"Deadbeat Doc!", "Go-Kart Goon Knifes 2 Pals!", "Schools Ax 'Sex Grabber'!", "Lynndie loses Bush-Brass-Bid!"...

You seriously believe a right wing tabloid rag over the New York Times simply because it feeds your prejudices? Have you ever considered going to the source and actually reading what the report says? Here, let me do it for you:

Bin Ladin also explored possible cooperation with Iraq during his time in Sudan, despite his opposition to Hussein's secular regime. Bin Ladin had in fact at one time sponsored anti-Saddam Islamists in Iraqi Kurdistan. The Sudanese, to protect their own ties with Iraq, reportedly persuaded Bin Ladin to cease this support and arranged for contacts between Iraq and al Qaeda. A senior Iraqi intelligence officer reportedly made three visits to Sudan, finally meeting Bin Ladin in 1994. Bin Ladin is said to have requested space to establish training camps, as well as assistance in procuring weapons, but Iraq apparently never responded. There have been reports that contacts between Iraq and al Qaeda also occurred after Bin Ladin had returned to Afghanistan, but they do not appear to have resulted in a collaborative relationship. Two senior Bin Ladin associates have adamantly denied that any times existed between al Qaeda and Iraq. We have no credible evidence that Iraq and al Qaeda cooperated on attacks against the United States.

Staff Statement No. 15: Overview of the Enemy

To which the august Post columnist latches on to a single tepid statement as rebuttal:

Explains 9/11 Commision spokesman Jonathan Stull, "The report doesn't close the book on connections between Iraq and al Qaeda."

Well gosh no. The book isn't closed on whether Jimmy Hoffa was abducted by aliens, either. And heck, Howard Hughes might be alive and well and living with Amelia Earhart, too. Richard Hoagland would surely tell you at great length that the book isn't closed on the Face on Mars. Hope can be a powerful thing used wisely, and a pathetic thing used foolishly.

When a reasonable person reaches the last page of the book and the story's over, a reasonable person will close the book and move on. He won't leave book open on the table crossing his fingers and hoping that maybe more of the story will magically appear if he just wishes hard enough.

It's over. There never was any connection between Iraq and al Qaeda. Contacts that the Iraqis spurned, yes; connections, no.

Give it up.