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Arrows of the Night: Ahmad Chalabi's Long Journey to Triumph in Iraq
In 1958, Ahmad Chalabi’s wealthy Shiite family was exiled from Iraq after a revolution that ultimately put Saddam Hussein in power. The young Chalabi devoted his life to restoring his family to prominence. His first coup attempt was in 1963 at age nineteen, while on a school break from MIT. His next was aided by Iranian intelligence. But as the years passed and Saddam stayed in power, Chalabi made an audacious he needed the support of both Iran and its powerful archenemy, the United States.
Drawing on unparalleled access to Chalabi, Bonin traces the exile’s ingenious efforts to stoke a desire for Iraqi regime change in the U.S. He narrates Chalabi’s ill-fated engagement with the CIA and his later focus on neoconservative policy makers who rose to power under George W. Bush. As a result, from day two of the Bush presidency, the push for a new Iraq was on, with the intent to install Ahmad Chalabi as overseer of U.S. interests in the Middle East. The outcome was perhaps the biggest foreign policy disaster in our history and a triumphant end to Chalabi’s forty-five-year quest.
Today, as we prepare to withdraw our troops from Iraq, Arrows of the Night is full of shocking revelations about how we got there, including the true story of Chalabi’s relationship with Iran. This page-turner, with its definitive account of the war, irrevocably alters a story we thought we knew.
Drawing on unparalleled access to Chalabi, Bonin traces the exile’s ingenious efforts to stoke a desire for Iraqi regime change in the U.S. He narrates Chalabi’s ill-fated engagement with the CIA and his later focus on neoconservative policy makers who rose to power under George W. Bush. As a result, from day two of the Bush presidency, the push for a new Iraq was on, with the intent to install Ahmad Chalabi as overseer of U.S. interests in the Middle East. The outcome was perhaps the biggest foreign policy disaster in our history and a triumphant end to Chalabi’s forty-five-year quest.
Today, as we prepare to withdraw our troops from Iraq, Arrows of the Night is full of shocking revelations about how we got there, including the true story of Chalabi’s relationship with Iran. This page-turner, with its definitive account of the war, irrevocably alters a story we thought we knew.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
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June 25, 2021
Ahmad Chalabi with his family after being exiled from Iraq by the Saddam’s regime lived in Lebanon. He wanted to bring back his family’s honour and for that he destroyed Iraq beyond measures. He was playing a double sword by supporting both Iran and United States of America (USA) just so that he could go back to his country and be part of the elitist government.
Iraq’s army was responsible for perpetuating Sunni dominance over Iraq’s majority Shiites since many decades. The army played a major role in deciding to keep anyone in power and Saddam controlled it through his hegemony, wealth and terror.
Chalabi’s life pattern followed three steps: attaining power, provoking controversy and then turning adversity into advantage. He did the very same when he made USA officials believe that only he could take Saddam down. CIA started funding his initiatives and helped him launch his party, INC in Iraq. Through that party Chalabi created an illusion that the USA was supporting his coup hence brought Turkey and Iran on board. On the other hand, he was spending CIA’s money on building his private militia which he was using against Saddam in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.
USA always supported Iraq by providing them with battlefield intelligence and economic aid in order to keep Iran in check, be that in the Iraq-Iran War or when Saddam invaded Kuwait. America’s only concern for Iraq were the WMDs which through multiple reports and inspections confirmed that Saddam was not dealing in them. Despite that many sanctions were imposed on Iraq. Clinton’s policy was to contain Saddam but not to engage him on the battlefield.
Iraq had nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks, which was confirmed by CIA and the State Department repeatedly, despite that USA decided to invade Iraq due to Chalabi’s strong lobby. Chalabi was in touch with President Bush and Vice President’s friends in the Oil Industry promising executives of both Chevron Texaco and Exxon Mobil preferential treatment in a post-Saddam Iraq if they lobbied on his behalf at the White House, which they did.
Chalabi was strictly out for himself playing both sides in pursuit of his own self interests and his desire to lead Iraq. Chalabi was by no means the only impetus of war but he stroked the desire, raised the stakes by supplying defectors who bore false witness to Saddam’s nonexistent ties to al-Qaeda and WMD.
Chalabi became one of the four DPMs and was also named Chairman of two powerful committees but for Chalabi this role was the consolation prize, as he wanted to be the President of Iraq. In a 2004 poll, Chalabi was ranked as the nation’s least trusted public figure, lower than even Saddam. Chalabi lured the world’s last standing super power, USA, into invading Iraq in a war of choice so that he could go home.
For USA it was one of the biggest foreign policy disasters in a generation, an ill planned poorly executed preemptive war which led to chaos for Iraqis who are still suffering the adversaries of the war.
