Tehran Backing Chalabi as Iraq's Next PM

[sabra]

http://aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=2581

Tehran Backing Chalabi as Iraq's Next PM

London, Asharq Al-Awsat- Ahmad Chalabi, the Iraqi deputy prime minister and leader of the Iraqi National Congress (INC) party, has won the conditional support of the Iranian leadership for his decision to contest the elections independently of the "Unified Iraqi Coalition." Senior officials in Tehran have also expressed their support for Chalabi as the prime minister after the Iraqi elections to be held in mid-December if he wins enough seats in parliament that qualifies him to compete with the other likely leading candidates former Prime Minister Dr. Iyad Allawi, incumbent Prime Minister Dr. Ibrahim al-Jafari, and Adel Abdul Mahdi, the prominent leader in the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution (SCIRI) and vice president.

A high-level source in the office of Iranian Guide Ali Khomeini has disclosed to "Asharq al-Awsat" that the supreme leadership in Tehran is deeply worried these days by the rise in Dr. Allawi's political fortunes after his success in forming an expanded list that includes important parties and national figures and in the wake of signals from Shiite religious leader Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani indicating his dismay and frustration with the failed performance of Dr. Al-Jafari's Government on one hand and on the other the failure of the deputies from SCIRI, Al-Dawah Party, and other Shiite parties to fulfill the promises they had made and the splits in the Unified Iraqi Coalition. The source pointed out that Ayatollah Al-Sistani has not only stopped opposing Allawi's return as head of the government but there are also indications that the supreme Shiite cleric views Allawi as the only Shiite politician capable of putting an end to the interference of the Iranian intelligence services and Revolutionary Guards (IRG) in Iraq's internal affairs.

The Iranian source added that Chalabi succeeded in persuading Iranian President Ahmadinezhad and Hashemi Shamrah, his highly influential adviser, that he is the only one capable of scheduling the US and British withdrawal from Iraq, that Washington and London trust and respect him, and that his presence as the head of the Iraqi government will reduce in a noticeable way Washington's fears from Iran's growing influence. At the same time, Tehran knows very well that Chalabi will not turn into an enemy because the ties that link him to the ruling regime in Iran are solid and old and will not be affected by any political storms or sudden turns in the present alliances in Iraq.

"Asharq al-Awsat" learned that a former adviser to Chalabi who had fled to Iran after US military intelligence in Iraq accused him of providing the Iranian Revolutionary Guards with secret information about the US military and security presence in Iraq and Iraqi officials' relations with former US Governor Paul Bremer played an important role in arranging Chalabi's visit to Tehran and his meeting with the officials there, foremost of them the Iranian president, the foreign minister, and senior officials in Khomeini's office, Iranian intelligence, and the IRG.

[Zenlitened]

1. That would complete Iran's plan of conquering its neighbor...

... by using the U.S.A. as a patsy.

:grr:

[tatertop]

11. This makes my head spin!

[hippiechick]

2. Of course they want him as PM ...

... wasn't he outed as a double agent about a year ago ?

Why's he still out of prison, by the way ?? :shrug:

[sabra]

3. not only out of prison, he is meeting WH senior officials

as we speak...

[saigon68]

13. A POSTER BOY FOR DENTAL DISEASE

[Bonhomme Richard]

4. You have to admit that the guy is amazing the way.......

he played his handlers in Washington. I guess in his mind there is no limit to how stupid the neocons are.

[Divernan]

5. All those deaths just to put lying, spying thief in power ?

And our generations of national debt? What a deal! ! ! Let's never forget who gets the credit for this - every damn fool who voted for Bush!

[ninkasi]

10. You are exactly right...

I hope the loyal Bush followers understand what their idiot prince has done. I hope they realize, especially the ones who voted for him in 2004, after we knew what he was like, that some of the blood that stains his hands has also stained theirs.

The first election was stolen. The second, I believe, was also stolen. However, there were still enough people who voted for him, in spite of the evidence of how corrupt he is, and they share the blame for what is happening to this country.

When they lose their jobs due to outsourcing, their homes due to having no jobs, their health due to having no insurance, I hope the memory of their glorious Chimperor is enough to sustain them as they face a world of poverty and despair. Sadly, millions who voted against him will share the same fate, and it is for them that I save my pity.

