NYT Magazine: Chalabi spills the beans on Iraq, 'Real Culprit is Wolfowitz'

[sabra]

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003350110

'NYT' Sunday Preview: Ahmad Chalabi Says, 'The Real Culprit is Wolfowitz'

<snip>

Now, in an interview in his London home, Chalabi, betraying what Filkins calls “a touch of bitterness,” declares, “The real culprit in all this is Wolfowitz,” the former assistant secretary of defense, whom he still considers a friend. “They chickened out. The Pentagon guys chickened out…The Americans screwed it up.”

But that’s not because they did too little but, rather, too much. Chalabi thinks the U.S. should have exited quickly and turned things over to Iraqis, such as himself and Moktada al-Sadr. “It was a puppet show!" he says referring to the occupation. “The worst of all worlds. We were in charge, and we had no power.”

He adds: “America betrays its friends. It sets them up and betrays them. I’d rather be America’s enemy.”

...

What about the WMD propaganda? Chalabi counters views that he was the catalyst, saying that it was Bush officials who “came to us and asked, ‘Can you help us find something on Saddam?’”

He also claims that he warned the Bush people that various Iraqi informants were unreliable, only to hear the Americans say, referring to the source, “This guy is the mother lode.” Chalabi, of all people asks, “Can you believe that on such a basis the United States would go to war?

[yodermon]

1. Well now!

Muahaha.

[Hepburn]

2. Can we all say...

...OSP?

(Office of Special Plans)

[acmavm]

3. I've always felt that if someone deserved to be tortured for all

the damn grief and dispair he caused, the insurgency should have nabbed this guy and showed him what his lies have done to the people of Iraq. And then practiced a little street justice on the guy.

He soooooooooooooooo deserves it. He wanted to rule Iraq so badly he didn't care how many died.

[Dhalgren]

8. I have no love for Chalabi, he is a scum-sucking slug, but he was

a known quantity back in 2001-2002. To say that he "misled" the Dictator and his henchmen is incorrect. He simply agreed to act as their "source" for the lies that they made up themselves. The Bush dictatorship was not lied to, the Bush dictatorship lied - Chalabi was just their patsy...

[acmavm]

14. THEY ALL lied. But Chalabi betrayed his countrymen.

[Ganja Ninja]

30. Exactly! He told them what they wanted to hear and if he ...

wouldn't have they would have found some other low life to take his place. Chalabi was just another cog in the Bush war machine.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

36. At an anti-war march in 2002, the Iraqi National Congress held a rally

It was a freeper, pro-war rally.

There were more "Freeper Only" porta-johns at their site than people and I think Chalabi was talking.

It was funny, because there weren't more than 30 people there and two or three hundred thousand peace marchers.

[H2O Man]

42. Respectfully disagree.

He was in no manner their patsy.

[Dhalgren]

48. A the time of the conspiracy, no he was no patsy, as things have

turned out, I think maybe so...

[A Simple Game]

58. It might be best to say that they used each other. n/t

[vssmith]

75. Yes--but it did not work out worth a shit for either one.

[DinahMoeHum]

24. Thing is, the kingdom of Jordan has a prior claim on his ass. . .

for embezzlement of the Petra Bank.

:evilfrown:

[acmavm]

29. And we should damn well, as a law abiding nation, have handed

him over to 'em.

But we are anything but a law abiding nation anymore.

[H2O Man]

43. Also, keep in mind

that his top aide was an Iranian intelliggence officer. Chalabi is our enemy. Anyone on DU who thinks he is somehow less bad for saying the things that are in the upcoming interview are seriously mistaken.

[aquart]

66. He still doesn't.

[Breeze54]

74. Can you all say WOLFOWITZ? Now try PNAC!!!

http://www.newamericancentury.org/

Now look up WOLFOWITZ !!!

STATEMENT of PRINCIPLES

http://www.newamericancentury.org/statementofprinciples.htm

June 3, 1997

American foreign and defense policy is adrift. Conservatives have criticized the incoherent policies of the Clinton Administration. They have also resisted isolationist impulses from within their own ranks. But conservatives have not confidently advanced a strategic vision of America's role in the world. They have not set forth guiding principles for American foreign policy. They have allowed differences over tactics to obscure potential agreement on strategic objectives. And they have not fought for a defense budget that would maintain American security and advance American interests in the new century.