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Iraq’s army was responsible for perpetuating Sunni dominance over Iraq’s majority Shiites since many decades. The army played a major role in deciding to keep anyone in power and Saddam controlled it through his hegemony, wealth and terror.
Chalabi’s life pattern followed three steps: attaining power, provoking controversy and then turning adversity into advantage. He did the very same when he made USA officials believe that only he could take Saddam down. CIA started funding his initiatives and helped him launch his party, INC in Iraq. Through that party Chalabi created an illusion that the USA was supporting his coup hence brought Turkey and Iran on board. On the other hand, he was spending CIA’s money on building his private militia which he was using against Saddam in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.
USA always supported Iraq by providing them with battlefield intelligence and economic aid in order to keep Iran in check, be that in the Iraq-Iran War or when Saddam invaded Kuwait. America’s only concern for Iraq were the WMDs which through multiple reports and inspections confirmed that Saddam was not dealing in them. Despite that many sanctions were imposed on Iraq. Clinton’s policy was to contain Saddam but not to engage him on the battlefield.
Iraq had nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks, which was confirmed by CIA and the State Department repeatedly, despite that USA decided to invade Iraq due to Chalabi’s strong lobby. Chalabi was in touch with President Bush and Vice President’s friends in the Oil Industry promising executives of both Chevron Texaco and Exxon Mobil preferential treatment in a post-Saddam Iraq if they lobbied on his behalf at the White House, which they did.
Chalabi was strictly out for himself playing both sides in pursuit of his own self interests and his desire to lead Iraq. Chalabi was by no means the only impetus of war but he stroked the desire, raised the stakes by supplying defectors who bore false witness to Saddam’s nonexistent ties to al-Qaeda and WMD.
Chalabi became one of the four DPMs and was also named Chairman of two powerful committees but for Chalabi this role was the consolation prize, as he wanted to be the President of Iraq. In a 2004 poll, Chalabi was ranked as the nation’s least trusted public figure, lower than even Saddam. Chalabi lured the world’s last standing super power, USA, into invading Iraq in a war of choice so that he could go home.
For USA it was one of the biggest foreign policy disasters in a generation, an ill planned poorly executed preemptive war which led to chaos for Iraqis who are still suffering the adversaries of the war.
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September 30, 2016
Fascinating read! Bonin puts together an entertaining, thorough, and yet fast paced account of Chalabi's political life. Chalabi is one of the most important figures in America's road to war with Iraq, and he's certainly the most influential foreigner in US foreign policy for a long time. He is truly a character you couldn't invent: a son of great privilege and power, his family went into exile after Qassem overthrew the monarchy in 1958. He vowed to return Iraq to, well, essentially his control even as a young man. He earned a Ph.D in mathematics and became one of the most influential bankers in Jordan until fleeing there as well as a major scandal erupted. He is a lover of luxury, gourmet food, Italian suits, and the high cultures of West and East.
But the most important role of Chalabi was as a leading advocate of regime change in the 90's and early 2000's. This role had 3 phases. First was his time as a guerrilla leader of sorts in Kurdistan, working with the CIA to foment rebellion against Saddam in the early 90's. Bonin shows how the US wasn't very committed to this idea, but Chalabi took the money and imprimatur of the US to build a fairly large presence in Kurdistan. This plot fell apart in 1996 with Saddam's incursion into Kurdistan, but it should have been clear (as it was to the CIA) that the US could not control Chalabi and that he would always pursue his interests by any means necessary. The second phase started with Chalabi's move to the US, where he turned the INC into a lobbying group, garnering powerful allies in Congress and in neoconservative circles. In this period he put himself and the rollback plan forward as the replacement to Clinton's containment regime, eventually getting Congress to rally around the Iraq Liberation Act in 1998. However, while Clinton was in office there was little chance of an actual military operation being launched with US support. What was important about this time period was that Chalabi built himself up as a viable alternative to the status quo and helped discredit current American policy. The third phase was post 9/11, when Chalabi used his contacts in the White House to funnel ambiguous intelligence about WMD from defectors into the intelligence debate (all of his intelligence turned out to be half-true at best). Even though State and CIA denounced him unequivocally, Chalabi got to speak with Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and others and promise them a happy, pro-Israel, capitalist, democratic IQ in the aftermath of a US invasion.
