Alsammarae blog chatter

Lots of stuff on the blogs now about Alsammarae donating to Bush before and after Alsammarae's appointment as Iraqi Oil minister. Samples here, here, and here. These folks don't realize there's a combine in Illinois and our tradition is don't back no losers.

Independent Sentinel wrote,

...and is now a fugitive, on the run, from corruption charges.

Seems like a free-for-all out there, for corrupt bussines types, just like here.

The Bushites are creating a Capitalist nightmare in their own image, in Iraq.

More like Illinois's image.

I'm worried Alsammarae will be sent shackled back to Iraq before our Fitzgerald has a chance to talk with him about old friend Tony Rezko. From today's Sun Times,

Federal authorities in Chicago have expressed interest in Alsammarae's links to recently indicted businessman Antoin "Tony" Rezko, a former top fund-raiser for Gov. Blagojevich who won an Iraqi power plant contract while Alsammarae was electricity minister. The contract no longer is in effect.

Authorities here want to learn more about the deal because Rezko and Alsammarae know each other, and each has been accused of corruption, a source familiar with the investigation told the Sun-Times. Alsammarae and Rezko attended the Illinois Institute of Technology together in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

I hope Fitzgerald gets the chance to talk with Alsammarae for a long time. I'm worried it won't happen because the capitalist nightmare will silence the canary.

Update: Iraqsloger has an nice backgrounder on Alsammarae: The Nine Lives of Aiman Alsammarae.

He [Alsammarae]admits that his attempts to introduce groups who attack Coalition troops as political entities was not entirely altruistic since he declared in this Voice of America interview that he intended to run in the December 2005 elections. Ultimately, his attempts to reconcile with insurgents was a failed venture that resulted in a February 2006 attack on Alsammarae's convoy that he escaped but injured two of his security contractors.

His troubles were just beginning. The predominately Shia government filed charges of corruption, when Alsammarae's returned to inquire about the nature of the charges were, he found himself surprised to be held in a Green Zone prison awaiting trial.

Got to admit, he sounds awfully Chicago; larger than life. I hope he makes it home to write a book... although I'm not sure how much of it I'd believe.

Update: A little more from Pioneer Press,

So now Dania and other family members are pleading with American government officials, including Sens. Dick Durbin and Barack Obama, to intervene and ensure Aiham's safety.

"We are hoping the State Department will step in and save his life," said Dania, who recently returned home to Oak Brook from a medical school in Ireland.

Christina Angarola, spokesperson for Durbin, declined to discuss specifics, but said the senator is actively communicating with the State Department about Aiham's safety.

"We are in frequent contact with the Department of the State to check up on this," Angarola said.

Update: Biden's blog posts on the story too.