We aim to change this. We aim to make the case and rally support for American global leadership.

As the 20th century draws to a close, the United States stands as the world's preeminent power. Having led the West to victory in the Cold War, America faces an opportunity and a challenge: Does the United States have the vision to build upon the achievements of past decades? Does the United States have the resolve to shape a new century favorable to American principles and interests?

We are in danger of squandering the opportunity and failing the challenge. We are living off the capital -- both the military investments and the foreign policy achievements -- built up by past administrations. Cuts in foreign affairs and defense spending, inattention to the tools of statecraft, and inconstant leadership are making it increasingly difficult to sustain American influence around the world. And the promise of short-term commercial benefits threatens to override strategic considerations. As a consequence, we are jeopardizing the nation's ability to meet present threats and to deal with potentially greater challenges that lie ahead.

We seem to have forgotten the essential elements of the Reagan Administration's success: a military that is strong and ready to meet both present and future challenges; a foreign policy that boldly and purposefully promotes American principles abroad; and national leadership that accepts the United States' global responsibilities.

Of course, the United States must be prudent in how it exercises its power. But we cannot safely avoid the responsibilities of global leadership or the costs that are associated with its exercise. America has a vital role in maintaining peace and security in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. If we shirk our responsibilities, we invite challenges to our fundamental interests. The history of the 20th century should have taught us that it is important to shape circumstances before crises emerge, and to meet threats before they become dire. The history of this century should have taught us to embrace the cause of American leadership.

Our aim is to remind Americans of these lessons and to draw their consequences for today.

Here are four consequences:


• we need to increase defense spending significantly if we are to carry out our global
responsibilities today and modernize our armed forces for the future;


• we need to strengthen our ties to democratic allies and to challenge regimes hostile
to our interests and values;


• we need to promote the cause of political and economic freedom abroad;


• we need to accept responsibility for America's unique role in preserving and extending
an international order friendly to our security, our prosperity, and our principles.


Such a Reaganite policy of military strength and moral clarity may not be fashionable today.
But it is necessary if the United States is to build on the successes of this past century
and to ensure our security and our greatness in the next.

Elliott Abrams - Gary Bauer - William J. Bennett - Jeb Bush

Dick Cheney - Eliot A. Cohen - Midge Decter - Paula Dobriansky - Steve Forbes

Aaron Friedberg - Francis Fukuyama - Frank Gaffney - Fred C. Ikle

Donald Kagan - Zalmay Khalilzad - I. Lewis Libby - Norman Podhoretz

Dan Quayle - Peter W. Rodman - Stephen P. Rosen - Henry S. Rowen

Donald Rumsfeld - Vin Weber - George Weigel - Paul Wolfowitz

See also: http://www.crisispapers.org/Editorials/PNAC-Primer.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

See also: http://pnac.info/

An effort to investigate, analyze, and expose the Project for the New American Century, and its plan for a “unipolar” world.

Welcome to PNAC.info-- a site dedicated to drawing attention to the neoconservative
foreign policy approach, and its consequences for America and the world.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE BELIEVER

http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/041101fa_fact?041101fa_fact

Paul Wolfowitz defends his war.

by PETER J. BOYER
Issue of 2004-11-01
Posted 2004-10-25

[AlCzervik]

4. and Chalabi aided and abetted them, gee do you think he'll give back some

of the millions he's made from this little incursion?

[sabra]

5. Perle: “Look, I think they tried to kill him”

<snip>

One of the fascinating anecdotes revolves around the May 20,2004 raid by Iraqi and American forces on Chalabi’s Baghdad compound, after the U.S. accused him of giving secrets to the Iranians. “Look, I think they tried to kill him,” Richard Perle, the Pentagon adviser and close Chalabi friend, tells Filkins. “I think the raid on his house was intended to result in violence….It is a miracle that it didn’t result in a massive shootout.”

[AlCzervik]

6. sure they did, just like in "Goodfellas" when they took everyone out

after the big heist.

