Chalabi says Iraq must tackle foreign militants

[leftchick]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051107/wl_nm/iraq_chalabi_dc_1

LONDON (Reuters) - Iraq must do more to stop the country being used as a base for foreign militants seeking to destabilize its neighbors, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Chalabi said in comments published on Monday.


In an interview with Britain's Financial Times, Chalabi acknowledged Iran's "legitimate concern" about Mujahedin-e Khalq, an Iranian opposition group operating in Iraq which the United States lists as a terrorist organization.

He said there were also concerns in Turkey over bases in northern Iraq operated by the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

"We should enforce the article in our constitution that Iraq should not be a transit point or base for destabilizing neighbors," Chalabi told the newspaper. "We should deal with these issues humanely and fairly, but firmly."

[rodeodance]

1. well, gee Mr. Calbali--!!

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. It's ok for Chala Alibi to destabilize Jordan's banking

system and exit via the trunk of a car... must be, cuz no one in American politics even brings it up... pity.


http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/issues/iraq/leaders/2005/0511chalabi.htm
King Abdullah of Jordan has agreed to pardon Ahmed Chalabi, the controversial Iraqi political leader, who was sentenced to 22 years in prison for fraud after his bank collapsed with $300m (£160m) in missing deposits in 1989. Jalal Talabani, the Iraqi President, asked the king to resolve the differences between Jordan and Mr Chalabi, now Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq, during a visit to Ammanthis week.

Latif Rashid, the Iraqi minister of water resources, said Mr Talabani confirmed to him that King Abdullah had promised, in effect, to quash the conviction. He expected there would first be a meeting between Jordanian officials and Mr Chalabi "who has some questions of his own." The expected pardon, is the latest twist in the extraordinary career of Mr Chalabi, now again in the ascendant as an important member of the Shia coalition and the new Iraqi government. Only a year ago US soldiers raided his house in Baghdad, put a gun to his head, arrested two of his supporters and seized papers. He was accused of passing intelligence information to Iran.

Previously an ally of the neoconservatives and of the civilians in the Pentagon whom he managed to convince of the need to topple Saddam Hussein, Mr Chalabi sought new friends. He cultivated Muqtada al-Sadr, the Shia clergyman whose militia the US Army was trying to destroy. He became a leader of one of the main factions in the United Iraqi Alliance, the Shia coalition which triumphed in the election on 30 January.

[leftchick]

3. I have heard it brought up by Biden I believe

he really seems to hate chalabi. I hope he grows some and denounces his visit this week. This could really turn into another new low for bush this week if the Democrats denounce this visit in unison!

[daleo]

8. That's good.

Fleeing in the trunk of a car - Bush's buddies all have the most colorful backgrounds.

[rpannier]

4. Considering the US Military has been saying

that the foreign militants make up about 2-5% of the insurgency I think that's money and time poorly spent.

[cleofus1]

5. well

someone pulled his string...

[oblivious]

6. Notice he's not complaining about foreign militants destabilizing Iraq.

He's more worried about Turkey and Iran's problems.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

7. Foreign militants... "we're fighting them over here, because they

came over here".... tada dum.