Exclusive: Former Iraqi PM Allawi To Testify To Congress Wednesday

Massachusetts Democrat Rep. Bill Delahunt tells the Huffington Post that next Wednesday, his Foreign Affairs subcommittee will hear testimony from former interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi. Speaking on Saturday after news broke that Iraq's current prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, appears to have endorsed Barack Obama's 16-month time frame for withdrawing from Iraq, Delahunt said "it will be interesting to hear [Allawi's] view."

Delahunt said the subcommittee will also hear from pollster Steven Kull, who is prepared to testify that 60 percent [see correction below] of Iraqi citizens would like to see a full U.S. withdrawal within the next six months.

"Clearly there is movement now in Iraq," Delahunt said. "It would appear that pressure is building to listen to what the Iraqi people are demanding, at least according to all of the polls that I've seen. ... Maybe democracy is working in Iraq. This is positive."

In an interview published Saturday in the German daily Der Spiegel, Prime Minister al-Maliki responded to a question about when U.S. troops should begin to withdraw from his country by saying: "As soon as possible, as far as we're concerned. U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right time frame for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes."

While al-Maliki stopped short of making any political endorsement of Obama, Delahunt said that the citation of Obama's name and his oft-repeated 16-month figure was clearly a "signal" from the prime minister. "Now we just have to put that number down on paper, and create the conditions for a responsible and reasonable withdrawal," he said. "My position is that there should be a set timetable with clear standards, clear benchmarks that are not subject to interpretation. But I think we have to welcome that statement by al-Maliki."

Delahunt said Obama could take some satisfaction from this latest news, as well as that of the Bush administration's decision to send a top diplomat to a meeting in Switzerland between other world powers and Iran's nuclear negotiator Saturday. "I'm sure Senator Obama would be pleased that the current administration is adopting his ideas and his foreign policy approaches," Delahunt said with a chuckle. "It's too good!"

Correction: The article originally referred to a poll that Rep. Delahunt said showed that 78 percent of Iraqis wanted a withdrawal of U.S. troops within six months. The poll actually says 60 percent of Iraqis hold that view.

Comments

[bascombe]

What part of this is not anticipated to be a lie?

[TrueIndy08]

This is Georgie boys PUPPET!!!! HE will say exactly what Bushie tells him to say! The good thing, he is not the PM.... so no matter what he says, we don't have to listen to him!! YAY!!!!

Get our troops out as soon as possible!

[DaOne]

Allawi was Bush's puppet. I would not be surprised if his testimony is along the lines of "it's too early to withdraw and we have to secure the whole country before we even think of leaving". His testimony will dovetail with Shrubs "general timeline".

[memi69]

Nice catch with this one Seth!!!

[sleepless]

The always stunning Juan Cole was on Rachel Maddow radio yesterday. For a very clear picture of what actually is going on, especially as relates to the GTH "general time horizon" bs, listen to the last half hour of Rachel's show at this link. Juan Cole was in hour 3 (H3). I have listened 2 times and will again.

[Gma11]

Most of us, I suspect, do not have time to listen to a tape. Please summarize.

[sleepless]

sorry I forgot to include the link to Rachel's radio show for Juan Cole interview:

http://green960.com/cc-common/podcast/single_podcast.html?podcast=maddow.xml

[knerd]

Allawi will probably call it a "general time horizon" instead of a "withdrawal" as a favor to Bush.
Similar to Bush, who has been "less than candid" with Americans, instead of a "liar."

[ohmercy]

I think I better get a new tinfoil hat considering some of these comments.
Good for Alawi.
Strange to see all the beating up on him and the idea that he is parroting the neocons to get out of Iraq.
Don't they want to stay in forever?

However I have been having this "tinfoil hat" thought that has been kicking around since the criminals started talking the other day-(sending someone to the Iran thing and now with the time "horizen" (sheesh) rhetoric.
first I thought they were trying to undermine Obama to say they finished the job, surge a success etc.
But you know, given the animosity under the surface between McCain I am now wondering if this is a further humiliating and undermining of him.

I put nothing, nothing at all past those criminals.

[ggmome]

Well, Allawi must be saying what neocons want him to say, so therefore, even though he is a FORMER PM, his word is Gospel!

[danoj]

Why jump to conclusions before the man speaks? That's part of the problem in Washington these days everyone already has their mind made up, and there is no room in their tiny skulls for any kind of opposing opinion. Let the man speak, and then make up your mind.

[Harinama]

Allawi is a scumbag who pandered to neocons to get a position of power. The Iraqis saw right through his bs and he was not elected. Allawi is a US stooge on the worlds stage, and helped to lead us into a long disasterous war for resources.

Allawi should be hung for misleading intelligence that has killed over 1 MILLION Iraqis, maimed millions more and sent over 5 million over the borders as refugees.

oh yeah, i'm sure his testimony will be truthful and forthright....NOT!

[Destin]

Great post. :)

[thepoliticalcat]

Hung like a bee. He should be hanged, though. Apart from that one detail, your post is gold.

[Ramirez]

He'll be spun as a visionary and a statesman after his testimony, though.

[Yuma]

Dear Harinama:
Good Post!
Thank you.

[rwe]

This could be pretty scary for both parties.....It might actually sow the USA and the war in a positive view which would be horrible for the Dems

[BADEN]

Not with the dollar bills passed to him by Bremer hanging out of his pockets.

"Got Chalabi?"

[WinslowLeach]

Most see this man for what he is. A greedy accomplice in GOP crimes.

[Annette]

Can't see how it could be horrible for the dems. Allawi was Bushies bought and paid for pet rubber stamp. He parroted everything that the Bushie or his Governer General said. He continues to echo Bushies statements and it becomes even more obvious that a toady he is. If he reflects what the Iraqis have said they want in poll after poll it supports the democratic position. His cheerleading for the Americans in Iraq wasn't supported by the election, they elected some one else. It will be interesting to see what he has to say now about the American occupation of his country.

[thepoliticalcat]

Who cares? The real issue is stopping this war and bringing the troops home before anyone else is killed, maimed, or otherwise disabled - American or Iraqi. Good God, who cares if it's "horrible" for some political party.

[danoj]

Not, the current Prime Minister pretty much just took the Iraq issue off the table by siding with Obama's plan for withdrawl. Which is to bad; Obama got painted into a corner on that on, and now he's off the hook.

[Troubledwawa]

A behind the scenes view point that's about to become public.

Interesting.

[jackinhack]

McBush and crew will put an interesting spin on this. I'm sure like the improvements in veteran's benefits, John will take credit for it and say he supported the 16 month timetable and will be backed by liar, distorter Romney, Rove and others.

They're toast.

[lex811]

Allawi testifying?........gotta get me some nachos!!!!

[lex811]

I'd propose that the dems go after any young republican with potential this year......the kill 'em in the cradle approach.....

[kellygrrrl]

"I'm sure Senator Obama would be pleased that the current administration is adopting his ideas and his foreign policy approaches,"

I know I am