King of Jordan to pardon Iraq's deputy PM over $300m bank fraud

[DoYouEverWonder]

11 May 2005

King Abdullah of Jordan has agreed to pardon Ahmed Chalabi, the controversial Iraqi political leader, who was sentenced to 22 years in prison for fraud after his bank collapsed with $300m (£160m) in missing deposits in 1989.

Jalal Talabani, the Iraqi President, asked the king to resolve the differences between Jordan and Mr Chalabi, now Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq, during a visit to Ammanthis week.

Latif Rashid, the Iraqi minister of water resources, said Mr Talabani confirmed to him that King Abdullah had promised, in effect, to quash the conviction. He expected there would first be a meeting between Jordanian officials and Mr Chalabi "who has some questions of his own."

The expected pardon, is the latest twist in the extraordinary career of Mr Chalabi, now again in the ascendant as an important member of the Shia coalition and the new Iraqi government. Only a year ago US soldiers raided his house in Baghdad, put a gun to his head, arrested two of his supporters and seized papers. He was accused of passing intelligence information to Iran.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=637424

Oh gee, isn't this great. So Chalabi wins again and gets away with robbery at the same time.

[Selatius]

1. I can't believe this. This is not the actions of a legitimate government.

A crook should be sitting in prison for his crimes, not sitting in the seat of deputy prime minister. Ah well, he isn't the first crook in history to assume power, but it does make the US government hypocritical as far as standing up for "justice" is concerned.

[punpirate]

2. Chalabi's an essential link...

... from the US energy companies and Cheney to Iraqi oil. I have no doubt this has been in the works for a long, long time, probably since before the Iraq invasion began.

Eventually, things will settle down in Iraq a bit, US oil companies will begin to make profits, and then, one day, there will be news that Chalabi has been assassinated. Then there will be stories that he'd been siphoning money off the profits....

[Jose Diablo]

18. Yep, I see that way too. Chalabi will get capped when the dust clears

and he is no more use.

Edit: And then he will become the sacrificial goat released to the wilderness to carry away all the sins, ie he will get the blame.

[saigon68]

21. HERE'S THE SCUMBAG at the STATE OF THE UNION 2003

[fob]

29. Just to clarify, because there are a LOT of scumbags in that pic, Chalabi

is right behind Pickles "my husband masturbates horses" bush* in the grey suit with his hands together in mid-clap.

[saigon68]

30. Here' the SCUMBAG with 2 more War Criminals

Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Bremer and Ahmed Chalabi, September 2003.

[jazzjunkysue]

35. Do Jordanians know Chalabi caused the Iraq invasion?

Where are the fundamentalists when you really need them?

[Rex]

3. This is how we work it!

As Britain set up Iraq (basically carving it up) as a nation in the 50s, Saddam rose in rank as a cold blooded assassin and No.2 man. We all knew this, yet we placed him in power and fueled his war with Iraq to make a buck, just like all good capitalist do. Chalabi is probably a double agent and will be used by Bush and crew just like Saddam was. We do it all over the globe, all the time. Imperialism is alive and well.

[blogbear]

7. I hear you and put my chips on the premise that Chalabis actions

will be treated as 'chump change'..

[daleo]

4. Bush must have bribed/ threatened Jordan big time.

Typical moral relativism of the conservatives - a lousy $300 million theft is nothing when geo-political considerations come into play. Really, a $300 million theft (or more) isn't even a crime if it is done by (or on behalf of) a rich enough person.

[Voltaire99]

15. An easy task. Jordan's been a US patsy for the past 20 yrs.

The very model of "moderate Arabs"--the kind who are good for empire.

[KoKo]

5. Disgusting.....The crooks win every time in Bush World....

Just Disgusting..

[Rose Siding]

6. Aw, crap

It's been a tough day :(

[Julius Civitatus]

8. Disgusting

Simply disgusting. Words fail me.

[Roland99]

9. Holy Crap! I wonder what the Propagandist promised to Jordan??

Fucking insane.

[IndianaGreen]

10. Oil, of course!

Jordan needs Iraqi oil, having none of its own. Chalabi the crook has successfully bought the King of Jordan with promises of cheap Iraqi oil.

[Roland99]

12. Might help if they were able to pump any.

[IndianaGreen]

13. No shit!

The insurgency will not end for as long as US troops remain in Iraq.

[Chicago Democrat]

11. This is amazing...

Anything, they will do anything. Unreal.

[MisterP]

14. the new king is amazingly pro-George

[atreides1]

16. And What

Military equipment will the Jordanians be getting for Christmas this year, from their Uncle Sam?

Abdullah definitely is not his father's son.

[Bozita]

17. Once upon a time, we fought for freedom; today we fight for Chalabi

I'm pissed, bigtime.

[DoYouEverWonder]

27. This right up there

with offering Mullah Omar amnesty last week. Shithead Traitors.

[Matilda]

19. I guess Abdullah just wants to survive.

Jordan's a small country, easily intimidated, and Abdullah doesn't
yet have the clout of his father.

Would President Gore or Kerry have been so insensitive though?

[lovuian]

20. Nothing like being a thief!!!

and getting away with it and becoming Bush's Puppet!!!

[DoYouEverWonder]

22. In Bush's world

the guy is over qualified. I'm sure Judith Miller must be delighted.

[maddezmom]

23. pathetic

:eyes:

[Theres-a]

24. And all you hear on the news is nonsense

This story will be gone in a day.God forbid people see how corrupt and ridiculous the official story is on Iraq.I've got outrage fatigue.

[Solly Mack]

25. LMAO

Wha? I'm supposed to continually cry over how corrupt the world is?

Not all laughter is with a light heart you know...

[Theres-a]

26. Amen

[Theres-a]

28. Recommended

[AlCzervik]

31. what the hell? Is he really a Bush?

Savings and loan scandal anyone?

[warrens]

32. WTF?

This is just outrageous. He gets to steal to his little heart's content, but because he's a BFEE stooge, no one can touch him. Fuckers.

[chlamor]

33. King of Jordan to Pardon Chalabi's $300 Million Bank Fraud

King of Jordan to pardon Iraq's deputy PM over $300m bank fraud
By Patrick Cockburn in Baghdad

11 May 2005

King Abdullah of Jordan has agreed to pardon Ahmed Chalabi, the controversial Iraqi political leader, who was sentenced to 22 years in prison for fraud after his bank collapsed with $300m (£160m) in missing deposits in 1989.

Jalal Talabani, the Iraqi President, asked the king to resolve the differences between Jordan and Mr Chalabi, now Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq, during a visit to Ammanthis week.

Latif Rashid, the Iraqi minister of water resources, said Mr Talabani confirmed to him that King Abdullah had promised, in effect, to quash the conviction. He expected there would first be a meeting between Jordanian officials and Mr Chalabi "who has some questions of his own."

The expected pardon, is the latest twist in the extraordinary career of Mr Chalabi, now again in the ascendant as an important member of the Shia coalition and the new Iraqi government. Only a year ago US soldiers raided his house in Baghdad, put a gun to his head, arrested two of his supporters and seized papers. He was accused of passing intelligence information to Iran.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=637424

[Generator]

34. Every freaking day!

I get more disgusted. I think it's not possible but it is! And it's always tied to the CRIMINALS in our government. There is no justice apparently anymore. Only liars and thieves. What a world.

[IChing]

36. Symore Hersh said on Democracy Now

His source said that the bushenfurher asked this one favor from the King.