[asjr]

7. I sometimes feel like I am watching an

old black and white "B" movie on TV. The plot is thin and the casting is lousy.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

38. Chalabi should be played by Ben Gazzara.

[leftchick]

47. isn't he dead?

:shrug:

edit: just checked it out, he is alive and kicking. Just did a show on Broadway in April. I must have confused him with someone else.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

9. Chalabi protests too much

some think he was an Iranian mole luring the United States into disaster.
Iran has benefited the most from this, so it stands to reason.

[Sad4world]

76. I agree

I think Chalabi was a double agent(US and Iran). And then you add in his own agenda(President of Iraq) and there you have it.
Iran played the Neo cons at their own game and won. Iran got Iraq destroyed like the Neo's wanted and now they are tops in the mid east.
This is why the Neo's are so upset at Iran(when the Neo's should be upset at themselves for being the fools) and have sent ships to threaten them. NOT because of nuclear weapon potential.
The Neo's little PNAC plans have failed! and at the cost of countless lives.
Those permanent bases the Neo's have built in Iraq will be the property of the Shia's in the very near future.

[originalpckelly]

10. Sweet November surprise...

this just blew Saddam's verdict out of the water. If anything Saddam will just show of how little importance he was.

[Parisle]

11. Chalabi is a rotten apple, alright,....

--- .... but he probably DOES know a few neocon secrets. Notice also that the two administration officials with which Chalabi worked most closely -- Wolfowitz and Feith -- are no longer around. Feith had his entire OSP operation hurriedly closed up, and he's gone from government. Wolfowitz is doing his imperial colonialist worst with the World Bank. Not a coincidence.

[Minnesota_Lib]

12. What was that old saying about rats on a sinking ship? LOL

[LouisianaLiberal]

13. Can someone throw me a Curveball

and find the pic of Chalabi sitting behind Laura at the 2003 SOTU address? Thanks

[JawJaw]

65. Ahmed'n'Pickles

[porphyrian]

15. Who the fuck believes anything he says?

It doesn't matter if what he's saying is right or not, he has no credibility.

[marmar]

16. The rats are fleeing....

:yoiks:

[wryter2000]

17. To quote Leona Helmsley on Donald Trump

"I wouldn't believe anything he said if he had his tongue notarized."

[louis-t]

21. Haaaa! "Tongue notarized!"

Hee hee.

[grizmaster]

26. great quote

[Castleman]

39. I wouldn't beleive him

if the fucker SWORE he was lying to me...

[wryter2000]

50. LOL

:crazy: Welcome to DU :hi:

[madrchsod]

18. guy who sat by pickles not so long ago

but now that seems so far away.....

[alfredo]

19. This line should be shouted from the rooftops

Filkins returns later to speculation that it was at the behest of the Iranians that Chalabi got the U.S. into the war.

[philly_bob]

20. Chalabi, evil or not, is one smart dude.

It is my understanding that he had a Ph.D. in math from University of Chicago -- in Knot Theory. I know enough about Math to know that is one impressive credential.

The idea that we sent a brainpower heavyweight like Chalabi up against a brainpower lightweight like Bush is maybe why we've had our pockets picked.

Perle and Wolfowitz are smart, but they get these ideological blinders that make them dumb.

Incidentally, I hope the NYT interviewer asked Chalabi how the U.S. can get out of Iraq. I'd love to hear his answer.

(P.S. Maybe it's time to put away the Good and Evil label-makers. That's how you put on ideological blinders.)

[Lucky Luciano]

27. heheh

Yes, knot theory is difficult...all kinds of ways to have S^3 - S^1 be different! I studied a bit of that long ago, but then finalized my dissertation on axiomatizing equivariant cohomology theories in algebraic geometry.

Bush Vs. A Street Smart knot theorist??? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! I know where I would bet my money!

I would make a market of 90:1 at 100:1 odds in favor of Chalabi outwitting b*sh.

[The Deacon]

Okay, My Son Has A 79% Average In Pre-Algebra

And HE could outwit the entire "Bush Brain Trust" (including Wolfowitz & Perle, neither of whom ever impressed me as having the brains God gave seafood) so Ahmed's accomplishment seems a little thin.

[Lucky Luciano]

45. trust me....

