Paul Bremer, the Bush White House and a seven page strategy in spring 2004 to sideline Chelabi

More than any other member of the Iraqi opposition, Ahmad Chelabi was responsible for enticing the U.S. to invade Iraq and topple Saddam Hussein. Even before the war, it was clear that Chelabi's popularity was only an untested proposition. After all, he had not been in Iraq in nearly 35 years. Once it was obvious that Chelabi was not merely unpopular but the least popular Iraqi expat, the more realistic players on the Bush team began stiff arming the smooth talking banker. Then Chelabi made a crucial error. He began to sidle up to Iran. In the Iran-phobic Bush administration it was as though he put a Kerry for President bumper sticker on his SUV. It will be interesting to get a loot at the seven page paper that Hoagland alludes to in his piece.


washingtonpost.com: In Iraq, Strategic Failures