CHALABI WATCH

[Abcdxxxx]

Yeah, it does look like Chalabi's getting the interim job, or at least he seems confident of this... he's apparently already acting political, and making demands on the US for rushed humanitarian aid...and also stating an Iraqi should get the job...which I think we all agree with him on. He might be shooting himself in the foot if he goes overboard on the press conferences though. It doesn't sound like even he expects to get the job for any long term basis...and really, it's a lot more revolutionary to watch a bunch of Iraqi exiles come back to town and take over then the other rumors....such as a former Shell oil exec. running the interim. The Iraqi National Congress are a diverse body...so it's not all about one guy and his white collar crimes or other shiftyness. A firm hand doesn't mean another totalitarian ruler. Anyway, we can't force democracy...look at Haiti for proof. Whoever goes in will build a new school system, and skip the acid bath torture chambers.... and people will finally be able to apply their educations freely within an Arabic nation...and things will improve. I doubt we have to fear another Iran....under it's current state, this is just the spark the Iranians need to finally get the change they've been quickly inching towards.

The other thing is... it looks like they might chop Iraq up into a nation with a troika rulership of some sort.