Chalabi's fall from grace came quickly after the fall of the Baathists themselves. The US decided not to set up a provisional government under Chalabi but rather to occupy and administer IQ directly after the invasion. Chalabi was virtually unknown in Iraq after 45 years of exile and couldn't garner any political momentum. His most prominent role post invasion was as a member of the de-Baathification committee that zealously and excessively fired members of the Baath Party from government posts, no matter how menial or apolitical. He also dragged his feet on the process of revisiting appeals from fired former Baathists. It's undoubtable, therefore, that he played a role in the deepening of Sunni alienation that fed the rise of the insurgency. Fearing irrelevance, Chalabi turned to the Iranians, whose intelligence agents he had been cultivating for decades. He even told the Iranians that the US had cracked their communication codes, which helped the Iranians get smart and avoid much US eavesdropping. This stunning betrayal of the US led to Chalabi becoming persona non grata with the US and even an American raid on his home in Baghdad. Although he achieved minor positions of power in the next few years, he never regained American trust. He even threw away a chance for a more prominent role in the Iraqi government under Maliki by suddenly supporting Muqtada al Sadr in a battle for Basra in 2007, another episode in which he sided with America's enemies to get a mild political edge. Since that point, his political clear continued to decline, and he died just last year.
I was struck by Jalal Talabani's apt description of Chalabi towards the end of this book: he is brilliant but not wise. Chalabi was an ultimate opportunist and narcissist. Helping to liberate Iraq was not enough; he had to lead it, or at least shape it from behind the scenes. He expensively shipped luxury goods and accommodations to whatever site he was living in, even if his soldiers and employees lived in austerity. In Baghdad, he even lived in a compound with 3 huge generators to provide air conditioning and consistent power while the rest of Baghdad had none, turning the generators off when he was away to save money even though around 100 other people still lived in the compound. In other words, there was simply no way that a Westernized, obese, luxury-loving man who had been out of Iraq since he was a teenager was going to pull a Charles de Gaulle upon his return from exile. This was a dangerously charming and manipulative man who believed that his good ends justified virtually any means. Whether he was working for himself or Iraq is the wrong question; these entities were blended in his mind. The fact that he convinced so many Americans that this was possible is cause for introspection.
Bonin tells this story with a journalist's eye for fascinating detail and the evolution of a personality. While his explanation of the Iraq War is still quite neoconservative centered, he does demonstrate the importance of Chalabi in this process/decision. This is one of the best books I have encountered on the Iraq-US relations, up there with Ricks' Fiasco and Packer's The Assassin's Gate. It's short, readable, and quite engrossing. I recommend it to anyone interested in how we got into Iraq, especially those who like biography and spy stuff.
But the most important role of Chalabi was as a leading advocate of regime change in the 90's and early 2000's. This role had 3 phases. First was his time as a guerrilla leader of sorts in Kurdistan, working with the CIA to foment rebellion against Saddam in the early 90's. Bonin shows how the US wasn't very committed to this idea, but Chalabi took the money and imprimatur of the US to build a fairly large presence in Kurdistan. This plot fell apart in 1996 with Saddam's incursion into Kurdistan, but it should have been clear (as it was to the CIA) that the US could not control Chalabi and that he would always pursue his interests by any means necessary. The second phase started with Chalabi's move to the US, where he turned the INC into a lobbying group, garnering powerful allies in Congress and in neoconservative circles. In this period he put himself and the rollback plan forward as the replacement to Clinton's containment regime, eventually getting Congress to rally around the Iraq Liberation Act in 1998. However, while Clinton was in office there was little chance of an actual military operation being launched with US support. What was important about this time period was that Chalabi built himself up as a viable alternative to the status quo and helped discredit current American policy. The third phase was post 9/11, when Chalabi used his contacts in the White House to funnel ambiguous intelligence about WMD from defectors into the intelligence debate (all of his intelligence turned out to be half-true at best). Even though State and CIA denounced him unequivocally, Chalabi got to speak with Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and others and promise them a happy, pro-Israel, capitalist, democratic IQ in the aftermath of a US invasion.
Chalabi's fall from grace came quickly after the fall of the Baathists themselves. The US decided not to set up a provisional government under Chalabi but rather to occupy and administer IQ directly after the invasion. Chalabi was virtually unknown in Iraq after 45 years of exile and couldn't garner any political momentum. His most prominent role post invasion was as a member of the de-Baathification committee that zealously and excessively fired members of the Baath Party from government posts, no matter how menial or apolitical. He also dragged his feet on the process of revisiting appeals from fired former Baathists. It's undoubtable, therefore, that he played a role in the deepening of Sunni alienation that fed the rise of the insurgency. Fearing irrelevance, Chalabi turned to the Iranians, whose intelligence agents he had been cultivating for decades. He even told the Iranians that the US had cracked their communication codes, which helped the Iranians get smart and avoid much US eavesdropping. This stunning betrayal of the US led to Chalabi becoming persona non grata with the US and even an American raid on his home in Baghdad. Although he achieved minor positions of power in the next few years, he never regained American trust. He even threw away a chance for a more prominent role in the Iraqi government under Maliki by suddenly supporting Muqtada al Sadr in a battle for Basra in 2007, another episode in which he sided with America's enemies to get a mild political edge. Since that point, his political clear continued to decline, and he died just last year.
