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U.S. Briefs NATO On Iraq's Relationship With Terrorism
Tuesday, September 24, 2002
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

Today, the secretary pointed out, about 90 nations are united in the global war on terrorism. He repeated that the president has not yet decided what to do about Iraq. "Therefore, it's not surprising there's no coalition with respect to Iraq," he said.

WARSAW, Poland -- AFIS
There's a connection between Iraq, terrorists and weapons of mass destruction, U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told reporters here today.

Speaking with reporters after a day of bilateral and informal ministerial meetings with NATO officials, Rumsfeld was asked if there is a connection between Iraq and al Qaeda.

He answered, "Oh, certainly, there is."

Rumsfeld rated the meetings as "very good," and noted events had included a classified briefing on Iraq provided by a senior U.S. Central Intelligence Agency official. He said the briefing was excellent, thorough and featured "the best, shared intelligence information that exists on the subject of Iraq and weapons of mass destruction and terrorism."

Saddam Hussein still refuses to disarm and discard his weapons of mass destruction, as he promised to do under U.N. resolutions signed at the end of the Gulf War. U.N. inspectors who were searching for Iraq's stockpiles of WMDs and other outlawed weaponry, were kicked out of the country in 1998. Fed up with Saddam, President Bush wants change of regime in Baghdad; he has not yet decided on the best way to accomplish it.
(More: DoD News Source)
2002 © The United States Department of Defense.

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