Greenwald: Maliki finally in trouble because Zelikow is a hired hand of Allawi's?

[BurtWorm]

Zelikow = Phillip Zelikow--Condi Rice's friend, colleague, mentor, and former ED of the 9/11 Commission.

Allawi = the hand-picked leader of the original "provisional govt" in Iraq

Fascintating, insightful reading of how Washington "works." (Warning: Those sensitive to corruption may want to empty stomach contents before reading the following):

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2007/08/24/zelikow/index.html?source=rss&aim=greenwald


Friday August 24, 2007 08:21 EST
How our seedy, corrupt Washington establishment operates

(updated below - updated again)

Over the past several weeks, there has arisen a palpable and coordinated shift among the Washington establishment to blame Iraq's problems on Prime Minister Maliki and to suggest that salvation lies in his replacement. The only real alternative ever identified is former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi.

Fred Hiatt turned his Op-Ed page over to Allawi two weeks ago to argue -- in the most establishment-pleasing tones -- that "Responsibility for the current mess in Iraq rests primarily with the Iraqi government" and that "Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has failed to take advantage of the Iraqi people's desire for peaceful and productive lives and of the enormous commitment and sacrifices made by the United States and other nations." In other words, our wise Washington Leaders have done the Right and Good thing in Iraq, but that scoundrel Maliki is the key impediment preventing Success.

In a solid piece of reporting, CNN yesterday disclosed that the most powerful GOP lobbying firm, run founded by former GOP Party Chair and current Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and staffed by key former Bush national security officials, is being paid by Allawi to coordinate these anti-Maliki, pro-Allawi efforts:

A powerhouse Republican lobbying firm with close ties to the White House has begun a public campaign to undermine the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, CNN has confirmed. . . .

A senior Bush administration official told CNN the White House is aware of the lobbying campaign by Barbour Griffith & Rogers because the firm is "blasting e-mails all over town" criticizing al-Maliki and promoting the firm's client, former interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, as an alternative to the current Iraqi leader. . . .

Allawi hires the most powerful GOP firm in the country, with former top Bush officials as partners, and almost immediately, the key Op-Ed pages of our nation's newspapers open up to him and all of official Washington, beginning with the President, changes course. Suddenly, key figures in both parties begin calling for Maliki to be replaced.

Most extraordinary of all is how deceitful this whole process is. As CNN reports: "The lobbying firm boasts the services of two onetime foreign policy hands of President Bush: Ambassador Robert Blackwill, the former Deputy National Security Adviser, and Philip Zelikow, former counselor to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

But currently, Zelikow in particular runs around Washington holding himself out -- and being held out -- as an Expert on the Future of Iraq while concealing that his firm is being paid by Allawi to undermine Maliki. As but one example, Zelikow was a featured Iraq Expert on ABC News with Charles Gibson three nights ago, on Monday.

[sabra]

1. back in Feb I posted a report indicating that Condi was working with Allawi

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=247893

[BurtWorm]

2. Interesting.

All the connections fall into place. It's not a coincidence that Zelikow is being used this way. By both Rice and Allawi--but more by Rice, I'm sure.

[Disturbed]

3. This visit sealed Maliki's doom.

“Allawi has been described as “Saddam lite.” In 2004, he handcuffed and blindfolded six suspected terrorists and shot them in the head with a pistol. Now, with frustrations mounting against current prime minister Maliki, the administration may be using that as an opportunity to usher in its reliable ally Allawi.” spanone

[seemslikeadream]

4. Philip D. Zelikow is best known as the executive director of the 9/11 Commission.

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/GOP_Lobby_firm_hired_to_oust_0823.html
Along with Blackwill, BGR counts among its ranks several other Bush allies and former administration officials. ThinkProgress reports, "Philip Zelikow, a former Counselor to Condoleezza Rice, serves as a senior adviser to the firm. Lanny Griffith, chief executive officer, is a Bush Ranger having raised at least $200,000 for Bush in the 2004 presidential election. And Ed Rogers, chairman and founder of the firm, has been a reliable political ally for the Bush White House




Philip D. Zelikow is best known as the executive director of the 9/11 Commission.

[BurtWorm]

5. Didn't know he was a *gag* "Ranger"

:puke:

[seemslikeadream]

6. Il volo 11 fantasma (Norad timeline 3.0)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAOJTTlFWNM