The Man Who Would Succeed Saddam

[kskiska]

Ahmed Chalabi's First Big Political Test? Surviving Washington.

By Sally Quinn

Ahmed Chalabi, a leading candidate to head Iraq's new government, is making the rounds on Capitol Hill. He can barely contain his glee. He is doing what he loves most and what he does best -- lobbying the U.S. government for his cause, Iraq. As rotating president of the Iraqi Governing Council this September morning, he is going for grants, not loans. He smiles a knowing smile. He's got this baby in the bag. But then, he always does. That's what makes his detractors crazy -- and his supporters so loyal. Never, they say, underestimate Ahmed Chalabi. It is always a mistake.

At first glance, Chalabi is an unassuming man, 59 years old, slightly overweight, balding, conservatively dressed in a dark suit. But it's his eyes and his eyebrows that draw attention. One eyebrow seems permanently raised, as though he is sharing his secret only with you. A fellow Arab acquaintance describes him as "from the bazaar," and you can envision him, his eyes gleaming, negotiating with you. Partly it is for fun, for love of the game. But the part about the money is deadly serious.

This morning he's already met with 50 Senate Republicans. "They applauded when I came in," he reports proudly. "Senator Santorum said that he had been defending me to the president so much that the president started calling him 'Ahmed.' "

Chalabi knows he needs a defender. He has just announced at the United Nations that he's more in agreement with France than with the United States about the timing of Iraqi sovereignty: He wants it sooner rather than later. His U.S. sponsors are not pleased -- it looks like he's turned on them.

(snip)

When Chalabi and Biden met in the Senate, Biden told him he was playing a dangerous game. "You guys are going to push for autonomy and Rumsfeld is going to use you to get out of something we can't win," Biden says he told him. "And you won't get 135,000 American troops, either."

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A8908-2003Nov23?language=printer

[UpInArms]

1. excuse me while I go

:puke:

and now I have to clean my keyboard

[PurityOfEssence]

2. Hey, we installed Diem too...

He's been getting mighty uppity; it could cause trouble all around.

The administration's so completely in bed with him that they can't really off him, but you never know. Then again, he's also got a whole bunch of enemies with bones to pick. Truly, though, he's the man of the moment: there's literally nobody else whose ceasing to be would bring as much turmoil as his.

What a huge mess. What a dick.

[IndianaGreen]

3. Chalabi's only cause is Chalabi

I won't shed any tears when this Quisling meets the same fate as the original article.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Chalabi is morally superior to Saddam

Saddam was a muderer. Chalabi is a thief.

[IndianaGreen]

6. But Chalabi lied about WMD and conspired with the neocons

that makes Chalabi complicit in the crimes committed by Bush and Tommy Franks. Chalabi is as much of a murderer as Saddam. The fact that his puke speaks English does not make him better than Saddam.

[saigon68]

9. They are both Criminals

Chalabi is a coward and a Criminal.

He won't last long. Someone will take him out.

[janx]

5. Well...it's no surprise.

I fully expected this, and I imagine many others did as well. And maybe in a way it's fitting. His bogus intel suited our leaders, after all, and enabled them to do what they wanted to do.

But karma's a nasty thing in these kinds of situations. We'll see what happens.

[MidwestTransplant]

7. This guy will unite Iraq. Just you watch.

Of course it will unite Iraq against him.

[janx]

8. Maybe he'll rip off some banks and leave.

...

[bluestateguy]

10. I heard he is hated in Iraq

To get him elected would take an election rigging on the order of...oh, yeah, I forgot.

Anyway, I would not be surprised if he was knocked off by the Islamic fundies and an anti-US regime was installed in his place. We don't need an Iraqi Shah on on hands here.