Everybody knows that…

Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi set up “sleeper cells” in Baghdad before the Iraq war to attack American forces occupying the country, according to a British intelligence report.

The report, dated March 2003 and released as part of an overall review of British intelligence, forecast the string of Zarqawi’s attacks against American targets during the past year “using car bombs and other weapons.” It said he was setting up groups of fighters to be activated at a later time, known in the intelligence field as “sleeper cells.”

British Prime Minister Tony Blair claimed vindication Wednesday after a committee led by Lord Butler released its report that concluded British intelligence on Iraqi weapons of mass destruction was flawed, but said the government had not deliberately deceived anyone as it built a case for toppling Saddam Hussein.

While Butler’s report faulted British intelligence for having few reliable sources and not properly analyzing information, it did credit the spies with foreseeing the al-Zarqawi strikes on coalition forces.

Even though the strikes never really happened. Because that would mean al-Zarqawi and co. are in Iraq. Which is not the case. As Al Gore has told me repeatedly. In a stern and foamy lisp.

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h/t Ace