Another non-existent voice to testify to the non-existent link between Saddam and al Qaeda is none other than the new Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi. This is part of an interview he gave to the NBC news anchor Tom Brokaw:

'Allawi: 'We know that this [the war in Iraq] is an extension to what has happened in New York. And — the war have been taken out to Iraq by the same terrorists. Saddam was a potential friend and partner and natural ally of terrorism.

'Allawi: No. I believe very strongly that Saddam had relations with al-Qaida. And these relations started in Sudan. We know Saddam had relationships with a lot of terrorists and international terrorism. Now, whether he is directly connected to the September — atrocities or not, I can’t — vouch for this. But definitely I know he has connections with extremism and terrorists.'

Note Brokaw's surprise -- and his error in reporting what the 9/11 commission actually said. For it actually said there was 'no evidence of a collaborative relationship' specifically and only in respect of contacts made between Iraq and al Qaeda after bin Laden returned to Afghanistan -- a very different matter from no links at all, which the 9/11 commission actually said there were.

But hell, what's the Iraqi Prime Minister got to say about anything to do with Iraq, when the US and British intelligentsia know what happened from the infinitely superior perspective of the armchair front-line?