I was struck by Jalal Talabani's apt description of Chalabi towards the end of this book: he is brilliant but not wise. Chalabi was an ultimate opportunist and narcissist. Helping to liberate Iraq was not enough; he had to lead it, or at least shape it from behind the scenes. He expensively shipped luxury goods and accommodations to whatever site he was living in, even if his soldiers and employees lived in austerity. In Baghdad, he even lived in a compound with 3 huge generators to provide air conditioning and consistent power while the rest of Baghdad had none, turning the generators off when he was away to save money even though around 100 other people still lived in the compound. In other words, there was simply no way that a Westernized, obese, luxury-loving man who had been out of Iraq since he was a teenager was going to pull a Charles de Gaulle upon his return from exile. This was a dangerously charming and manipulative man who believed that his good ends justified virtually any means. Whether he was working for himself or Iraq is the wrong question; these entities were blended in his mind. The fact that he convinced so many Americans that this was possible is cause for introspection.
Bonin tells this story with a journalist's eye for fascinating detail and the evolution of a personality. While his explanation of the Iraq War is still quite neoconservative centered, he does demonstrate the importance of Chalabi in this process/decision. This is one of the best books I have encountered on the Iraq-US relations, up there with Ricks' Fiasco and Packer's The Assassin's Gate. It's short, readable, and quite engrossing. I recommend it to anyone interested in how we got into Iraq, especially those who like biography and spy stuff.
December 5, 2016
This gets 3 stars because it felt well written. There was extensive research done for this book and I always admire that and for the most part, I found this interesting. But this book kind of made me mad for so many reasons. Some people like war and some people like to win at all costs so they can get what the want and/or what they feel they deserve. I'd like to say that there were some redeeming qualities here, but I didn't see any. So 3 stars.
July 23, 2017
This book will get 3/5 rating from me. As well written and extensive and thorough this book was,
It had intentionally greatly undermined in my opinion the role of Zionists in the US administration to push for this war for reasons that relate to Israeli's security. This whole showing that Chalabi was a genius maneuverist guy who lured a superpower to fight his war is not convincing. They were not tricked by Chalabi, It was mentioned plenty in the book itself they knew he was shady and yet they were fed from this fraudster information that suited the necon zionist agendas. The book focused on the fact that many who pushed for the war were soviet war hawk enthusiasts from the Reagan era who rejected the so-called "containment" policy advocated by Clinton. (which is a correct assessment)however,this information was explained at the expense of uncovering their Zionist motivation (which is as much as important as a motivation for unleashing this war if not more) was mentioned only in 4 lines or so.
Having said that, I learned and was entertained plenty by the read. The family aristocratic background proved to be connected behind Chalabi relentless "crusade" against Saddam via all unethical means possible. The Petra bank case, Chalabi rise and fall with America. His failed experiment in Kurdistan Iraq.What most struck me was Chalabi sectarianism.I guess it was was no surprise then that he headed the sectarian Debathification or more correctly termed "DE-sunnification" committee.
The American officials feigning naivety, calling Chalabi a genius for tricking them. whitewashing their connections to the guy are the worst.The guy's history and double-dealing and lieing and two-timing was no secret to anyone long time ago. Let them admit, their bigger share of the blame.
He was convenient for their agendas for a particular time and thats all there is to it.
It had intentionally greatly undermined in my opinion the role of Zionists in the US administration to push for this war for reasons that relate to Israeli's security. This whole showing that Chalabi was a genius maneuverist guy who lured a superpower to fight his war is not convincing. They were not tricked by Chalabi, It was mentioned plenty in the book itself they knew he was shady and yet they were fed from this fraudster information that suited the necon zionist agendas. The book focused on the fact that many who pushed for the war were soviet war hawk enthusiasts from the Reagan era who rejected the so-called "containment" policy advocated by Clinton. (which is a correct assessment)however,this information was explained at the expense of uncovering their Zionist motivation (which is as much as important as a motivation for unleashing this war if not more) was mentioned only in 4 lines or so.
Having said that, I learned and was entertained plenty by the read. The family aristocratic background proved to be connected behind Chalabi relentless "crusade" against Saddam via all unethical means possible. The Petra bank case, Chalabi rise and fall with America. His failed experiment in Kurdistan Iraq.What most struck me was Chalabi sectarianism.I guess it was was no surprise then that he headed the sectarian Debathification or more correctly termed "DE-sunnification" committee.
The American officials feigning naivety, calling Chalabi a genius for tricking them. whitewashing their connections to the guy are the worst.The guy's history and double-dealing and lieing and two-timing was no secret to anyone long time ago. Let them admit, their bigger share of the blame.
He was convenient for their agendas for a particular time and thats all there is to it.
