Bush again links al-Qaida in Iraq, 9/11

By Jonathan S. Landay - McClatchy Washington Bureau

Published 12:00 am PDT Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A11

WASHINGTON -- Struggling to stem growing opposition to his Iraq policy even among Republicans, President Bush contended anew Tuesday that the perpetrators of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States are the same as al-Qaida in Iraq, a violent insurgent group that didn't exist until after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

It was the second time in two weeks that Bush has made the link in an apparent attempt to transform lingering fear of another terrorist attack in the United States into backing for the buildup of U.S. troops in Iraq.