Iraqi minister sees Chalabi role in new government

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N03531059.htm

UNITED NATIONS, June 3 (Reuters) - Iraqi politician Ahmad Chalabi will have a role to play in the new government taking over in Baghdad on June 30 despite U.S. suspicions he spied for Iran, a top Iraqi Cabinet minister said on Thursday.

"Chalabi still in my view will have a role to play. This is his country," Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said after appearing before the U.N. Security Council.

"Chalabi is a friend of ours. He was a leading member of the Governing Council. We are sorry to hear all these difficulties, all these rumors, all this investigation going on," Zebari told reporters. "We are following this news and development with great distress."

Chalabi, a longtime Iraqi exile and Pentagon darling once thought to be a top candidate to lead Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein, is under fire in Washington after officials there, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he was being investigated for leaking secrets to Iran.

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[a_random_joel]

1. Let me guess...

Finance Minister?

Intelligence Director?

The new and improved Baghdad Bob?

[maddezmom]

2. oh brother...

WILL have a role...:eyes:

[peacetalksforall]

3. Ambassador to the U.S.

With Jordan fly-overs.

[papau]

5. Nah - he had talent with Jordanian Banks - so maybe the Iraqi FED?

I suspect he spread the $40 million cash we gave him around and has a lot of friends in the new government.

On the bright side they are only in office for 2 years - until the second elections (the first elections in Jan 05 just elects folks to define the constitution and set the second election date). By sometime in 2006 he might be gone!

:-)

[mom cat]

10. Like Bush was gone after we elected Clinton. Like Oliver North, etc

were gone after Iran- Contra. Chalibi has endurance.

[geek tragedy]

4. More lives than

a litter of cats. Did he steal Bush's teflon?

[Gin]

6. they deserve him and whatever he takes from them..if they put him in a

position of power.

[Disturbed]

9. New Iraqi Govt.

They sure are making no pretense that they are the new Dictatorship of Iraq.

I still believe that al Sistani will make his move sometime in July and call for a mass uprising against the "new Govt" and the Occupation forces.

[Just Me]

7. I only wish I knew how the Iraqi people feel about ''Chalabi the Thief".

As for me,...this just makes me choke!!!

[kskiska]

8. They might have a role for Saddam, too

once he's turned over. Wouldn't that be a kick in the teeth for *?

[AlCzervik]

11. Maybe he's being set up.

Maybe it's hit waiting to happen or maybe this guy made a deal with the King of Jordan for a handover.

[LittleApple81]

15. No. Chalabi is a poisonous person with lots of tentacles all over the

place. It is just too weird for words.

[Gloria]

12. I wonder if Tenet had gotten wind of this and decided to get out

since he knew that Bush was probably pushing this, in spite of the new charges about the Iran code. After all, Bush knew Chalabi was a crook already (Petra Bank).

What the hell is going on? This is insane!

[mike1963]

13. Well, this will certainly piss SOMEONE off. But who the hell knows just

-who- at this stage of the insane game?.....
:eyes:
:grr:

[acmavm]

14. Was this all crap just to make sure he got a spot in the new government?

Anyone else would have lined up against a wall and shot.