September 13, 2016
An extremely interesting book which shows the efforts one man made to regain his family's role in Iraq. Chalabi's efforts show the duplicity of most power brokers but especially the power brokers in a culture that is so different from the West.
The author did a good job of telling the story from as many sides as possible. He lays out the information from various sources and then lets the reader decide how they choose to determine the situations described.
I didn't know much about Chalabi prior to reading this (I knew of him from other books about Iraq) but his ability to fall out of favor and then come back into favor seems to be incredible.
One portion of the book that I found interesting was the total lack of financial and moral accountability that the US government permits. I understand that politics create strange bedfellows, but when someone repeatedly steals and lies, it would seem like a wise decision to find a better person.
If you like political/Iraq non-fiction, this would be a great book to read.
The author did a good job of telling the story from as many sides as possible. He lays out the information from various sources and then lets the reader decide how they choose to determine the situations described.
I didn't know much about Chalabi prior to reading this (I knew of him from other books about Iraq) but his ability to fall out of favor and then come back into favor seems to be incredible.
One portion of the book that I found interesting was the total lack of financial and moral accountability that the US government permits. I understand that politics create strange bedfellows, but when someone repeatedly steals and lies, it would seem like a wise decision to find a better person.
If you like political/Iraq non-fiction, this would be a great book to read.
February 18, 2022
يلخص الكتاب حياة أحمد الجلبي وجهوده للاطاحة بصدام حسين. تفاصيل حياة الجلبي من الحقبة الملكية في بغداد الى المنفى في لندن وبيروت وواشنطن الى الرجوع الاخير لبغداد. يوضح الكتاب كيف يكون السياسي شخص طبيعي يملك خصال جيده وسيئة، ليس اله او ملك او أحد الأولياء الصالحين فيمثل الجلبي مزيجاً من التناقضات بين الكرم، الخير، الانتهازية، والخيانة.
للأسف ترجمة الكتاب سيئة.
للأسف ترجمة الكتاب سيئة.
April 12, 2012
Maybe don't read this if you're still mad about the Iraq war and the lying and machinations that got us into it. Chalabi is a narcissist, embezzler, charlatan, and a manipulator. And yet, my greatest disdain is still reserved for Wolfowitz, Perle, and the other neocons who befriended him.
November 30, 2014
I really enjoyed this book despite the lack of a worthy photo plates section. Seeing some of the individuals, or seeing Ahmad Chalabi himself posed in various settings discussed, if only as he appeared during interviews on Bonin's own 60 Minutes, would have been helpful. I realize there are certain limitations in getting rights to publish such photos, and probably a pain to pursue when getting the story out is the main priority of an author, and long after the events may merit doing so who have been covered endlessly in the press. I still would have liked to see more visuals to go with the writing. Despite this shortcoming, the writing itself is in a style that I found very refreshing to read. Right away, I knew that I was being informed about something that I had no knowledge of, and that this knowledge would be of benefit to me in sorting out things previously hard to get a handle on.
The tangled skein of Middle East politics is brought home in this excellent narrative by 60 Minutes producer Bonin, which repeatedly places him in a unique vantage point to dig out the fuller story of Chalabi's adoption by the neoconservatives (mostly Democrat Jews) in Washington, and the changing US policies towards the rule of Saddam Hussein in Iraq. There are some genuine heroes mentioned briefly here, such as Richard Clarke, who warned about Al-Queda in advance of 911, but to whom no one would listen to, tragically, but chose instead to go after regime change in Iraq. By placing the focus on Chalabi it allows us to peer inside the State Department, the Pentagon (military operations) and the government itself to get behind the scenes comprehension of what was going on at various times. Chalabi combines his secular bent with historical scholarship and Western sensibilities to greatly influence public opinion on Iraq.
A democratic Iraq now seems as unrealistic as attempting to create an Islamic Republic in America, Britain, or Russia, but that's the vision held to by many within Washington's circles, despite repeated signs of failure, but Chalabi is the cat with nine lives who builds up the fervor for regime change. Although, he himself never gets what he wants, he keeps on trying to stir up public sentiment through different channels, to further his own aims. He finally gets an opportunity to return to Baghdad by playing Iran against the United States, and wishes to become the new leader of a provisional government that the US is wholly against. He also has no real backing in Iraq itself for becoming an elected official because of his shady reputation earned during his struggle. This book could make you cry in anger, if you had any illusions other than that the United States was only in the region for the oil. Not being under such a persuasion when I began reading this book, the disgust was not as great. One can only marvel at how expertly Chalabi masterminded his way into deceiving those who trusted him, a skilled student of history who applied his lessons to situations. Money buys power, and can usually buy you freedom as well, if not happiness. Those who know how to accumulate wealth, also know ways to escape responsibility for their actions. American lives were lost for no purpose. For this, there is no recompense. But this book at last gives some understanding to their sacrifices.
