Writing through the rubble Nov 10, 2009
We have picked an assortment of titles from among the books published this spring that sift through the documents and memories of invasion, war and occupation: a scathing portrait of a mismanaged war; a humorous compilation of quotations by those very experts who mismanaged the war; a memoir by an Iraqi-American of his years in war-torn Baghdad; and a biography of Ahmad Chalabi, whom the book's author dubbed "the man who pushed America to war." ... "The Man Who Pushed America to War: The... (Salon)
Iraqis divide ahead of elections Nov 5, 2009
It will absorb a majority of the Shi'ite vote, banking on the influence and prestige of seasoned statesmen like Vice President Adel Abdul Mehdi and Ammar al-Hakim of the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council, cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, and Ahmad Chalabi, a former deputy prime minister and oil minister. The Iraqi Unity Alliance (IUA), headed by current Interior Minister Jawad al-Boulani (Shi'ite) and Sheikh Ahmad Abu Risheh (Sunni), is the weakest of all the major coalitions. (Asia Times Online)
My Secret Plan to Overthrow Iran's Mullahs Oct 19, 2009
I suspected that many of these individuals were essentially Iranian agents -- including the opportunistic "man for all factions" Ahmad Chalabi, a suspicion eventually confirmed when I was later told he had encouraged the pro-Iranian Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr to "dig in" against the U.S. Marines in Najaf. I was not, however, very brave. (Slate)
AP News in Brief Sep 13, 2009
U.S. authorities detained a top aide to former Iraqi exile leader and Bush administration ally Ahmad Chalabi last year and accused him of helping Iranian-backed militants kidnap and kill American and British soldiers and contractors. The aide, Ali Feisal al-Lami, said he was quizzed about Iranian agents, senior Shiite Muslim politicians and deadly bombings. (Fresno Bee -- Nation)
Shi'ites unite in a new power grab Aug 26, 2009
It replaces the United Iraqi Alliance (UIA) and will include heavyweights like Ahmad Chalabi, a former vice president, the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council (SIIC), its military wing the Badr Brigade, the Sadrist bloc of cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, and a breakaway wing of Maliki's ruling Da'wa Party. The INA - as was the UIA - will be headed by Ibrahim al-Jaafari, who held the premiership from 2005 to 2006. (Asia Times Online)
Shi’ite parties abandon Maliki, form new alliance Aug 25, 2009
Rumored possibilities for the job include new alliance members ex-Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, current Vice President Adel Abdul-Mahdi, and even former Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Chalabi, a one-time Pentagon favorite. Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company. (Boston Globe)
Shiites Forge New Alliance Minus Iraqi PM Aug 25, 2009
Ex-Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Chalabi, a one-time Pentagon favorite who leads the secular Iraqi National Congress, is also in the new alliance, as is former Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari. The Supreme Council lost control of major southern provinces to an alliance led by al-Maliki in the Jan. 31 provincial elections, raising concern among other Shiite politicians that internal divisions could cost them seats in January's parliamentary elections. (CBS News)
Shiite groups form new alliance excluding Iraqi PM Aug 25, 2009
Rumored possibilities for the job include new alliance members ex-Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, current Vice President Adel Abdul-Mahdi and even Former Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Chalabi, a one-time Pentagon favorite. The realignment does not immediately threaten al-Maliki's position as prime minister, but points to stormy politics in the election campaign and beyond, as U.S. troops begin scaling back their presence. (Lompoc Record, CA)
United Colors of Democracy Jul 30, 2009
Perhaps the most notorious example of our policymakers linking America s fortunes to sleazy foreign movements was our support for Ahmad Chalabi and the Iraqi National Congress in the years leading up to the invasion of Iraq. Despite longstanding indications that Chalabi and company were corrupt political operators with disturbing ties to Iran, neoconservative cheerleaders treated Chalabi as the George Washington of Iraq. (The American Conservative)
US misunderstanding on Iran lingers Jun 27, 2009
"They have no interest in understanding Iran, in speaking to any Iranian other than Iranian exiles who support the idea of invasions - I'll call them Iranian Chalabis," a reference to now-disgraced neo-conservative darling Iraqi exile Ahmad Chalabi, who reportedly provided some of the bad intelligence on Iraq's weapons programs and was slated for a prominent post-invasion role in Iraq. "It's offensive, even to an Iranian American like me," said Majd. (Asia Times Online)
Newsweek: Chalabi on Iraq corruption, U.S. withdrawal Jun 26, 2009
What Ever Happened to Ahmad Chalabi ... Ahmad Chalabi on his role in Iraq and on the U.S. withdrawal ... As a leading voice among the Iraqi exiles who opposed Saddam Hussein's regime, Ahmad Chalabi was a channel for high-profile defectors who encouraged the U.S. invasion with their accounts of Saddam's supposed weapons of mass destruction and ties to Al Qaeda. (MSNBC -- International)
Today in History May 20, 2009
Iraqi police backed by American soldiers raided the home and offices of Ahmad Chalabi, a prominent Iraqi politician once groomed as a possible replacement for Saddam Hussein. One year ago: Sen. (Yahoo News)
Poland, Spain Up in Arms Over Loss of Iraq Contract Feb 8, 2009
Farouki is a close friend of Ahmad Chalabi, a controversial member of the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council who has close ties with some Pentagon officials ... There s absolutely no commercial or business relationship between Ahmad Chalabi and Nour USA, or with me personally, Farouki said. (Yahoo News -- Poland)
Polish Firm Protests Loss of Iraq Bid Feb 8, 2009
Its president, A. Huda Farouki, is a friend of Ahmad Chalabi, a member of the U.S.-chosen Iraqi Governing Council who has had close connections to the Pentagon. Another company, Cemex Global, backed by Jordan-based Shaheen Business & Investment Group, also has filed a protest, charging that the authority improperly evaluated its bid to supply items including rucksacks, rifles, helmets and heavy jeeps for 26 battalions. (Yahoo News -- Poland)
