Monday, December 4th, 2006...12:02 am
Iraqi “Political Elite” Leaving
The London Times reports that many Iraqi politicians brought back from exile by the USA occupiers are again leaving Iraq.Many of Iraq’s leading politicians have moved quietly back into self-imposed exile in Britain because of the dangers of living and working in Baghdad.
“Half a dozen senior figures, including former prime ministers, Cabinet members, and even the heir to the Iraqi throne, have relocated to fashionable areas of London. Scores of other politicians living in Iraq have kept second homes in London as possible bolt holes.
“The move has angered Iraqis back home, who complain that they are the same exiled politicians who argued hardest for the US-led invasion.
“Adnan Pachachi, the former head of the Iraqi Governing Council and a serving MP in the Iraqi Parliament, said that living and working in the Iraqi capital had become almost impossible. He divides most of his time between his flat in Chelsea and his home in Abu Dhabi.
“‘Baghdad is very difficult. We have to live in the green zone [protected by US forces]. People can’t come and see us and we can’t get out to see them,’ he said.”
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“Iyad Allawi, the former Iraqi prime minister, who moved back to his home in Kingston-upon-Thames to receive medical treatment, said that the situation in Iraq was ‘alarming and dangerous’. He said in London:’To be honest, this is not something that I could have imagined when we fought Saddam’s regime.’”Two senior figures in the last Iraqi government are also regular visitors to London, where their families live. Ibrahim al-Jaafari, the former prime minister, recently returned to be with his family in Wembley. Laith Kubba, his former spokesman, divides his time between his home in Kensal Rise, northwest London, and at a think-tank in Washington.
“’I share the view that the atmosphere is impossible. You have to be a thug to survive in Iraqi politics today,’ he said, adding that he was prepared to return to Baghdad if asked by the Government.”
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1 Comment
December 4th, 2006 at 8:56 pm
The NY Times magazine section had a very interesting profile by Dexter Filkins of Adman Chalabi (the darling of the neocons), who failed to get any traction in Iraqi’s so-called poltics. It’s a mystery whether he’s working for Iran (where he has lots of high level connections or still for Cheney et al.)
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