Initial reactions:
Earlier this year I read A Book by Desi Arnaz. There were a lot of similarities between the two. Both Arnaz and Ahmad Chalabi became exiled because their fathers were members of the governments that were overthrown during a time of political unrest, forcing their escape to America and London, respectively. Arnaz found release from his pain initially in making music, while Chalabi had a much harder road in wanting to return to Iraq. Desi became a well known TV comic personality in the #1 TV show in the nation, I Love Lucy. Chalabi was an equally well known figure in the journalistic and political communities for his activism in the Middle East, the key figure as it turns out in understanding the changing Iraqi situation. That's about where the similarities end. Desi thrived in the new environment where he achieved much business success, but with the constant stress that wrecked his marriage to his co-star, Lucy, while he enjoyed only limited success previously as an actor because of the language barrier in Hollywood. Chalabi remained resolutely calm in his determination to succeed in his goals despite numerous failures, and apparently without barriers after being befriended by the neoconservatives. Both individuals also required a steady stream of income to nurture their lavish lifestyles, and attract the support of others who could further their designs.
Chalabi is a Little Caesar who manipulates the political forces by seeing through harsh realities to the need for action against the imbalance of minority rule by Sunnis in Iraq through terorism against the majority whom are Shites. Chalabi learns that great wealth brings certain privileges, but it does not exempt one from personal griefs. The old story of the son who is exiled into slavery by his brothers and that is restored by a God who meant it for good rather than evil might be referenced here, but it's largely a new story, and an equally good one. In this story, Chalabi is the son aided by "God", the neoconservatives within the American government, and not the helpless exile who is strung along by circumstances as in the other story. A tale that should resonate with both Christian and Jewish perspectives alike, and not just Muslims.
Chalabi is the kind of guy who can't be ignored by the power brokers of the world. He's just too cognizant of the negative results of what British, American and Russian influences have had on the state of his own country, and for which he will sacrifice everything in the attempt to put things back in order. Although, he ultimately fails in this pursuit, the revelations gained in regard to the Middle East situation are interesting, to say the least. Self-rule is unimaginable in such a climate of distrust and continuing terrorism from without.
U.S. foreign policy makers didn't seem to have a very good idea of what was going on in Iraq initially, and even secretly gave financial backing to the Kurds against Saddam as the Iranians were doing. Chalabi foresaw that Iran would soon line up with Saddam and cut their funding to the Kurds, making the exercise of joint support pointless. This was the turning point when listening to Chalabi's advice to aid the Kurds independently would have avoided our being placed in a problematic position, allowing Saddam to become a greater threat in the region. I could see that by having his humanity put in question by his fellow Shites who misjudged him as being supporters of the Sunni majority in power at the time, caused him personal suffering, but made him a stronger individual in the end who learned to apply his own strength of intellect and financial means to pursue his own solutions to the Iraq problem.
We should all learn to be more tolerant and caring for others, and learn from Chalabi's experiences of never giving up when faced with challenges to our own well-being. God bless the Iraqi nation in their future endeavors. Long may they wave their flag of freedom and justice in brotherhood to one another as they seek independence from foreign and internal agitators!
The tangled skein of Middle East politics is brought home in this excellent narrative by 60 Minutes producer Bonin, which repeatedly places him in a unique vantage point to dig out the fuller story of Chalabi's adoption by the neoconservatives (mostly Democrat Jews) in Washington, and the changing US policies towards the rule of Saddam Hussein in Iraq. There are some genuine heroes mentioned briefly here, such as Richard Clarke, who warned about Al-Queda in advance of 911, but to whom no one would listen to, tragically, but chose instead to go after regime change in Iraq. By placing the focus on Chalabi it allows us to peer inside the State Department, the Pentagon (military operations) and the government itself to get behind the scenes comprehension of what was going on at various times. Chalabi combines his secular bent with historical scholarship and Western sensibilities to greatly influence public opinion on Iraq.
A democratic Iraq now seems as unrealistic as attempting to create an Islamic Republic in America, Britain, or Russia, but that's the vision held to by many within Washington's circles, despite repeated signs of failure, but Chalabi is the cat with nine lives who builds up the fervor for regime change. Although, he himself never gets what he wants, he keeps on trying to stir up public sentiment through different channels, to further his own aims. He finally gets an opportunity to return to Baghdad by playing Iran against the United States, and wishes to become the new leader of a provisional government that the US is wholly against. He also has no real backing in Iraq itself for becoming an elected official because of his shady reputation earned during his struggle. This book could make you cry in anger, if you had any illusions other than that the United States was only in the region for the oil. Not being under such a persuasion when I began reading this book, the disgust was not as great. One can only marvel at how expertly Chalabi masterminded his way into deceiving those who trusted him, a skilled student of history who applied his lessons to situations. Money buys power, and can usually buy you freedom as well, if not happiness. Those who know how to accumulate wealth, also know ways to escape responsibility for their actions. American lives were lost for no purpose. For this, there is no recompense. But this book at last gives some understanding to their sacrifices.
