Question Details	Asked By	Asked On
Did anyone notice?	Itsdb	06/19/04
Putin says Russia gave U.S. information about potential Iraqi attacks in United States By Bagila Bukharbayeva The Associated Press ASTANA, Kazakhstan - "Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday his government warned Washington that Saddam Hussein's regime was preparing attacks in the United States and its interests abroad - an assertion that appears to bolster President Bush's contention that Iraq was a threat. Putin emphasized that the intelligence didn't cause Russia to waver from its firm opposition to the U.S.-led war last year, but his statement was the second this month in which he has offered at least some support for Bush on Iraq. "After Sept. 11, 2001, and before the start of the military operation in Iraq, the Russian special services ... received information that officials from Saddam's regime were preparing terrorist attacks in the United States and outside it against the U.S. military and other interests," Putin said. "Despite that information ... Russia's position on Iraq remains unchanged," he said in the Kazakh capital, Astana, after regional economic and security summits. He said Russia didn't have any information that Saddam's regime had actually been behind any terrorist acts. "It's one thing to have information that Saddam's regime is preparing terrorist attacks, (but) we didn't have information that it was involved in any known terrorist attacks," he said. Putin didn't elaborate on any details of the alleged plots or mention whether they were tied to al-Qaida. He said Bush had personally thanked one of the leaders of Russia's intelligence agencies for the information but that he couldn't comment on how critical it was in the U.S. decision to invade Iraq. In Washington, a U.S. official said Putin's information did not add to what the United States already knew about Saddam's intentions. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Putin's tip didn't give a time or place for a possible attack. Bush alleged Thursday that Saddam had "numerous contacts" with al-Qaida and said Iraqi agents had met with the terror network's leader, Osama bin Laden, in Sudan. Saddam "was a threat because he had terrorist connections - not only al-Qaida connections, but other connections to terrorist organizations," Bush said." Why is it the press only begrudgingly acknowledged these facts?
Clarification/Follow-up by HANK1 on 06/20/04 12:43 pm: I was thinking about Putin's motives for saying what he did. I just don't trust Russians. Sorry but ... that's the way it is! I lived through the Cold War!
Answered By		Answered On
HANK1		06/19/04
... because they aren't the facts! A Russian is a Russian is a Russian. Anonymity doesn't give credence to any politician, a member of the media or 'squealer.' No specifics were mentioned! HANK

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