Mound City

The Guardian has a piece out today about U.S. intelligence concerns about the Chalabi/INC-Iran connection. The piece even goes so far to suggest that Iran, working through the INC was able to draw the U.S. into going to war in Iraq.

Whether the overall implication is true, or if Iran was simply using the Chalabi's intelligence chief Aras Habib as a source of U.S. intelligence is really of little consequence. If it's true that high-level sources in the Defense Department and the Vice-President's Office (the two offices who had the most cozy relationship with Chalabi and the INC, and were the biggest cheerleaders for this war and Chalabi) have been providing the classified info that is making its way to Iran, the implications are enormous.

Messing around with an intern is bad judgment, attatching the fate of your fellow countrymen and the future of U.S. legitimacy to a group of con-men and double agents is downright criminal.

Laura Rozen has a comprehensive look at Chalabi and his history over at her blog "War and Piece".
Kevin Drum over at the Political Animal has a pretty good rundown of some assorted information on Chalabi and how many people have been burned by him.

As more and more information comes out, the Neocon dream of a new, democratic middle-east sinks deeper and deeper into the mud.

Unfortunately, the U.S.'s legitimacy and our hard-earned respect get pulled down right with it. There's little doubt that the administration couldn't have done this much damage if they tried.