Initial reactions:
Earlier this year I read A Book by Desi Arnaz. There were a lot of similarities between the two. Both Arnaz and Ahmad Chalabi became exiled because their fathers were members of the governments that were overthrown during a time of political unrest, forcing their escape to America and London, respectively. Arnaz found release from his pain initially in making music, while Chalabi had a much harder road in wanting to return to Iraq. Desi became a well known TV comic personality in the #1 TV show in the nation, I Love Lucy. Chalabi was an equally well known figure in the journalistic and political communities for his activism in the Middle East, the key figure as it turns out in understanding the changing Iraqi situation. That's about where the similarities end. Desi thrived in the new environment where he achieved much business success, but with the constant stress that wrecked his marriage to his co-star, Lucy, while he enjoyed only limited success previously as an actor because of the language barrier in Hollywood. Chalabi remained resolutely calm in his determination to succeed in his goals despite numerous failures, and apparently without barriers after being befriended by the neoconservatives. Both individuals also required a steady stream of income to nurture their lavish lifestyles, and attract the support of others who could further their designs.
Chalabi is a Little Caesar who manipulates the political forces by seeing through harsh realities to the need for action against the imbalance of minority rule by Sunnis in Iraq through terorism against the majority whom are Shites. Chalabi learns that great wealth brings certain privileges, but it does not exempt one from personal griefs. The old story of the son who is exiled into slavery by his brothers and that is restored by a God who meant it for good rather than evil might be referenced here, but it's largely a new story, and an equally good one. In this story, Chalabi is the son aided by "God", the neoconservatives within the American government, and not the helpless exile who is strung along by circumstances as in the other story. A tale that should resonate with both Christian and Jewish perspectives alike, and not just Muslims.
Chalabi is the kind of guy who can't be ignored by the power brokers of the world. He's just too cognizant of the negative results of what British, American and Russian influences have had on the state of his own country, and for which he will sacrifice everything in the attempt to put things back in order. Although, he ultimately fails in this pursuit, the revelations gained in regard to the Middle East situation are interesting, to say the least. Self-rule is unimaginable in such a climate of distrust and continuing terrorism from without.
U.S. foreign policy makers didn't seem to have a very good idea of what was going on in Iraq initially, and even secretly gave financial backing to the Kurds against Saddam as the Iranians were doing. Chalabi foresaw that Iran would soon line up with Saddam and cut their funding to the Kurds, making the exercise of joint support pointless. This was the turning point when listening to Chalabi's advice to aid the Kurds independently would have avoided our being placed in a problematic position, allowing Saddam to become a greater threat in the region. I could see that by having his humanity put in question by his fellow Shites who misjudged him as being supporters of the Sunni majority in power at the time, caused him personal suffering, but made him a stronger individual in the end who learned to apply his own strength of intellect and financial means to pursue his own solutions to the Iraq problem.
We should all learn to be more tolerant and caring for others, and learn from Chalabi's experiences of never giving up when faced with challenges to our own well-being. God bless the Iraqi nation in their future endeavors. Long may they wave their flag of freedom and justice in brotherhood to one another as they seek independence from foreign and internal agitators!
April 2, 2013
The book tells the story of Ahmed Chalabi who had to flee his country Iraq at a very young age with his father and family. His next 45 years outside Iraq focused on getting back to Iraq and shaping the future of Iraq with his own genius. Highly educated and being very charming, he tried to manipulate US to dethrone Saddam. He did not give US the idea to dethrone Saddam, rather US and Chalabi shared the same passion for different reasons. They tried to use each other to gain what they wanted to gain. The lack of trust in each other led to their fall out over and again. Chalabi wanted to be seen as the hero who led US to dethrone Saddam and thus wanted to be recognized as a natural choice for post-Saddam leadership. At that time US tried to drop him like a hot potato, but found it hard to do so because he had learnt way too much about US secrets. Why US did not want Chalabi to lead Iraq? I have my own understanding but the book gives no satisfying answer to this.
Who won at the end? I think millions of Iraqi people only lost. Both Chalabi and US had their share of burns.
Book repeatedly talks about the absence of any evidence of WMD in Iraq, which of course the whole world knew before the war and I would be surprised at the naivety of anyone genuinely believed that there were WMD.
The author recognizes Chalabi's pattern of intelligent strategic starts, rising high up and then falling from the heights. But surprisingly the author did not recognize the pattern of US. (This pattern might be recognized after reading "Beyond the chains of illusion" by Eric Fromm.)