A PhD from U Chicago in Knot Theory makes him 4-5 standard deviations smarter than average...trouble is that combined with his inherent evilness as a human being, he is extremely dangerous and has the potential to cause the death of hundreds of thousands - oops..he already did that. Wolfowitz is another PhD that is dangerous - might have been at Chicago in the philosophy department - where he studied under the academic father of neoconservatism, Leonard Strauss...more evil..more deaths. b*sh is just their lackey.

[Odin2005]

35. I've been thinking the exact same thing

Chalabi used Neo-Cons' ideology-colored glasses in the hope that they would make him the ruler of Iraq.

[philly_bob]

60. Could Clinton have handled Chalabi?

Bush and the neo-cons were totally manipulated by Chalabi.

It's just conjecture, but Clinton would probably have done better.

(1) Clinton would have been under no illusions about Chalabi; he would have assumed that Chalabi was playing in his own self-interest and gone from there. Black-and-white Bush thought that Chalabi was a "good" man, not an "evil" man; and, for Bush, that's all he needed to know, he didn't need to ask any other questions.

(2) And of course, Clinton is just a tiny bit brighter than Bush.

I mean, imagine if we could have had Chalabi on our side...

Is Chalabi worse than our Saudi and Pakistani allies?

[Jacobin]

69. Clinton DID handle Chalabi

He ignored him and considered him a kook

[philly_bob]

71. Good point. /nt

[elaineb]

77. Well, maybe he's studied Knot Theory, but he can't be too smart

How could he possibly have thought the U.S. would do anything OTHER than set up an occupation force? An elementary-level course in 20th Century American History would have helped him with that not-so-knotty question. Did he really think that Bush was going to invade Iraq and then quietly leave? Did Chalabi really outwit the witless Bush or vice-versa? (Although I have to admit, Chalabi's the type of cockroach who might survive this--Bush, maybe not so much).

[DinahMoeHum]

22. Chalabi's ugly fuckface is on the cover of the NYT magazine. . .

it's the cover story.

:evilfrown:

[louis-t]

23. What? The convicted embezzler and Iranian mole now pointing

fingers at the one who helped him escape with the loot from Jordan? Chain him to the guard shack at the entrance to the Green Zone, see how long he lasts.

[peacetalksforall]

37. Are you saying Wolfkowitz helped Chalabi steal from the Jordan

bank (steal from the Jordanian people and others?)

If yes, what are all the other countries thinking of by allowing that comb-licker to head the World Bank?

[louis-t]

49. Either Wolfie or Perle

are suspected of helping Chalabi launder money embezzled from bank in Jordan.

[Blackhatjack]

25. When Liars Lie About Which Liars Are At Fault, The Truth Emerges...

It is kind of like this, "eliminate all the possible explanations that are false, and the truth is left all by its lonesome."

Not one of them is credible about what happened and why.

The search for truth goes on .....

[Beelzebud]

28. Paul "Medal of Freedom" Wolfowitz

[valerief]

33. Paul "Combsucker" Wolfowitz. nt

[Me.]

31. From His London Home

Pretty much says it. So now it's sour grapes, he thought he was going to be in charge and now he isn't. I'd say the guy should watch his back or buy a home in Iran. Who hasn't he betrayed? The only one he hasn't spoken out about yet is his pillow mate, Judy, Miss Girl Run Amok. Miller.

Also, how long is Wolfowitz going to be allowed to stay at the world bank.

*shadow government*

[19jet54]

32. Bush is an Idiot!

For listening to any of them...the buck stops there!

[Javaman]

34. It still doesn't absolve Chalabi from being an opportunist prick..

This line tells it all:

"U.S. should have exited quickly and turned things over to Iraqis, such as himself and Moktada al-Sadr".

So the choice he offers up is himself (a known crook) and al-Sadr (a power hungry fundie of the highest order).

Yeah, lets peer into that alternative universe and place bets that those two assholes would get along, let alone share in power.

Chalabi is hated by the Iraqi's and Sadr has done his best to divide the country along religious lines.

Yeah, great choices. Chalabi should shut the fuck up and go away, hopefully to prison.

[elehhhhna]

40. Screw Chalabi & the whores he rode in on

[SoCalDem]

41. the problem is this.. Chalabi's a known liar, and the admin

distanced themselves from him as soon as they could, so Chalabi coming forward now will be spun, and the WH will play the "disgruntled former ....." card 24-7.

