So the US continues to hype the Abu Abbas story as a big “terrorist” bust. I don’t see it, though. How is the capture of a man living comfortably in Iraq, accused of a hijacking of an Italian cruise ship in 1985, in order to press for Palestinian independence, this huge break? How is it that we should be excited that we caught someone who had reportedly “renounced” violence as part of the Olso Accords, and had been allowed to travel to the Gaza Strip by the Israelis, as a spectacular capture? What happened to the supposed Iraq-Al Qaeda connection we were promised by the Bush administration? Isn’t it there? Can’t they find it? Is this the best they can do? Half of America is convinced Saddam was personally involved in the 9-11 attacks, thanks in part to the rhetoric we’ve gotten from the neocon hawks, and the best they come up with is some old Palestinian militant wasting away in Baghdad because there’s no place for him in today’s world?
For that matter, where are the chemical and biological weapons we were promised? I’m still waiting for those, too. Oh, wait, silly me! They’re in Syria now! Along with members of Saddaam’s regime. Powell assures us it’s not time for regime change, part II, yet, but Israel would certainly be happy if it was. I’m sure Paul Wolfowitz wouldn’t mind, either.