Durbin, Miller -- Call on Intelligence Committees to Subpoena Chalabi

[understandinglife]

Durbin, Miller Call on Intelligence Committees to Subpoena Chalabi

Wednesday, November 9, 2005

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Congressman George Miller (D-CA) today called on the Senate and House Intelligence Committees to subpoena visiting Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Chalabi for his testimony about his role in providing false intelligence about Iraq and leaking U.S. secrets to Iran.

Chalabi is reportedly meeting with Secretary of State Condeleeza Rice, Treasury Secretary John Snowe, Vice President Cheney and other top officials to discuss the situation in Iraq. But press reports indicate that neither Mr. Chalabi nor any top current or former U.S. officials have been interviewed by the FBI about charges that Chalabi leaked U.S. secrets to Iran.

Durbin and Miller also noted that there has been no indication that the Senate Intelligence Committee will call Mr. Chalabi as a witness, despite promises made by Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-KS) that he would reinvigorate the stalled investigation into problems with pre-war intelligence this month.

In the letter, the lawmakers wrote: “We write to you today to raise our grave concerns about Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed Chalabi’s visit to Washington this week and to request that the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence subpoena this individual this week . . . Mr. Chalabi and the Iraqi National Congress, which he founded, supplied inaccurate information to the U.S. government about Saddam Hussein’s alleged weapons of mass destruction. This information became a significant and now thoroughly discredited component of the Administration’s case for going to war in Iraq. We believe it is critical to the Committee’s Phase II investigations to learn more about this matter, and therefore believe that Mr Chalabi should testify before the committee.”

Durbin and Miller said that Americans deserve the truth about Mr. Chalabi’s role in the manipulation of intelligence used to justify the war in Iraq.

Link:

http://www.house.gov/georgemiller/press/rel11905.html

Peace.

[afdip]

1. save on airfare . . .he's already here sucking up to his co-conspirators

in PNAC

[texpatriot2004]

2. This American wants the truth. Thank you Durbin and Miller. I

wonder if they will get the subpoena?

[YDogg]

3. Can they have him arrested? Does he have any form of immunity?

Just wonderin'.

[mod mom]

18. I'm sure he has diplomatic immunity, otherwise he wouldn't risk

coming here. On the other hand, the lies he told a;ong side other complicit parties in going to war on false pretenses, seems to label him a war criminal. Arrest him and the others who fabricated evidence knowingly to bring us into this immoral war!

[understandinglife]

4. Text of the Durbin, Miller Letter:

http://www.house.gov/georgemiller/pdfs/chalabiletter11905.pdf

They better not let this guy leave the country without answering many questions. In fact, he should be arrested.


Peace.

[understandinglife]

5. Link to relevant recent DU thread:

Rep Miller: Madam Speaker, somebody ought to call the cops. --> Chalabi

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5299151

[understandinglife]

6. Durbin, Leahy and Kennedy write to Gonzales -- Chalabi, FBI

Did Chalabi’s Visit Compromise the FBI Investigation?

Senators Patrick Leahy, Ted Kennedy and Dick Durbin just sent a letter to Attorney General Gonzales with some important questions about Ahmed Chalabi’s visit to Washington D.C. The Senators appear concerned that Chalabi’s visit could compromise the FBI investigation into allegations that Chalabi passed classified information to Iran:

http://thinkprogress.org/wp-images/upload/chalabiletter.pdf

http://thinkprogress.org/2005/11/09/chalabi-fbi-senators

Peace.

[patrice]

7. Posted to K.C. DFA listserve.

I will ask (nicely) at the next meeting who made calls about this.

[EFerrari]

8. The only think I can't figure out it

why it took the Cabal so long to re-embrace this criminal.

Kicked and recommended.

:kick:

[understandinglife]

11. Perhaps they decided to coordinate their stories ....

... in advance to being escorted to The Hague. :evilgrin:

Though more likely, Chalabi is here to tell all of them that if they think they're in trouble with Fitzgerald and the American people, then just watch what happens if he starts talking -- i.e., you guys make sure I'm the boss in Iraq or I'll have all kinds of things to say to Fitzgerald and others about Judith, the WHIGers, Cheney, W, and all the other neoconsters.


Peace.

[understandinglife]

9. Clemons: CHALABI News Flash .... comments on the Durbin, Miller ...

... action:

http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/archives/001081.html


Peace.

[understandinglife]

10. Clemons: Peering Into Ahmad Chalabi's Cesspool

I just met a room full of smart people in Prague, ages ranging from 18 to 68, and all of them think Chalabi is a huckster who deceived the White House into taking on his war. They think the White House then deceived the American public -- and now wants to keep the lies going. I am impressed with level of awareness of Inside-the-Beltway scandals here in the Czech Republic.

Today, 2 p.m. -- 1150 17th Street, NW. In case, the Deputy Prime Minister has been reading this blog, you might want to stop by at 1:45. Lots of folks will be there. Talk to the press. They want to talk to you.

And be sure to talk to Mr. Chalabi. If it's pretty noisy with all the traffic and all -- clear your throat, fill your lungs, and greet him loudly. Poke him with the right questions. . .and then there is that "Citizen's Arrest" matter -- discussed below (this was a fantastic idea of Josh Marshall's). But if anyone does try this, don't get hurt -- Chalabi is not worth it. He has burly, armed thugs -- and I don't want any of you going down on the steps of AEI, though the thought of martyrs against him gets well. . .I'm not going to go there.

<clip>

To remind yourself of some of the outrageous schemes and lies Chalabi has hoisted on us -- as well as some token commentary from people like Colin Powell about Chalabi, let me share something that the Think Progress issued (excerpts):

http://thinkprogress.org/2005/11/08/chalabis-sordid-history

Link to Steven Clemons additional comments:

http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/archives/001080.html

Peace.

[newscott]

12. It's good that the Democrats are going on record

about this crap. We all know nothing will happen, but when it's our turn the big fuck you is going to feel so good.

[understandinglife]

13. Laura Rozen: "Here's one for the Daily Show. So Chalabi is supposedly ...

... here primarily to see Treasury Secretary John Snow. But Snow is in India, reports Reuters (http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N09733345.htm). All week.

http://www.warandpiece.com/blogdirs/003035.html

Guess some folk in the criminal Bush administration know whom not to be sharing photo-op time.


Peace.

[Gregorian]

14. Can't they hold him while the Jordanian's grab him?

Or maybe they dropped the bank fraud charges. It's hard to remember all of this stuff.

[mmonk]

15. Can we as citizens,

sue the AEI?

[tgnyc]

16. Momentum

[ElectroPrincess]

17. These Neo-Cons are not so bright ...

with regard to foreign relations and diplomacy. That Bull in the China shop approach will once again serve to bite them in the ass.

They must hate Chalabi. Why? The guerrillas countering the present Iraqi leadership can USE THIS VISIT to "take Chalabi out" politically and (hope not for his family) personally too.

If Bush-Co. really wishes to INSTALL Chalabi as RULER of Iraq, the last thing they should have done is have him formally visit the White House.

Damn! That's just plain D-U-M-B!

Nope, no matter how much of Jordan's and the USA's money Chalabi has pilfered, he will NOT be successful at being installed as Governor of the USA's 51st State. :puke:

And yeah, you can feel free to take this prediction TO THE BANK! :P