Letter: Chalabi still a recognized leader

Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2005 | 8:26 a.m.

Mr. Pia read into my letter statements that I didn't make. I was not supporting Mr. Chalabi. There is no doubt he had his own agenda. However it is also true that he is a recognized leader in Iraq whether or not the U.S. government likes the idea.

A TV interview that took place just prior to my letter featured Mr. Chalabi and his realm of influence. Many of the Iraqi people listen to him. He was described by the interviewer (I paraphrase) as a cunning, wily politician. Mr. Chalabi, in his interview, said that he was for the Iraqi people. Let's hope that is true.

The point I made was that Mr. Chalabi did approach the U.S. government with this information regarding WMDs, etc. Of course war is a last resort ... and a terrible one at that. For approximately two weeks before the attack on Iraq began, Saddam Hussein was offered exile with his family.

A time and date was announced by President Bush as to when the invasion would be launched if Saddam did not comply. There was every opportunity to spare the Iraqi people and our own the pain and destruction of war. Mr. Saddam decided to hide under a rock instead and let others be maimed and die.

Mr. Pia states that Saddam was not an enemy. How does he know that? Why did Saddam insist that the U.N. inspectors leave the country ... was that in 1998? Perhaps he was just a paper tiger. Imagine if you will what could have happened had he loosed his poison gases within our cities?

Perhaps, just perhaps, Mr. Chalabi and his group made a very solid case to our government that our people were in grave danger ... and could be victimized again ... after 9/11. There have been numerous incidents of enemy aliens trying to enter our country. What about the attempted border crossing from Canada with the Space Needle and Los Angeles International Airport as targets. How does Mr. Pia know who sent them on these terror missions?

Eileen Schenck Las Vegas