Raid on Chalabi’s Home Upends a Friendship

The sordid rise and fall of Iraqi National Congress head Ahmad Chalabi (“From Ally to Outcast,” May 21) is one of the most telling indictments of U.S. malfeasance in Iraq. Chalabi’s exploits in Iraq have long been championed by Vice President Dick Cheney, who staunchly defended his now-discredited report of Iraqi possession of weapons of mass destruction.

The fact that Chalabi, a convicted criminal with nary a shred of credibility among the Iraqi people, could pose as a serious contender to lead the transition government, funnel specious intelligence to the Bush administration and command a $340,000-per-month stipend for doing so further exposes the war as a mere pretext for corporate welfare. Now that Chalabi has bitten the hand that fed him, the administration has put an end to his gravy train. How many more millions of dollars must be wasted to underwrite President Bush’s Mideast oligopoly?

Sikivu Hutchinson

Los Angeles

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The next election in Iraq will have [a] double platform: hate Saddam Hussein/hate George W. Bush. Chalabi just orchestrated his campaign slogan.

Danute V. Handy

Santa Barbara

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Did House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi state that Bush’s Iraq policies show incompetence (May 21) before or after Chalabi’s home and office was ransacked? Is this any way to treat the man who was Bush’s guest at the 2004 State of the Union address?

Ed Kaz

West Hills