Now can we question their patriotism?

From the AP at Yahoo! News:

Saddam Hussein's intelligence agency secretly financed a trip to Iraq for three U.S. lawmakers during the run-up to the U.S.-led invasion, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.

An indictment unsealed in Detroit accuses Muthanna Al-Hanooti, a member of a Michigan nonprofit group, of arranging for three members of Congress to travel to Iraq in October 2002 at the behest of Saddam's regime. Prosecutors say Iraqi intelligence officials paid for the trip through an intermediary.

At the time, the Bush administration was trying to persuade Congress to authorize military action against Iraq.

The lawmakers are not named in the indictment but the dates correspond to a trip by Democratic Reps. Jim McDermott of Washington, David Bonior of Michigan and Mike Thompson of California.

I loved what George Will had to say about these yahoos after ABC had aired a diatribe against President Bush by one of these treasonous dweebs while in country:

“Let’s note, that in what I consider the most disgraceful performance abroad by an American official in my lifetime -- something not exampled since Jane Fonda sat on the anti-aircraft gun in Hanoi to be photographed -- Mr. McDermott said in effect, not in effect, he said it, we should take Saddam Hussein at his word and not take the President at his word. He said the United States is simply trying to provoke. I mean, why Saddam Hussein doesn’t pay commercial time for that advertisement for his policy, I do not know.”

Hey George... it appears that Saddam did. 

Surprise!

Comments

The article goes on to note that the dude from Iraq that set up the trip profited pretty well if true...

"In exchange for coordinating the congressional trip, Al-Hanooti allegedly received 2 million barrels of Iraqi oil, prosecutors said."

Let's see...2,000,000 barrels at...oh let's say $50 a barrel at the time...that comes out to...darn I can't figure that high?

Pretty penny for setting up a trip for US congressmen to visit with Iraqi children.

[xtnyoda]

Sorry, that was me that made the above post. Trying to figure out 2 million barrels at $50 each must of had me discombobulated.

[salvage]

And they were so wrong! Saddam had tons of WMD and the Iraq invasion and occupation has been a screaming success.

You did note that the story makes it clear they had no idea that Saddam's people were paying right? The word "secretly" is a clue.

Nah, that would ruin the froth you've worked yourself up into.

Hundreds of thousands dead, millions fleeing for their lives and billions wasted and more terrorism than ever but this is what you get upset about.

Your priorities are fascinating.

[Morgan K Freeberg]

If I'm correctly absorbing what few nutrients are involved in salvage's pure sarcasm-frosting diet and therefore correctly interpreting what passes for an argument as it emanates from what passes for his brain...

...he's acknowledging that Saddam gave away $100 million worth of oil to this guy plus all the bribes he was making to the U.N. and to others...for...since of course he had "no WMD" as they keep telling me...um...what amounts to...

NO REASON.

Am I getting that right? Saddam was giving away billions, just for fun?

I mean it's really hard to tell, when the argument is made on a pure-sarcasm-frosting diet. Maybe that's why it is. Eat enough frosting, you can't tell when it all turns to crap.