From the Dept. of We Never Learn: Iraq’s Next PM? Ahmed Chalabi, Chief Peddler of False WMDs, Meets

[cali]

U.S. Officials as Maliki Falters.

ressure is mounting on Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to form a less sectarian government or to resign. A representative of the influential Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani called for the creation of what he described as a new "effective" government. On Thursday, The New York Times revealed the U.S. ambassador in Iraq, Robert Beecroft, and the State Department’s top official in Iraq, Brett McGurk, recently met with the controversial Iraqi politician Ahmed Chalabi, who has been described as a potential candidate to replace al-Maliki. Chalabi is the former head of the Iraqi National Congress, a CIA-funded Iraqi exile group that strongly pushed for the 2003 U.S. invasion. The INC helped drum up pre-war claims that Saddam Hussein was developing weapons of mass destruction and had links to al-Qaeda. The group provided bogus intelligence to the Bush administration, U.S. lawmakers and journalists. We are joined by Andrew Cockburn, Washington editor for Harper’s Magazine.

Transcript

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.

JUAN GONZÁLEZ: In other news from Iraq, pressure is mounting on Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to form a less sectarian government or to resign. Earlier today, a representative of the influential Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani called for the creation of what he described as a new "effective" government.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, The New York Times revealed that the U.S. ambassador in Iraq, Robert Beecroft, and the State Department’s top official in Iraq, Brett McGurk, recently met with the controversial Iraqi politician Ahmed Chalabi, who has been described as a potential candidate to replace Maliki.

AMY GOODMAN: Chalabi is the former head of the Iraqi National Congress, a CIA-funded Iraqi exile group that strongly pushed for the 2003 U.S. invasion. Chalabi’s INC helped drum up pre-war claims that Saddam Hussein was developing weapons of mass destruction and had links to al-Qaeda. The group provided bogus intelligence to the Bush administration, U.S. lawmakers, and journalists at The New York Times and other papers. After the invasion, Chalabi became chair of the Supreme National Commission for De-Baathification. Many blame his actions for politically isolating Iraq’s Sunni minority and causing sectarian strife.

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http://www.democracynow.org/2014/6/20/iraqs_next_pm_ahmed_chalabi_chief

[grahamhgreen]

1. Yeah. Since it didn't work the first time, Obama will try it again. Bush III, Iraq War III

[Mnemosyne]

2. Idiocy. K&R nt

[woo me with science]

3. K&R

[SamKnause]

4. Destructive evil insanity !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Administration after administration.

When will the insanity end ???????

[socialist_n_TN]

7. When capitalism ends.....

nm

[Dragonfli]

8. It's not this issue, (tho I understand Capitalism's role in it and hate it.)

It's more like a combination of several issues if not all issues that concern me.

But I finally am ready to make a move from being an FDR Democrat that believed that Capitalism could be held in check with progressive taxation and strong regulation via a New Deal type compromise with it - towards the belief that Capitalism can not be controlled at all effectively no matter how hard one may try to do so.

The tactic did appear to work for about forty years or so but it has become apparent that such tactics are only temporary at best and at worst easily avoided by the forces that tirelessly erode such efforts until Capitalism devolves into it's natural state of the very wealthy very few contrasted with the very many that are very poor.

I believe you had a saying that sums up the uselessness of the effort to control it but I can't recall what it was.

I have no idea how to implement a proper system that works for the well being of everyone because even tho I believe Marx had it right I am unaware of his brand of Communism ever being tried; Stalinist and Maoist systems sure, but that was not what he advocated (as I read him) and both ended up just as bad as Capitalism if not worse. Any advice on how or what can be worked toward that could replace the evils of capitalism with something that could work for the people of this world rather than working over the people of this world?

[socialist_n_TN]

10. A couple of things in answer...

I believe the aphorism you are looking for is:

Regulating capitalism is like riding a hungry tiger. It's VERY difficult to do and you're always in danger of being eaten.

To my knowledge, this is something I coined myself (not to separate my shoulder while patting myself of the back ). Of course, I recognize all that means is that inspiration worked through me and my experiences in this particular case. I DO believe it sums up the historical experience in dealing with capitalism very well though.

As to the alternative system, it's certainly not the Stalinism as practiced by the USSR. And Maoism is just Stalinism as far as Party and societal organization goes. I've always been a Trotskyist, ever since I was introduced to his writings 40+ years ago. It would be impossible to really condense his view of Marxism in an internet post, so I would encourage reading a few books by and about the Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky. You can also go to the web site of the League for the Fifth International and click on the "Our Politics" link for an overview my particular tendencies beliefs. After 40 years of being an unaffiliated Trot, I finally joined the US section of the League three years ago because after studying the documents of the League, I thought it held closest to the original philosophies, strategies, tactics, and goals of Marxism and Trotskyism. You can look at Trotskyism as the Marxist road not taken.

[kentuck]

5. He was the snitch and good friend of all the neo-cons...

that got us into Iraq in the first place. Liar of the first degree.

[socialist_n_TN]

6. Hey, when world capitalism wants a figurehead in power........

to rubber stamp the looting of their country, one little setback won't stop them. So what if he was turned down a few years ago? He's BAAAAACK!

[WinkyDink]

9. Reminds me of that old non-PC joke: "Who's this 'We', White Man?" IOW: Our smart men are doing what

they want for the outcome they wish, with full and complete understanding.