The book (Arrows of Night) has covered a lot of who said what, but has managed to leave out some important details.
Who won at the end? I think millions of Iraqi people only lost. Both Chalabi and US had their share of burns.
Book repeatedly talks about the absence of any evidence of WMD in Iraq, which of course the whole world knew before the war and I would be surprised at the naivety of anyone genuinely believed that there were WMD.
The author recognizes Chalabi's pattern of intelligent strategic starts, rising high up and then falling from the heights. But surprisingly the author did not recognize the pattern of US. (This pattern might be recognized after reading "Beyond the chains of illusion" by Eric Fromm.)
The book (Arrows of Night) has covered a lot of who said what, but has managed to leave out some important details.
January 28, 2012
I can't say that I understand politics and I would probably go completely insane if I suddenly decided to delve into it head first and try to navigate my way through the muck but I can believe the gullibility and the deviousness of the game, and that is what it is, a game.
Ahmad Chalabi was probably a great chess player, although there was no mention of him ever sitting down and playing with little plastic pieces and making strategic moves across a cardboard, he used real people to and moved them to action with his charismatic and intensely profound demeanor. Definitely a man on a mission, the mission to return home to Iraq after many tumultuous years of exile. He need, his strongest desire to return fuels the fires that eventually becomes the so called War on Terror.
I'm simply amazed that one man, Chalabi, had such manipulative skills that would lead two nations into such an extensive war and the trail of bodies that is left behind in his wake.
The US was definitely lead by their nostrils down some very questionable roads and duped in farther along the way. Still, this does not excuse them from the responsibility of making decisions to act for the greater good. Which begs the question, was this for the greater good and when will the US ever be able to stand down and worry more about what is happening on their own soil rather than the interests of others.
Ahmad Chalabi was probably a great chess player, although there was no mention of him ever sitting down and playing with little plastic pieces and making strategic moves across a cardboard, he used real people to and moved them to action with his charismatic and intensely profound demeanor. Definitely a man on a mission, the mission to return home to Iraq after many tumultuous years of exile. He need, his strongest desire to return fuels the fires that eventually becomes the so called War on Terror.
I'm simply amazed that one man, Chalabi, had such manipulative skills that would lead two nations into such an extensive war and the trail of bodies that is left behind in his wake.
The US was definitely lead by their nostrils down some very questionable roads and duped in farther along the way. Still, this does not excuse them from the responsibility of making decisions to act for the greater good. Which begs the question, was this for the greater good and when will the US ever be able to stand down and worry more about what is happening on their own soil rather than the interests of others.
April 16, 2012
This is an amazing book that every American should read...especially if you've paid taxes over the past decades and wonder why/where that money went vis-a-vis Iraq. It's the true story of how one man, Iraqi-born Ahmad Chalabi became a pivotal figure in American foreign policy and paved the way for involvement in the Iraq war. Written beautifully and openly by Richard Bonin, producer of 60 Minutes, the book details Chalabi's machinations from the time his family was exiled from Iraq, to his private schooling in London, college and graduate schooling in the US, to his financial corruption and exile from Jordan, and then on to spend the rest of his life trying to oust Saddam Hussein and return to Iraq to become the new leader. It describes how various members of influential politicians, spokespeople and influencers in the US (and Iran) over the course of many years listened to Chalabi and allowed themselves to be manipulated by this divisive, devious and power-hungry man. I'm not usually a reader of political fare but this is, as one reviewer put it, "a marvelous read about a tragic and deceitful relationship."
July 20, 2014
The story of how Chalabi helped game the United States into war with Iraq, but also achieve his own goal of returning to that country in triumph almost half a century after he and his family were driven out. A compelling work that is thoroughly researched and rings true about Chalabi and his neoconservative cabal's machinations in this regard. He doesn't come off particularly well obviously, a deceiving power-hungry conman who helped destroy the country of his birth, but he is also one of those people you may hate but also grudgingly admire for their cunning.
The book doesn't oversell his role but paints a persuasive picture of his place in history, manipulating the levers of a highly dysfunctional American government. With recent news that he may be experiencing yet another political resurrection this is a timely read.
The book doesn't oversell his role but paints a persuasive picture of his place in history, manipulating the levers of a highly dysfunctional American government. With recent news that he may be experiencing yet another political resurrection this is a timely read.
May 7, 2013
Very interesting take on the run up to the American invasion in Iraq. Author tries to show the points of view of the major player and lets the reader be the judge. However, sometimes I feel that he is bending over backwards to be fair. A must read if you are interested about the Iraq war.
September 19, 2015
Fantastic read for readers looking for insight into why America's focus post 9/11 went from Afganistan to mainly Iraq.
October 11, 2015
Great read, the author provided good references for his assertions and stayed focused on telling a well planned accounting of one man's influence upon US involvement in Iraq.
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