They're still lying

Nor did Mr. Bush shy away from a statement on Monday night by Vice President Dick Cheney that there were "long-established ties" between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda terrorists. To the contrary, Mr. Bush embraced the vice president's remarks.

Asked what he considered the "best evidence" of such a link, Mr. Bush shot back, "Zarqawi."

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian militant believed by the Central Intelligence Agency to have ties to Al Qaeda, has been named by the C.I.A. as the suspect in the recent videotaped beheading of a kidnapped American contractor.

"Zarqawi's the best evidence of a connection to Al Qaeda affiliates and Al Qaeda," Mr. Bush went on. "He's the person who's still killing."

The Times did not add that Zarqawi was operating, before the war, in areas controlled by the Kurds -- not Hussein -- and patrolled by U.S. aircraft.

He may be the "person who's still killing," but Bush & Co. didn't want to fog their case for war by nailing him when they had the chance.

Liars and cynical manipulators of public opinion.