WE knew about Chalabi a long time ago, but it didn't matter, because the press still loved the guy..:grr:

[peacetalksforall]

44. Somehow I can't help thinking that this is a 'set-up' attack. He

knows how to manipulate - con excellence.

His best future is with Iran. It may have been that way for a long time. This is not so much a betrayal since our President, Cheney, (and Rumsfeld?), plus our friends in Pakistan already wheel and deal with Iran - nuclear supplies and parts sales?

He seems to be saying that the situation in Iraq would be much improved had he been placed n there early on. Knowing how unethical they all are - they probably screwed him early on. They had advantage of his lies and set-up early on thanks to Judy, Scooter, Dick, and the New York Times. But, someone screwed him. I can't wait for the real truth about the break-in to his office.

The last paragraph of the E & P article with the Filkins quote is outstanding:

"Filkins concludes: “The gamble failed, a nation imploded and Chalabi never ascended to the throne he so coveted. But in an odd turn of fortune, the throne no longer had anything to offer.”

... but the guy is alive and kicking and he may outdo himself.

We may be heading into the same type of loyalty-betrayal-revenge cycle with the set-up guy that PNAC wants to place in Iran as a puppet President. People don't learn. There is no one or no entity less trustworthy then PNAC and their drivers.

[Roland99]

46. I don't believe he tried warning the neocons but he's apparently coming clean

[Disturbed]

51. Busholini and the Neocons wanted to take over Iraq

before the 911 Attack. The attack provided them with the excuse to do so. The WMDs ruse was their choice to get Congress to go along. Chalabi gave them what they asked for and he thought that they would reward him with the PM spot in Iraq. He was the interim Oil Minister for a while. The problem was that most Iraqis rejected Chalabi because they knew his family's background and that he was a charlatan. Former CIA Chief Tenet told the Busholini Regime that Chalabi was cozy with the Iranian Leadership and had provided Intell to them. Tenet was fired but at some point Chalabi was deemed a double Agent and cut lose.

_______________________________________________________________

Chalabi's fusion of business and politics is very much in the family tradition. Until the 1958 military coup swept away the monarchy that had ruled Iraq under British direction since the 1920s, the Chalabis were probably the richest family in the country. The founder of the family fortunes, Ahmed's great grandfather, had been the tax "farmer" (ie he collected taxes at a profit) of Kadimiah, a town near Baghdad.

The Iraqi historian Hanna Batatu describes him as "a very harsh man, (who) kept a bodyguard of armed slaves and had a special prison at his disposal. When he died the people of Kadimiah heaved a sigh of relief." His son flourished in the good graces of the British, while the next in line, Ahmed's father, prospered by bailing out the racing debts of a powerful member of the royal family, earning high political office thereby, and leveraging that position into lucrative business arrangements. Ahmed's uncle meanwhile rose to be the most powerful banker in the country. As Batatu notes: "..by translating economic power into political influence, and political influence into economic power, the Chalabis climbed from one level of wealth to another."

http://www.counterpunch.org/chalabi05202004.html

[McCamy Taylor]

52. Chalabi could read. He knew Wolfowitz and the NeoCons wanted Oil

And the only way that the US was gonna ensure its long term energy stability (to draw a page from James Baker III's report) was to occupy the hell out of Iraq for a long, long time. Plus, Cheney needed to help make up for the asbestos debt he had saddled Halliburton with during his period of (mis)management, so he needed a long occupation.

Yes, Wolfowitz is to blame, for being an idiot who told the world that if they knocked out one government, another government would spring up from the sand to take its place. He is a do-do head of the first degree. But no one had to believe him.

And do not forget the involvement of

Kissinger--wants Shias out of power, Sunnis in power for his Saudi masters

Cheney--wants long occupation so Halliburton can clean up with contracts

Condie--wants chance to negotiate something so she can look presidential or at least vice presidential

W.--wants some end scenerio that can be called a "win"

W.'s backers--want control of Iraq's oil

Perle--wants Iran weakened so that it can not threaten Israel, Iraq is just a pawn in that battle

Al Qaeda--wants a place to train terrorists

That is a lot of cooks in the kitchen.

