Dangerous Denial: Pelosi Says no al-Qaeda in Iraq

Not quite ready for prime time.
I saw a headline today on the DRUDGE REPORT that read, Pelosi: There's no Al-Qaeda in Iraq.... Alas, when I tried to access the link to the story at CNN, all I got was a blank white screen. Not about to be stopped by an overloaded server at CNN, I surfed right to the source to get the story.

Guess what?

Ever so (un)balanced in their coverage, CNN took down the story. I couldn't find it anywhere.

So, I Yahooed and Googled till I found some references.

Here's the story as it appears on NewsBusters:

Asked by a reporter about how “President Bush today blamed the surge of violence in Iraq on al Qaeda,” incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi responded with a disjointed answer about how “the 9/11 Commission dismissed that notion a long time ago and I feel sad that the President is resorting to it again." Though al-Qaeda is clearly in Iraq and responsible for deadly bombings, and the 9/11 Commission conclusion was about links before September 11th, on Tuesday's NBC Nightly News reporter David Gregory treated Pelosi's off-base retort as credible and relevant. Without suggesting any miscue by her, Gregory segued to Pelosi's soundbite with a bewildering set up of his own about how “incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi disagreed, warning that such rhetoric about al Qaeda will make it harder for Democrats to work with the White House."

Here's the relevant portion of the story from David Gregory, who filed from Riga, Latvia, on the November 28 NBC Nightly News:

David Gregory: “Iraq's worsening civil war will dominate the President's meeting with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. Concluding his visit to Estonia earlier today, Mr. Bush blamed the violence not on civil war but on Sunni terrorists.”

President Bush at a press conference in Estonia: “There's a lot of sectarian violence taking place, fomented in my opinion because of these attacks by al Qaeda, causing people to seek reprisal. And we will work with the Maliki government to defeat these elements.”

Gregory: “Back in Washington, incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi disagreed, warning that such rhetoric about al Qaeda will make it harder for Democrats to work with the White House.”

Incoming Speaker Nancy Pelosi: “The 9/11 Commission dismissed that notion a long time ago and I feel sad that the President is resorting to it again.”

Mistake or denial?

With an issue as important to folks as the Iraq war, Pelosi better get her facts straight.

Imagine, if you will, a distracted grandmother third in line to be President of the most powerful nation on the planet.

UPDATE: Hot Air, Video Added - Pelosi defends al Qaeda, chastises Bush

Here are some relevant stories in the news:

Special Report Roundtable - November 28
(RCP) -- FOX News Special Report With Brit Hume

Al Qaeda tries to foment Iraq civil war-US general
WASHINGTON, Nov 29 (Reuters) -- Iraq has not descended into a civil war but al Qaeda is trying to provoke one and the United States should focus on thwarting those efforts, the top U.S. general said on Wednesday.

Qaeda controls western Iraq: US intelligence
WASHINGTON (Daily Times) -- US forces can neither crush the insurgency in western Iraq nor counter the rising popularity of Al Qaeda in the area, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday, citing a secret Marine Corps intelligence report.

DoD Press Briefing with General Pace at the Pentagon
November 29, 2006
GEN. PACE: Good afternoon, and thank you for your time. I'm looking forward to answering your questions, but I thought first I might try to clear up some of the confusion and speculation about what it is that the chairman of the Joint Chiefs and the Joints Chiefs are doing individually and collectively with regard to recommendations on the way forward in Iraq. Read it.

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