BushCo's attempts to link Osama bin-Laden and Saddam continue...

Repugs just won't quit trying to link Osama bin-Laden:

Chris Matthews' Hardball, May 6:

CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST:  Tonight all hell is breaking loose in Washington as new pictures of American soldiers abusing Iraqi prisoners come to light. 

INHOFE: Well, you know, this is a case—we‘re in the middle of a war right now.  They‘ve—you know, they‘ve gone through this thing where a lot of people used to think that there was not a connection between Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden.  Now that has been changed. 

People are looking for a political reason to be down on this administration.  And certainly, the Iraqis are the first ones in line. 

MATTHEWS:  What are you saying?  People now believe that the Iraqis had something to do with 9/11, Senator?

INHOFE:  Oh, yes.  I think so.  We have that pretty well down in recent reports that have come out, that there‘s no question about the connection.  In fact, I can hold up a report before you right now and read it to you, that this is something that was well known at that time. 

MATTHEWS:  The president himself, a couple weeks back said there‘s been no evidence of any connection between Iraqis and the attack on the United States on 9/11. 

INHOFE:  We‘re not talking about the attack on 9/11.  We‘re talking about the connection between Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden. 

Here is a report right here, that states in 1992, that the—of the four closest friends that they had and they were working with, the last one is Osama bin Laden.  He‘s well known Saudi business leader, founder of the Saudi opposition in Afghanistan.  And he has connections. 

Close friends? Here's a snapshot of Osama's resume:

* 1989 Bin Laden went to South Yemen and was banned from travel because he gave speeches warning of an imminent invasion by Sadam Hussein, which was embarrassing to the Yemeni leadership who had a good relationship with Hussein.
* 1990 After the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, he volunteered to the king of South Yemen to bring all the Arab mujahedeen to protect the kingdom.
* 1991 Bin Laden was about to mobilize his forces, but was disappointed to learn that the U.S. was sending forces to Kuwait.
* 1991 (April) Bin Laden has his travel restrictions lifted temporarily but leaves South Yemen and goes to Pakistan and then on to Afghanistan.
* late 1991 Bin Laden leaves Afghanistan which was embroiled in disputes between various factions and goes to Sudan in his private jet.
* 1992 Bin Laden claimed responsibility for an attempted bombing on U.S. soldiers in Yemen.

Doesn't sound like a close friendship to me. Sounds more like he was really teed-off about Saddam's invasion of Kuwait. It seems unlikely that in 1992 (the date of Inhofe's document), he had forgiven Saddam...and it doesn't seem likely that he had feelings for Saddam that were much friendlier than he had for the USA...