"I understand, probably more than anyone, what a threat Iraq was and the people that threatened Iraq was. I was beneath the towers on September 11th when they fell. And I -- again, I just -- I want to thank the President for the honor in allowing me to go there, because I lost 23 people. I wear this -- this memorial band for the 23 I lost."

-- Bernard Kerik, October 3, 2003, standing next to President Bush at the White House South Lawn. Iraq, it turns out, never had anything to do with 9/11.