Wag the Dog Cont.: Kristol In Action

TW: This is dog being wagged. In this case the Iraq al-Qaeda link is propagated.

You have Palin, on 9/11 no less, repeating a variation of a Republican talking point created in 2002 and used relentlessly since:

"{to US troops headed to Iraq} defend the innocent from the enemies who planned and carried out and rejoiced in the death of thousands of Americans."

Who carried out 9/11, presumably al-Qaeda. Kornblut from WaPo made the "huge" leap of logic that Palin was linking those troops heading to Iraq to 9/11.

Kristol (a true menace to society a very influential pundit, Republican operative and neo-con extraordinaire who rarely meets a country he does not think the US should invade) jumps on Kornblut asserting she is either "stupid or malicious" because he "knows" Palin was referring to the al-Qaeda that has come to Iraq since the US invasion not that Palin was asserting that Iraq was involved in 9/11.

Get it...it is all so nebulous...but you took the time to read this post, what about those who are too busy, too tired, too bored with politics

All they will know is that Palin puts al-Qaeda and US troops fighting in Iraq in the same sentence and any nuance is being squashed by conservatives firing on the media for alleged stupidity and malice in reporting her words. It is all so simple yet so subtle.

The WaPo Story Blurb:
“Palin Links Iraq to 9/11, A View Discarded by Bush"By Anne E. Kornblut
 Washington Post Staff WriterFriday, September 12, 2008;

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska, Sept. 11 -- Gov. Sarah Palin linked the war in Iraq with the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, telling an Iraq-bound brigade of soldiers that included her son that they would "defend the innocent from the enemies who planned and carried out and rejoiced in the death of thousands of Americans."

The idea that Iraq shared responsibility with al-Qaeda for the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, once promoted by Bush administration officials, has since been rejected even by the president himself. On any other day, Palin's statement would almost certainly have drawn a sharp rebuke from Democrats, but both parties had declared a halt to partisan activities to mark Thursday's anniversary.”

From Kristol:
Kornblut’s interpretation of what Palin said is either stupid or malicious. Palin is evidently saying that American soldiers are going to Iraq to defend innocent Iraqis from al Qaeda in Iraq, a group that is related to al Qaeda, which did plan and carry out the Sept. 11 attacks. It makes no sense for Kornblut to claim that Palin is arguing here that Saddam Hussein’s regime carried out 9/11—obviously Palin isn’t saying that our soldiers are now going over to Iraq to fight Saddam’s regime. Palin isn’t linking Saddam to 9/11. She’s linking al Qaeda in Iraq to al Qaeda.