Posted on 05/21/2004 12:28:38 AM PDT by InShanghai
This story is blowing up pretty fast.
"There are also indications that Chalabi has provided details of U.S. security operations. According to one U.S. government source, some of the information Chalabi turned over to Iran could "get people killed."
I am hearing this on numerous print and TV sources. This is a far more explosive allegation than corruption which is pretty systemic over there.
I wonder if he contribute in any way to the brutal killing of 4 civilian contractors in Fallujah? Even though people in Fallujah were Saddamites, Iran could have fed information to them in order to undermine the common enemy of Saddamites and Iran, the Americans.
By the way, if this is true, this could be used to attack Wolfowitz by his opponents.
They need to get this guy in custody and out of Iraq ASAP.
I think the contractors were killed as targets of opportunity and a mob witnessed this and mutilated the bodies.
If Chalabi loses US protection the issue of what happens to him may take care of itself.
The Fallujah insurgency started because of this:
"Many in Iraq trace the start of the year-old insurgency in Sunni areas to an incident that had a clear cultural dimension — a rumor last year that U.S. paratroopers were using special glasses to see through the clothes of women in Fallujah, an ultraconservative city west of Baghdad."
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040521/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_traditions&cid=540&ncid=1473
Fallujah was always a Saddam stronghold and the people there had benefited from his regime. The place was hostile from the beginning. If there was a catalyst for the insurgency it was their underlying support of Saddam and the bathists and the grinding humiliation of all the occupation for them.
These were the people used to being on top and they found themselves out of power and with an uncertain future. They would be fertile ground for any agitators local or foreign.
I agree, although I would also add that Fallujah is a wahabbist stronghold. The city of a thousand mosques or somethinh like that.
I just posted the "X-ray goggles" story for fun.
Don't worry, he has plenty of your hard earned money in the Cayman Islands.
Only works if you life to spend it...
I find it strange the Coalition goes after one of America's friends and desists from going after its enemies. We can see what the Bush Administration policy into Iraq is morphing into and it isn't in support of those who want to see the country become a democratic state.
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You can't talk to Iowa Granny in that tone, can you?
Many yrs in the ME taught me a few things of the people..first never ever believe what they say, next dont ever trust them with important info..learn to play their silly mind games and better them!...Chalabi is not nor has he ever been a friend of the US. What may seem totally whacko to you and I may very well work there...Id have to say bringing back SOME of Saddams people makes great sense.
And after we stopped paying him $350,000 per month.
He quits ? This is like quiting after your employer escorts your off his premises.
Wow. And this fellow used to work for us? Whose bright idea was it to allow this snake access to sensitive intelligence information?
People fault Rumsfeld Cheney and President Bush for all the problems in Iraq. But frankly, it seems like folks lower down the command chain are the ones screwing things up. This being a prime example.
I'm with Mansoor Ijaz, who said on FNC this morning that if Chalabi gave info to the Iranians, Chalabi ought to be put on a plane to the US then arrested when he gets here.
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