Zarqawi and Al Qaeda 

Zarqawi and Al Qaeda

Eric Umansky in his new blog clarifies what is known about the connection between Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who is apparently leading terrorist attacks in Iraq, and Al Qaeda. Even Donald Rumsfeld has said there may be a "disagreement about something" between Zarqawi and Osama bin Laden.

Mickey Kaus thinks there may be one terrorist operation inside Iraq (possibly led by Zarqawi) that wants Bush to lose in November--or more generally, wants to get Americans disgusted with the Iraq war, and determined to get out--and another terrorist operation, more international and led by Osama bin Laden, that wants Bush to win and welcomes an international culture and morality war. ("Bring it on").

None of this answers the question whether any of the terrorists were working closely with Saddam before March 2003, but possibly that is ancient history by now.