To be fair, the Pentagon isn't that straightjacketed. Dad is misrepresenting the issue. The word "operation" means more then just "divisional sized units" and it's absurd to say otherwise. It can be "a military mission with a clearly defined objective or objectives", in which case "operational" would be the adjective form "ready to operate" and "direct operational link" between Saddam and Al Qaeda would be essentially be a willingness to work together to conduct an "operation".