Does it bother anyone that prior to the war and even in the early days everytime they talked about the "Terrorist camp in Northern Iraq" it was accomponied by the disclaimer that this camp was operating in northern Kurdish areas outside Saddam Hussein's controlled Iraq Now, NOTHING. They just say - terrorist camp in Northern Iraq with links to Al Qaida. Here is an example from today: http://www.msnbc.com/news/895185.asp?0cv=CA01 Talk about changing the facts to suit your needs - is the media really this complicit with this Administration?
I wouldn't be surprised if we eventually found out that AQ was funding the Kurdish militants. They have fought the secular Islamic Turks, and the secular Saddam.
I don't particularly remember the disclaimer before the war started. I thought Ansar was one of the big "terrorists are operating from within Iraq" cards the administration played. As far as I remember, the admin didn't mention that they were operating in a part of the country not controlled by Saddam. Some news outlets picked up on this, some ran it verbatim. Of course, my memory could be wrong.
Actually they did. In his speech to the UN on Febuary 5th, Powell said: "Those helping to run this camp are Zarqawi lieutenants operating in northern Kurdish areas outside Saddam Hussein's controlled Iraq" Of course he then went on at length to try to connect Zarqawi to Saddam. It sounded alot like "I heard from My mother's brother cousin's aunt that Saddam gives knob jobs to Terrorists". As for the Kurds....they have been fighting Ansar al Islam alongside the US so I would doubt there was a terrorist connection. However, the Kurds needed $$$ and arms to keep control on the north so perhaps Al Qaida simply bought them off.