Posted on 02/17/2005 6:01:37 PM PST by pissant
IN IRAQ they say “Lil quta sabat arwaah” — the cat with seven lives. No matter how many times Ahmad Chalabi is knocked down, his enemies just cannot kill him off.
Exiled, disgraced, convicted, branded a collaborator, overlooked in Iyad Allawi’s Government, then rubbished and dropped by his Washington paymasters, the former exile remains widely disliked by many ordinary Iraqis. Yet Mr Chalabi is now poised to gain a top job in the new Shia-led Government, and conceivably the prime ministership.
The victorious Shia coalition was deadlocked last night over its choice of prime minister, with its 140 newly elected parliamentarians split between Ibrahim al-Jaafari, the leader of the Islamic Dawa Party, who remains favourite, and Mr Chalabi, the leader of the smaller Iraqi National Congress. A vote is expected within two or three days. Even if Mr Chalabi fails to win the top job, he is likely to secure a Cabinet post.
That would represent a remarkable comeback. The former Pentagon favouritesupplied much of the faulty intelligence about Iraq’s alleged weapons of mass destruction upon which the White House based its case for war.
Nine months ago, Mr Chalabi’s disgrace seemed complete. His Baghdad home was raided by Iraqi and US forces amid charges that he had passed US intelligence secrets to Iran.
Even detractors concede that he is a brilliant political operator. “He’s highly intelligent and works hard, restless and consumed by ambition,” Adnan Pachachi, a former colleague on the Iraq’s now defunct Governing Council, said.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
Doubtful. I think he actually is a sleazebag.
I would almost like to think so, but I don't like the Iranian connection.
I trust Don Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney and Douglas Feith than anyone who has worked at the CIA in the last 10 years.
He undoubtedly has friends in Iran. The question is, are they the hardline mullahs or the democracy advocates.
"Much." Convenient. The author should check his own country's role.
"Since the war, Chalabi's contacts with Iran may have intensified: a Chalabi aide says that since December, he has met with most of Iran's top leaders, including supreme religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his top national-security aide, Hassan Rowhani. "
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4881157/
I kinda like the way you think, pissant! I STILL tend to believe that Russia supplied the WMD's and spirited them out at the last second to Syria. Many of us remember that column of Russian's that was hit by us as they were racing north of Bagdad in the opening moments of "the surgical war!" There sure wasn't enough of a "protest" by Mr. Rootin Tootin Book Skootin Putin!!!
So has Tony Blair. Chalabi has been clamoring for a Saddam overthrow for many years, and I doubt he has a theocracy in mind to replace him.
I hope you are right, and on the balance of things I am personally happy to see Chalabi reemerge.
I guess, as the saying goes, time will tell.
BTW, where are you freeping from? In Europe?
Ja. I am FReeping from Norway. The Nebraska of Europe :-)
I think he's just out for himself -- "consumed by ambition".
Holy Smokes! It's gotta be 3:00 AM there. Go snuggle with one of the beautiful Norwegian gals!
"I don't know how that guy ended up sitting next to the First Lady during the President's State of the Union address . . . he musta paid a lot of money to a ticket scalper." /sarcasm off/
I don't recall that they pretended not to know him. I think they chose to say very little about the ordeal, for good reason.
It's 4 am, and I have already started my workday. (Being a student, I choose my own hours mostly)
The snuggling will have to wait til the weekend :-)
Cheers.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.