[mhatrw]

53. The irony is killing me! n/t

[Bucky]

63. Yes, you and several thousands of Iraqis and Americans.

[Independent_Liberal]

54. Kicked and recommended!

Wolfie going down!

:)

Take me to Funky Town!

[Lilith Velkor]

55. aww poor baby, didn't get to be prez after all you did for Iraq

Motherfucker.

You know all that sickass shit our military has done to its prisoners? Chalabi deserves worse IMFO.

[donkeyotay]

56. The gamble failed..." The gamble? With whose chips?

Ours. Planes weren't the only thing hijacked. The reason that this administration is so incredibly incompetent with anything to do with governing - Katrina for example - is because this war was the only reason any of these snakes were in Washington. They all thought they had something to gain, and they gamed the system Enron-style to get what they thought would be to their benefit. The man stole American lives, he stole our money, yet he waltzes into Washington untouched. There's no justice left in a country being run by gangsters and I don't mean Iraq.

[jazzjunkysue]

57. Chalabi...worked to convince America to topple Saddam in 2003

"Chalabi was the Iraqi exile who worked -- via everyone from Paul Wolfowitz to Judith Miller -- to convince America to topple Saddam in 2003."

So, we're gonna forgive the chimp and darth vader for being taken in by an ex-iraqi?

If some other 3rd world exile asks * to occupy Korea or China, the president just says, "Well, ok, if you think we should...."

How does a foreign exile get the president on the phone? If anyone can tell me that, I've got a few things to say to him, myself.

[Eugene]

59. Chalabi is a conman making excuses why the con didn't work.

It's not my fault. This all could have worked out if they had done things my way.

Suuurre! :eyes:

He says the Coalition should have handed Iraq over to him and Muqtada al-Sadr? :spray:
Chalabi's support in Iraq is zilch. It is telling that he gave the interview from London.

[Disturbed]

64. "So, we're gonna forgive the chimp and darth vader

for being taken in by an ex-iraqi?"

GW Bush was itching to overthrow Saddam before the SC selected him as Prez.
Chalabi provided the lies for the Bush Regime to convince Congress to sign on to an Illegal Invasion.

'One of the keys to being seen as a great leader is to be seen as commander in chief. My father had all this political capital built up when he drove the Iraqis out of Kuwait and he wasted it. If I have a chance to invade, if I had that much capital, I'm not going to waste it. I'm going to get everything passed that I want to get passed and I'm going to have a successful presidency.' GW Bush 2000

[Eugene]

72. BushCo & Chalabi was an alliance of liars and crooks.

They were partners in crime. The Bushies wanted the oil. Chalabi wanted
the whole country. There being no honor among theives, they double crossed
eachother.

Through it all, Ahmed Chalabi is a thief and a liar who now disowns the phony
intelligence his people fed the Bush administration. He also advised the
disastrous Coalition Provisional Authority and sold Bremer on de-Baathification.
He also tried to play the U.S., Iran, and the Shiite factions against one another.
He denies everything now, but the current mess in Iraq has Chalabi's fingerprints
all over it.

The Bushies are criminals. So is Ahmed Chalabi.

[SalmonChantedEvening]

61. Another machine gun for the circular firing squad.

Bang bang, Chalabi shot me down...

:rofl:

[Bucky]

62. Chalabi is the one pushing them to start the war.

Chalabi was working for Iran, who wanted Saddam gone far worse than we did. He's a first class con artists and is now covering his bases, hoping to not get dumped by the next Democratic president. More lies than a cat and twice as sneaky. What a supreme bastard. Bush deserved him.

[spanone]

67. They are all thick as thieves.May they burn in hell.

[aquart]

68. London isn't a cheap town.

How much does Chalabi have in the bank and where did it come from?

[illinoisprogressive]

70. The Neocons are Pointing Fingers as well

Just read about how Harpers has a huge article on the Neocons like Richard Perle are now turning on the administration. I guess the wolves are eating thier own.

[leesa]

73. Awwww...your good buddies bit you in the butt, eh slime ball?

You wanted to be King. You told all the right lies to start the illegal war and they threw you over. Too effin bad, fucker.