Who The $%&# Is Iyad Allawi?

Bush said something quite strange today in an effort to rebuke John Kerry for criticizing his invasion of Iraq:

"'You can't lead this country if your ally in Iraq feels like you question his credibility,' Mr Bush said. "

Isn't that a wierd thing to say? You cannot lead the USA if some unelected puppet stooge doesn't feel like you've got his back? Bush is just nuts, or the pressure is getting to him, or he simply cannot imagine another way of (ahem) "leading the country".

So God bless Riverbend for hitting the keyboard again and giving us a little Iraqi perspective on the way Allawi is being paraded in front of the US and UN (and by the way, Howard wants to bring him here to Australia):

"I can't seem to decide what is worse- when Bush speaks in the name of Iraqi people, or when Allawi does. Yesterday's speech was particularly embarrassing. He stood there groveling in front of the congress- thanking them for the war, the occupation and the thousands of Iraqi lives lost... and he did it all on behalf of the Iraqi people. It was infuriating and for maybe the hundredth time this year, I felt rage. Yet another exile thanking the Bush administration for the catastrophe we're trying to cope with. Our politicians are outside of the country 90% of the time (by the way, if anyone has any news of our president Ghazi Ajeel Al Yawir, do let us know- where was he last seen or heard?), the security situation is a joke, the press are shutting down and pulling out and our beloved exiles are painting rosey pictures for the American public- you know- so everyone who voted for Bush can sleep at night.

Allawi actually said "thank you" nine times. Nine times. It really should have been more- at least double that number of Iraqis died yesterday... and about five times that number the day before. Looking back on the last month alone, over 350 Iraqis have been killed either by American air strikes, fighting, or bombs... only 9 thank yous?"

Riverbend also posts this link to some interesting information on Allawi. For example:

"A former Ba'athist, Allawi set up and leads the CIA-supported Iraqi National Accord which carried out bombings in Saddam Hussein's Iraq. In the run-up to the invasion of Iraq, the INA provided intelligence about alleged weapons of mass destruction to MI6. Allawi is also alleged to have personally executed six Iraqi prisoners in June 2004 to "send a clear message to the police on how to deal with insurgents".

Allawi has lived about half of his life in the UK and retains British citizenship.

...former CIA officer Vincent Cannistraro: "[...] Allawi has blood on his hands from his days in London [...] he was a paid Mukhabarat agent for the Iraqis, and he was involved in dirty stuff." A Middle Eastern diplomat confirmed that Allawi was involved with a Mukhabarat "hit team" that killed Baath Party dissenters in Europe.

One wonders how such a rogue can become even an interim leader of any country. Then again, if someone like Bush can become leader of the USA, perhaps it makes sense.