UBL: Dangerous all over again

This week the White House released intelligence it says indicates that Osama bin Laden ordered then Al-Qaeda in Iraq leader Zarqawi to form a cell to launch attacks outside of Iraq. This was done to emphasize the need to stay in Iraq due to the "they'll follow us home" line of logic. By this I am to assume that they feel that this bin Laden character is pretty important, and that he is a danger to the United States homeland. Yet here is The Decider on March 13th 2002:

"Well, as I say, we haven't heard much from him. And I wouldn't necessarily say he's at the center of any command structure. And, again, I don't know where he is. I -- I'll repeat what I said. I truly am not that concerned about him."

The President is either incompetent and confused when it comes to this issue, or he is mendaciously trying to prop up his monumental failure of a policy in Iraq. Take your pick. Having an "agree with me or die" attitude to public debate is insulting to the American people.