcus Aurelius Says:

    Weak, TP. Why would they announce a capture and tip everyone off while they are still trying to leverage intelligence to roll up his network?

    Comment by TerrytheTurtle — July 18, 2007 @ 2:59 pm

    Yeah - Al Queda in Iraq has an intelligence agency. Prolem is, they can’t watch TV, ’cause there’s no power. They have no money, so even if there was a newpaper that carried press releases from Ut US gov., they couldn’t afford a copy.

    We aren’t fighting a major power, here.


  52. Egreggious Says:

    No one wants AQ attacking our wives and grandparents on American streets afterall.

    Comment by Roger_Roger — July 18, 2007 @ 3:20 pm

    Or dem BEE PEOPLE either!


  53. leftcoast Says:

    Comment by Mr. President

    Besides the Senate, do you know of any other convenient locations where the lefties can put in their surrender papers?

    Comment by CT_V1
    The image is not pretty. I’m sure someone will accomadate you.


  54. JG Says:

    Frankly, Americans need to read “Propaganda” by Edward Bernays (written in 1928) to help them to understand how easy it is for these guys to play the public and sell them whatever they need to in order to control public perception and opinion. THAT was a scary book for me.
    I would guess Karl Rove keeps a copy of this on his desk.


  55. J Lewd Says:

    This is so obvious it doesn’t even deserve to be a question. It should simply read: “WH politicized capture of top al Qaeda leader”


  56. Buck Fush Says:

    CT_V1 did I say polictize? Asswipe. No, Iiars that lie constantly, you little subhuman prick.

    Why are you so incredibly stupid? Oh yeah, your parents fault, brother and sister shouldn’t marry, but guess they do in your neck of the woods.


  57. Candyce Says:

    #44 Comment by Roger_Roger

    Al Qaeda in Iraq has no association with 9/11. Perhaps you mean Al Qaeda in Pakistan - you know, the Bin Laden group. The one we aren’t going after.

    AQI has no operational ties to Osama’s AQ. Our own intelligence makes it clear that AQI is not threat to US soil.


  58. TripMaster Monkey Says:

    At this point, my question is: “Did “top al-Qaeda leader” capture politicized by WH actually occur?”


  59. leftcoast Says:

    JG- “Manufacturing Consent” by Chomsky scared me.


  60. CT_V1 Says:

    A little stiff with the lefty propadanda there, huh Mr. Bum Fook?

    I take it that you’re so smart, you have nothing to offer besides redneck stereotypes.

    Al-Qaeda pee, Buck Fush’s slurpee of choice.


  61. GSD Says:

    Abu al Schmabu had a “Dear Osama” letter conveniently tucked into his Al Qaeda issued ruck-sack.

    -GSD

    P.S. Roger-Roger, the only people yearning for another attack on America are those Bush cultists eager to run around saying ‘I told you so’. That’s who.


  62. leftcoast Says:

    CT_V1-
    I apologize. It was just a poor attempt at levity here.


  63. helenahandbasket Says:

    President Karl W. Cheney does nothing without politicising it.


  64. Buck Fush Says:

    CT_V1 - (supreme idiot)
    Just making you face reality, that you are just that, a backwards, scum sucking, knuckle dragging, neanderthal. And your stupid little grade school insults are….well, grade school….oh wait you never made it out of grade school, no wonder.


  65. J Lewd Says:

    Mr. President and CT_V1: looks like a two-troll circle jerk.


  66. CT_V1 Says:

    Comment by Buck Fush — July 18, 2007 @ 3:44 pm

    Keep the rage a comin’ there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Of topic, though, I think you cool, man. That’s right, I said you’s cool.


  67. CT_V1 Says:

    Comment by J Lewd — July 18, 2007 @ 3:49 pm

    You cool, man. You cool.


  68. BuckarooBanzai Says:

    “The highest-ranking Iraqi leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq has been arrested and told interrogators that Osama bin Laden’s inner circle wields considerable influence over the Iraqi group, the U.S. command said Wednesday.”

    And why not trust statements from the US Command? Next thing you will tell me is that Jessica Lynch didn’t fight off insurgents single handedly while wounded or that Pat Tillman wasn’t killed in a firefight with the enemy, but by friendly fire. Sheesh…sarcasm off.


  69. leftcoast Says:

    Mr. President has ‘homework”?
    Well, while he’s gone may I just say that (speaking for Mr. P):
    “Hi, I’m Mr. President. I am in need of enormous attention. Thank you all for being my mommy.”


  70. spit take Says:

    Ignore the trolls. You risk being dragged down to their level and looking as stupid as they look.


  71. Buck Fush Says:

    CT_V1, hey, no being nice now….I react politely to nice, you’re not playing fair. LOL


  72. CT_V1 Says:

    Comment by leftcoast

    He has to complete his Philosophy degree sometime.

    You’re cool, leftcoast. You cool.


  73. RUCerious Says:

    Let’s see if CT_Vn disappears at the same time Mr Pee does…


  74. YouCantHandleDaTruth Says:

    K people, if you don’t ack skeered the Bush admin will call an orange\red ‘terra’-ist alert out at the airports and all flights will be delayed etc….

    Come on people…you know the drill, ack skeered or be held over till next flight comes…


  75. CT_V1 Says:

    Comment by RUCerious — July 18, 2007 @ 3:58 pm

    You cool man, you cool.


  76. Egreggious Says:

    I’m bored.

    I could really go for some Harriet Miers in handcuffs right now.


  77. CT_V1 Says:

    Comment by Egreggious — July 18, 2007 @ 4:01 pm

    Harriet Miers should have been selected the first woman President of Harvard!


  78. Egreggious Says:

    Harriet Miers should have been selected the first woman President of Harvard!

    Comment by CT_V1 — July 18, 2007 @ 4:05 pm

    Then she could have claimed Harvardian Privilege.


  79. TerrytheTurtle Says:

    Yeah - Al Queda in Iraq has an intelligence agency. Prolem is, they can’t watch TV, ’cause there’s no power. They have no money, so even if there was a newpaper that carried press releases from Ut US gov., they couldn’t afford a copy.

    We aren’t fighting a major power, here.

    Comment by Marcus Aurelius — July 18, 2007 @ 3:31 pm

    Doesn’t invalidate my point. The last thing you do when you catch someone in a spy network is trumpet it immediately from the ‘rooftops’, TV etc. Word of mouth would spread slowly and there would be a chance to catch more people before they realized they were ‘blown’. Basic counter-intelligence. Not disputing the point that the admin manages news timing - this is still generally weak.


  80. RUCerious Says:

    Would that be the prestigious Harvard Institute for the Criminally Insane?


  81. Troy N Says:

    Imagine how much more information they might have discovered if they waited another 2 weeks or 2 months to announce the capture.


  82. 186 Says:

    God are you guys pathetic.


  83. Buck Fush Says:

    First off, there is no God. Second, yes, the right wing trolls are pathetic.


  84. bogtrotters Says:

    Actually, the guy is a key leader in Al Gayda. He was planning next year’s Pride Parade when we busted him. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.


  85. Gregor Samsa Says:

    Well, it certainly wouldn’t surprise me; it’s all part of a pattern: the Bush administration politicised Pat Tillman’s death, Jessica Lynch’s rescue, Saddam Hussein’s capture…. all of which were conveniently spun, re-written, scripted, covered up -depending on what the administration needed at the moment.


  86. JMiller Says:

    I saw on CNN that this terrorist we’ve captured has direct ties to Osama bin Laden. You know, that one guy who’s trail has been “stone cold” for two years… as of last September.

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/ wp-dyn/ content/ article/ 2006/ 09/ 09/ AR2006090901105.html

    Politicized? More like “aggrandized.”

    And if this story doesn’t stink of horsesh|+, then we need to get some spy agencies that can find a rat on the rocks because the ones we’ve got demonstrably can’t.


  87. gummitch Says:

    Then she could have claimed Harvardian Privilege.

    Comment by Egreggious

    That Havardi is some good cheese, too.


  88. missmolly Says:

    So how many times have we now captured the “top Al-Qaeda leader in Iraq”??? Seems to me this happens every time the administration needs a boost for their side.


