One problem with an Iraqi invasion is who to put in power after the fall of Saddam. Now the Telegraph is reporting that Iraqi National Congress leader Ahmed Chalabi may be put in charge of a post-war Iraq.
This is exceptionally problematic, as Chalabi may be the face of the Iraqi resistance in the Western media, but inside Iraq he has absolutely no authority. None of the Iraqi resistance groups have much respect for him, and he has no power base within Iraq. Moreover, Chalabi has been tied to charges of corruption in regards to the collapse of the Petra Bank in Jordan, where he was convicted in absentia.
On the other hand, it is understanable that the US would want to have someone in power who is not beholden to any of Iraq’s three main ethnic groups. However, Chalabi’s problems may outshadow that advantage. Chalabi makes for a good spokesperson for the Iraqi cause, and it would not be out of order to suggest him as a future Foreign Minister or taking another diplomatic position. At the same time, Chalabi seems to be a questionable choice for leadership of a nation of 22 million people. Even the idea of an interim US military government may be better for establishing a new and democratic Iraqi government.
