[Previous entry: "Bush pulls the plug on Iraq reconstruction"] [Next entry: "The Guerilla War on Iraqi Oil"]

01/04/2006:

"Chalabi likely to succeed in new Iraq government, despite controversy"

...Abbas al-Bayati of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, a key member of the United Iraqi Alliance, agreed that while Chalabi overestimated his influence at the polls, "elections are not the end."

"In all, he managed to wield momentum and accumulated experience that qualify him to play a vital role in the political process," al-Bayati said.

Although Chalabi fell out of favor with Washington after the pre-war intelligence he supplied turned out to be false, lately they have indicated that he should remain in the government. In what some observers here took as a reference to Chalabi, U.S. officials have said the new government should be composed of competent people.

Al-Moussawi, the Chalabi aide, indicated that U.S. officials and his boss have mended their relationship. "On some issues there were some disagreements, and I think most of those disagreements have been resolved lately."

Taha al-Luheibi, spokesman for the Dialogue Council, a member of the main Sunni coalition, said the record suggested that Chalabi will not be content with a minor role. "His ambition last year was to be prime minister. ... Now, he's looking to be the same thing, or at least to be a minister."
realcities.com

Now here's democracy in action: the guy got 1% of the vote.