  89. SKdeA Says:

    #

    So how many times have we now captured the “top Al-Qaeda leader in Iraq”??? Seems to me this happens every time the administration needs a boost for their side.

    Comment by missmolly — July 18, 2007 @ 4:49 pm

    And every time, it fails to distract, and makes them look even worse.


  90. Perry Logan Says:

    Republicans didn’t care jack about terrorism until 9/11 happened on their watch.

    Then they found out they could get votes with terrorism. Now they’re madly in love with it and can’t stop talking about it for an instant.

    Not the bombing of abortion clinics, of course. That’s not terrorism–just white guys expressing strong opinions.


  91. missmolly Says:

    This is very good news. I only hope they keep having this great success against AQ in Iraq. The moment we make it easy on AQ in Iraq is the moment we start the fight with AQ in New York city again. I am assuming we are all supporting out troops great effort on this one. No one wants AQ attacking our wives and grandparents on American streets afterall.

    Comment by Roger_Roger — July 18, 2007 @ 3:20 pm

    WHY do people still believe this load of crapola? Do people honestly believe that picking off soldiers one by one in Iraq is more appealing to terrorists bent on the destruction of America than blowing up a building here? We are not containing Al Qaeda in Iraq, nor are our actions there preventing them from planning and executing further acts of terrorism. If anything, we are fanning them with a bellows.

    I won’t even get into the silliness of the idea that AQ would especially target wives and grandparents.


  92. Loonie Says:

    Did WH politicize capture of top al Qaeda leader? Say it ain’t so!


  93. missmolly Says:

    “Then they found out they could get votes with terrorism. Now they’re madly in love with it and can’t stop talking about it for an instant.”

    Comment by Perry Logan — July 18, 2007 @ 4:54 pm

    That sounds awfully familiar. What does that remind me of? Hmmm…(thinking)…I got it! Joe McCarthy and communism! And he didn’t care about the lives he ruined — just as long as his political star kept rising.

    Like a fairy tale, it had a happy ending. American eventually saw McCarthy for what he was. The same thing will happen to today’s fearmongers.


  94. veritas Says:

    Guess the Shrub was saving this big information for a moment when he needed it most? Besides, he couldn’t get OBL when he knew exactly where he was located, why bother to trump up this accolade and pat himself on the back now? He failed….doesn’t he get it?

    To this new capture, all I can honestly say is: Big Deal! Big *ucking deal!


  95. veritas Says:

    JG: Regarding Olberman’s classic - You ceased to be the President - and Bill Moyers specials - all great and noteworthy (not to mention based on Truth). Thanks for providing the links - always appreciated so we can spread it around.


  96. katy Says:

    i wasn’t able to listen to her whole rant, but
    rachel maddow is on the story of
    “U.S. military spokesman Brig. Gen. Kevin Bergner”…

    she spelled out several instances of this guy’s tricks…

    like announcing recently another capture of a top leader,
    except it was also announce last year…
    (something like that)…


  97. Marie Says:

    And how many tv news anchors and mainstream newspapers reported that he was actually caught two weeks ago?
    How many times must we endure this criminal cabal in the White House play us for fools?
    Bush is a dimwit, but when he manages to fool the people as often and as predictably as he does, who is the fool?


  98. Devil's Advocate Says:

    Did WH politicize capture of top al Qaeda leader?

    Is the Pope catholic?

    Do bears sh*t in the woods?


  99. Devil's Advocate Says:

    Looks to me like they have “captured: so many top Al Qaeda leaders over the past few years that Al Qaeda is all but decapitaded…

    Does anyone believe anything that comes out of the WH or any GOP mouth?


  100. Chocolate Jesus Says:

    >The last thing you do when you catch someone in a spy network

    assuming they really did catch anyone at all. I remember awhile back, someone caught them claiming they had killed the same person twice.

    personally, I think the vast majority of the time, they fabricate this stuff from whole cloth and make sure whatever “intelligence” they received just so happens to support some stupid claim their making.. Has anyone trustworthy even ever actually seen on of these messages they claim to have intercepted between Iraq and Pakistan?




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