Another day, another smear job by the media. This time it’s the Washington Post claiming that Palin believes in Iraqi links to 9/11. Writes Anne E. Kornblut:

“Palin Links Iraq to 9/11, A View Discarded by Bush”
By Anne E. Kornblut? Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, September 12, 2008; A01

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska, Sept. 11 — Gov. Sarah Palin linked the war in Iraq with the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, telling an Iraq-bound brigade of soldiers that included her son that they would “defend the innocent from the enemies who planned and carried out and rejoiced in the death of thousands of Americans.”

The idea that Iraq shared responsibility with al-Qaeda for the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, once promoted by Bush administration officials, has since been rejected even by the president himself. On any other day, Palin’s statement would almost certainly have drawn a sharp rebuke from Democrats, but both parties had declared a halt to partisan activities to mark Thursday’s anniversary.”

So instead, we’re going to do the Democrats’ work for them. Seriously, though, Kornblut is misinterpreting Palin’s remarks. As Bill Kristol says, Palin is obviously referring to the troops going off to fight Al Qaeda in Iraq — a group directly linked to, you guessed it, Al Qaeda. Who was responsible for 9/11? Right again, Al Qaeda.

WaPo’s argument doesn’t even make any sense. What’s been rejected is that Saddam’s regime was connected to the attacks of 9/11. Is Korblut seriously inferring that Palin believes the troops are going off to fight the regime? Palin is referring to our troops going off to fight Al Qaeda in Iraq, linking the group to those responsible for the attacks.

Update: According to National Review’s Kathryn Jean Lopez, WaPo’s already altered its remarks:

Here is the new second graph:

The idea that the Iraqi government under Saddam Hussein helped al-Qaeda plan the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, a view once promoted by Bush administration officials, has since been rejected even by the president himself. But it is widely agreed that militants allied with al-Qaeda have taken root in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion.