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November 16, 2005
Ahmad Chalabi Scores Big Time
After last week's stunning performance in Washington, Chalabi is certainly in the running for this week's Player of the Week. Newsweek provides us with a bit of a rundown on the man's play. This guy has more twists and turns, more slick moves than Michael Jordan in his prime. In exile in London, he was convicted in abstentia in Amman, Jordan (no relation) of embezzlement. Helped by the Iranians, he lied to the U.S., convincing them of the need to invade Iraq to get rid of Saddam. Shunned by the U.S. last year because of the little lying problem, he returns to Washington as a Deputy Minister, running the oil industry and meeting with Rumsfeld, Cheney, and Hadley, among others.
You have to give the man some credit. He may have misled the Bush White House about Iraq’s WMD. He may have evaded the law when he was convicted, in absentia, of embezzlement in Jordan. He may have outraged U.S. occupation officials because of his maneuvering after the invasion. But Ahmad Chalabi just doesn’t quit. Ever.
This man is a political animal, willing to do whatever it takes to realize his goals. You can certainly find ample reason to hate him, but you have to admire his gall, his veracity, and drive. He stole money for his cause, used Iranian support, intelligence and a bag full of lies to convince the American's to spend hundreds of billions of dollars, with more than 2000 dead, and over 15,000 wounded Americans. Plus there is the little matter of at least 30,000 Iraqis killed and the country on the brink of a civil war all in order to gain control of the country. This guy is like the Bill Belichek of politics, no matter what he faces he manages to find a game plan that succeeds. It is very impressive indeed.
Posted by Chip Spear at November 16, 2005 9:12 PM