Potential leaders to convene in Nasiriyah

Washington Times ^ | Saturday, April 12, 2003 | By Sharon Behn and Nicholas Kralev

[JohnHuang2]

Iraqi opposition leader Ahmed Chalabi is rapidly building up a power base in southern Iraq, using his 700-strong force to help restore law and order in the area, filling a political power vacuum left by the fall of Baghdad.

Mr. Chalabi, who heads the Iraqi National Congress, is one of a number of key Iraqi opposition figures invited to attend a meeting Tuesday between White House envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and coalition leaders as a first step towards an Iraqi interim authority.

[JohnHuang2]

Saturday, April 12, 2003

Quote of the Day by umgud

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[goldstategop]

Ahmed Chalabi is loathed by State and CIA. He may yet surprise those in the Bush Administration who have put up every roadblock imaginable to Iraqi democrats taking root in their own country. One can only wish him and his pro-Western Iraqi National Congress, the best of luck in creating a Free Iraq out of the chaos and lawlessness left behind by the collapsed Saddam dictatorship.

[Drammach]

As long as Chalabi can remember that he has to win the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people, and be freely elected by them, he has a good chance.

From what I have seen of his presence in Iraq so far, he doesn't like being followed by the cameras.
Hope that isn't a bad sign.

[goldstategop]

I think so. It appears he's not a publicity hound. Regardless of one thinks of Chalabi personally, pro-Western political parties like the INC and other democratic political parties should be encouraged to organize in the liberated zones on the model we followed in Germany after the demise of the Nazi tyranny.