[htuttle]

12. It wasn't JUST to put Chalabi in power

Iran was also trying to to remove a long standing threat to their borders, Al Queda was also trying to get us to remove one of their worst enemies, and ironically enough, Israel wanted the same thing too. Plus, Cheney's old company, Halliburton, was able to use the war contracts to dig itself out of the financial hole he dug for them after buying Dresser (and their asbestos liabilities). And billions and BILLIONS made it's way into the pockets of other Bush campaign contributors and friends. Finally, it gave Bush and the Congressional Republicans a nice (though short term) political boost.

So the invasion actually accomplished a lot -- however, none of it was for the US's national interests. We're just stuck paying for it all (and paying, and paying, and paying...).

[RedEarth]

6. Guess who Rice, Hadley, Snow and possibly Cheney plan to meet with...

none other than Chalabi...isn't that amazing?

[saigon68]

14. HER GRILL IS PRETTY UGLY TOO

ITS NO PRIZE WINNER

[AlCzervik]

7. So is the friend (iran) of their friend (Chalabi) their friend now?

or their enemy?

[alfredo]

8. If you focus on one objective, it is easy to be blindsided.

The bush administration's rigid ideology made them an easy target for Chalabi and other's who took advantage of the junts's virulent hatred of Saddam and their lust for his oil.

[ECH1969]

9. al-Sistani is correct

Allawi is really the one that both Shia and Sunnis could accept in that he is a Baathist and a Shia. Neither the Shia or the Sunnis love him, because he isn't totally (one of them), but they don't dislike him either.

[psychopomp]

15. If al-Sistani opposes Chalabi he doesn't have a chance

n/t

[CoffeeCat]

16. So, is this how Iran escaped a US invasion?

It seemed like the neocons were all geared up to invade Iran. We were making SUCH A CASE that they were making nuclear weapons!

We were so ready to invade!

Well. What happened?

Did Iran agree to endorse and leverage Chalabi--to escape being "Iraqied" by the United States?

How does Syria feel about Chalabi?

[Raiden]

17. Chalabi??!

Why isn't that son-of-a-bitch in prison?

[leftchick]

18. Tehran Supports Nominating Al Chalabi for Heading the Coming Iraqi Governm

Tehran Supports Nominating Al Chalabi for Heading the Coming Iraqi Government

London – Ahmed Al Chalabi, the Iraqi deputy prime minister and head of the Iraqi National Conference party has received the conditioned support of the Iranian government for entering the elections as independent from the Shiite Iraqi United Coalition.

The top officials in Tehran have expressed their support to Al Chalabi to occupy the position of Prime Minister after the Iraqi elections, which are supposed to be conducted by the middle of next month, in case he obtained sufficient seats in the parliament that enable him to compete with the potential major candidates; the former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, the current Prime Minister Dr. Ibrahim Al Ja'fari, and Adel Abdel Mahdi, the prominent leader in the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution and Vice-President.

A high-ranking source in the office of the Iranian guide Ali Khamenei disclosed to Al Sharq Al Awsat that the supreme leadership in Iran is currently very worried about the great political gains of Dr. Iyad Allawi after his success in creating a broad slate including key national parties and figures and after the issue of indications on behalf of the Grand Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani that express his resentment and frustration regarding the fertile performance of Dr. Ibrahim Al Ja'fari's government, on the one hand, and the failure of the deputies, who are supposed to be loyal to the Supreme Council, Al Da'wa Party and the other Shiite parties, in achieving the promises that they launched, in addition to the collapse of the United Iraqi Coalition Slate, on the other hand.

This source referred to information stating that Ayatollah Al Sistani has not only refrained from opposing the return of Allawi to head the government, but there are also indications that Al Sistani considers Allawi as the sole Shiite politician, who can end the interference of the Iranian intelligence and revolutionary guards in the Iraqi interior affairs.

http://www.almendhar.com/english_7527/news_print.aspx

[afdip]

19. yeah, they'll nominate him for the nobel peace prize next

[Loonman]

20. Of course they do

Chalabi has been in cahoots with Iran since day 1.

[thebigidea]

21. either that or they have a good sense of irony and timing