Bob Dole: “I find it troubling that the war in Iraq is not being equated to the overall war on terror. Polls have shown evidence…”

“I find it troubling that the war in Iraq is not being equated to the overall war on terror. Polls have shown evidence that Americans are not making the connection. So the question at hand is, Was removing Saddam's government a positive step in the overall war on terror? Our ability to turn over control to a peaceful and sovereign Iraqi government is an integral part of the overall war on terror. Collaboration of Iraq's former regime with terrorist groups and its funding of them have not been in question. Yet few critics and naysayers have passed up the chance to undermine a link between Iraq and al-Qaida. Despite recent media reports that have clouded, or even misrepresented, the facts, there is compelling evidence that al-Qaida and Iraq have been linked for more than a decade. Democratic cochairman of the 9/11 Commission, former Representative Lee Hamilton of Indiana, told reporters there were connections between al-Qaida and Saddam Hussein's government. In a speech earlier this afternoon, former Vice President Al Gore accused President Bush of lying about a connection between al-Qaida and Iraq. This is the same Al Gore who was a member of the same Clinton White House that first made charges about the dangers of Iraq passing chemical or biological weapons to al-Qaida.”