] Chalabi, an exiled former banker wanted for fraud
] allegations in Jordan, is popular amongst the powerful US
] oil lobby -- whom he predicted would have great
] opportunities in the Iraqi oil industry after the
] invasion. His fortunes did not promise much after the
] abortive coup launched in 1996 from the Kurdish region in
] the north. It soured relations with Kurds who felt it
] exposed them to Saddam's revenge.
. . .
] US deputy secretary of defense Paul Wolfowitz has said
] that the US "goal has got to be to transfer
] authority and the operation of the government as quickly
] as possible not to some other external authority, but to
] the Iraqi people themselves."
]
] Chalabi, who left Iraq in 1956 at the age of 11 and has
] lived all his adult life in the US and UK, would appear
] to be a poor candidate.

Al Jazeera doesn't like Chalabi. The CIA doesn't like Chalabi. The State Department doesn't like Chalabi (http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N07129260.htm). "60 Minutes" did a segment on him yesterday, and they didn't seem thrilled with him (http://www.reason.com/links/links040703.shtml). And after having learned more about him, and seen his interview on TV, I can't say as I like him either. My gut says that he and this "Free Iraq Force" smell wrong, and I hope that a better choice becomes available!

Al Jazeera: Anti-Saddam Opposition Troops Fly into Iraq