U.S. Military Turns Back On Neocon Chalabi Over Iran Ties

Sources in Baghdad tell NBC News that as of this week American military and civilian officials have cut off all contact with controversial Iraqi politician Ahmad Chalabi, the former favorite of Washington's once powerful neoconservatives.

The reason, the sources say, is "unauthorized" contacts with Iran's government, an allegation Chalabi denies. Iran has been accused of arming and training rebel Shiite forces in Iraq.

Chalabi had been making a remarkable comeback in Iraq, but that may now be in question, American officials tell NBC News on condition of anonymity.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[Rog49Thomas]

But I am sure there are foreign policy realists out there who'll say that when there's nasty business to be done you may for the greater good have to associate with nasty people.

Taking that argument at face value, then one must get the "right" nasty people. Not just any charlatan who strolls by.

Brother Ahmad had no discernible support in Iraq. And the millions we showered on him really didn't do much for him in the elections. Iyad Allawi another "favorite" even got more votes than him.

There was of course an early warning sign - long before Pan became president - when the INC couldn't account for the millions we were dropping on them. No doubt money well spent on secret operations. And of course there was the high quality of the information peddled by Brother Ahmad.

Any one with any knowledge would know that he had been peddling all sorts of silliness on Saddam for many years - even when Saddam was a great ally against the Ayatollah. The motive - the Ba'ath Regime had nationalized the family's bank in Iraq and there was a blood grudge.

[Rog49Thomas]

That this conman ever got a serious hearing in Washington (from both Republicans and Democrats) speaks volumes about the poverty of our foreign policy and the power of delusion to overcome reality in our ruling elite.

When one has a foreign policy that tries to row against the tides of history, one's choice of putative allies is severely limited to tinpot dictators, kleptocrats, thugs, conmen, and other low lifes. (Example: Siniora Govt in Lebanon).

When one is blinded by faith (=delusional ideology) and therefore ignore reality, one will get involved in all sorts of bone headed schemes that have little chance of going anywhere.

Anyone with any connection in the ME and the desire to learn, could have found out that Brother Chalabi was not a good choice as an ally. There is the ethical problem of course of the man whose family was involved in five (yes five) bank failures - including one in our nation's capital. All well documented by various national bank regulators reports so there is no doubt. The common theme among all five - not bad business sense rather corruption and self dealing. One of the family"s banks was the house bank for the Amal militia in Lebanon (a group Israel considers terrorist). And on and on.

[RobtBrock]

I don't like capital punishment but I would volunteer for Chalabi's firing squad.

[emilyjacobs]

Again? Why this man was not arrested when he came to the U.S., I have no idea.

[MarkyM]

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[BatMasterson2]

I want my money back

[lisakaz2]

What, they got a better offer or did they realize he was playing them and not vice versa?

[dlbdpb]

What??? We are now pushing someone else overboard that we put in power, because they didn't
march to the beat of our drum??? Wow, what news! When will these stupid politicians ever learn that you cannot control the world?

[chefrasta]

Should be sitting in a docket with the rest of the profiteers war mongers and outright thieves of our country

[Colmore]

I can understand why the Bush/Cheney?Perle/Wolfowitz crowd welcomed Chalabi into their group. Birds of a feather flock together. They all speak the same language, crooks the entire group of them. Chalabi has made millions in US taxpayer money, he does not have to embezzle from banks anymore. After seeing him interviewed on "60 Minutes" I am amazed anyone would put their trust in him. He came across as a slimy opportunist, who took the administration for every dime he could get. He probably hates Americans, but as a source of income they can't be beat. Just tell them what they want to know (lie, lie, lie) and the money rolls in. Want to bet he is still on the US payroll? He knows too much to be cut loose. When he is assassinated, they will blame Al Quaida. Maybe then Georgie will give up "bahk ridin' " as a sign of solidarity.

[1differentdrummer]

Hey, the hustlers got hustled by a real hustler. He's worth millions of $ as a result of flimflamming Bush and his neoconmen. Of course, he provided them with "unbiased third-party testimonials" about Iraq that they needed to hustle the chumps before invading. Poor guy, now he's only oil minister or some such.

[somekid1234]

The main reason we went to war is now our enemy and this isn't a top story in all newspapers?

[nefertiti]

He should not have been trusted , the guy is a crook he fled Jordan in the trunck of a car like a criminal (Petra Bank scandal , he was on search Warrant , until US pressured the king to drop the charges ) when they found no WMDs , I truly expected him to be the first behind Bars . but so far , none has been punished for those lies that caused so much chaos, blood shed, deaths, refugiees, injuries, loss of income , of future etc ....

[lthuedk_1]

Chalabi is balcony left with Wolfie and Perle. I'm not sure they enjoyed the show.

http://www.light-to-dark.com/the_third_act.html

[HippieChick]

"Sources in Baghdad tell NBC News that as of this week American military and civilian officials have cut off all contact with controversial Iraqi politician Ahmad Chalabi, the former favorite of Washington's once powerful neoconservatives"

These "American military and civilian officials" really catch on FAST - after Chalabi has been given millions, of course, and got them the war they wanted. Chalabi's activities and intent have been known for years now, and these guys are just now catching on? Yeah...I believe that.

[scottymac11]

Allah Akbar. When Chalabi sat in the room with Bush,Wolfie,Cheney,Perle,Rummy,Condi...HE KNEW HE WAS THE SMARTEST ONE IN THE ROOM. He fleeced them like P.T. Barnum selling peeks of the winged goat in hicksville U.S.A.. I'm confused. If Chalabi got rich, and the neo-cons dupes got rich. Who were the suckers that never got an even break?

[DumbDad]

Is there a mistake more egregious than basing your whole plan for the invasion and regime replacement of a country upon the character and political viability of a man who turns out to be unsupportable and useless except to your enemies?

Is there any mistake this administration will not manage to evade full reckoning for? Not to mention our vaunted military geniuses?

How on earth did we define incompetence down this far?

It's as if we hired a plumber to design a nuclear plant because we didn't want to give the job to a Democrat.

[inspectormerlot]

Don't forget McCain on Chalabi - he "welcomed Ahmed Chalabi, leader of the Iraqi National Congress (INC), to Washington and pressured the administration to give him money" Matt Welch, McCain: The Myth of a Maverick, p. 24)

[edwcorey]

Only now? Progressive thinking clearly needed.

[loki]

Chalabi should have been put in prison years ago. Wanted for fraud and other crimes in both Jordan and I think it was sweden or switzerland?? Bush tried to strong arm the king of Jordan into dropping the charges, but at least the King was honest enough not to. Chalabi, the head informant of the Iraqi Invasion, once blamed for the bad intell Bush used to invade Iraq, we were at that same time told they could not find him, but he and his son were running the Iraqi ministry of oil, Chalabi, the man who sold his soul to the devil years ago. Sure the Military may publicly voice they turn their back on him, but I would be behind closed doors they embrace him with loving arms. After all, none of this would be possible with out Chalabi. And the Military as well as the MIC and Neo Cons like Bush and Cheney are profiting dearly from what Chalabi helped to create.

[BachelorJohnnyCool]

The Pentagon shouldn't stop there. He should be treated to a few months of the full Abu Ghraib spa treatment along with his buddy, Richard Perle.

[MajorKong]

Chalabi was less concerned with getting Saddam out of power than he was with getting Ahmad Chalabi INTO power.

[ibsteve2u]

The military turning its back on Chalabi? lollll..now that is hilarious.

Why, Chalabi is the prototypical neocon - willing to sleep with ANYBODY if it brings him power and wealth, and to hell with national identity or Democracy.....

[obamanation31]

interesting