Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Nadine Carroll who wrote (48917)	6/6/2004 11:12:14 AM
From: carranza2	Respond to of 793939

I've tried to figure out this Chalabi code mess by asking myself a few questions. First, who benefits from the disclosure that we had broken the Iranian codes? Not Chalabi, who is seen as treacherous. Not Iran since its intelligence folks presumably had the information long before the public disclosure. Not the US who is seen in public as losing an asset. So, then, if none of the players benefit from the disclosure, how are they hurt? The US is obviously hurt, but not enormously. The Iranians are not really hurt by the disclosure but are more embarrased. Their loss is a bit more subtle and a lot more serious. The Iranians could have had their man in a high position in the new government. This is no longer possible. Chalabi is hurt since, obviously, his stature and future in Iraq are diminished. Plus, he is now useless to the Iranians, who have no doubt cut whatever financial benefits they were providing to him. OK, that leaves the Iranians and Chalabi as the big losers here, suggesting some sort of orchestration by the US. What kind of orchestration and why are the next questions. I would guess that the US knew all along of Chalabi's potential for perfidy--hell, it was there for anyone to see, clear as day, from bank fraud to who knows what else. He was basically a known high class crook. Smart people like Cheney were not about to buy his BS without a bit of due diligence and, yes, surveillance. I think that it is quite possible that the US knew all along that Chalabi was providing information to the Iranians and took steps to be ahead of the curve with respect to both. And, with the transfer of sovereignty coming up, it was impossible to keep Chalabi going any longer. He had served his purpose. So we burned him. The code breaking business is probably simply a feint and/or a way to make the Iranians nervous. A kind of a cruel joke. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.