Steve Clemons is doing a nice run-down this evening of the various crimes, bad acts and generic villainies of Ahmad Chalabi, who’s coming to DC tomorrow to hang with friends at the American Enterprise Institute and hobnob with high-ranking administration officials. Steve even has a few choice morsels that many Chalabi-watchers don’t know about — like the strong belief at the CIA that he tipped off Saddam about a CIA-backed coup because they refused to cut him in on the action.
In any case, I’m enjoying life up here in the Big Apple — almost exactly a year now. But tomorrow’s a day I’ll regret that I don’t still live in the nation’s capital. Because I’d like to be on hand, or at least nearby, when Chalabi heads back to what is, at least the metaphorically, the scene of the crime.
Actually, a few days ago I suggested to Steve that one way to dramatize what this man has been responsible for would be to have some folks on hand to attempt a citizen’s arrest of Ahmad Chalabi. Nothing by force, mind you. All non-violent. Just walk up to the man, put a hand on the shoulder, announce that they’re taking him into custody in a citizen’s arrest and offer to escort him to the Justice Department building for questioning. If some of his goons or the AEI rent-a-cops man-handle these patriots, then at least the point is made.
Steve appears to have looked into this now though and found that the DC Citizen’s Arrest law requires that the arrestor see the bad-actor in the actual commission of a felony. Perhaps someone can consult an attorney to see what the possibilities are. On the other hand, perhaps some of those high-ranking administration officials Chalabi’s going to meet with can effect an arrest since they’ve probably witnessed some of his bad acts.
In any case, if you’re there on the scene to protest tomorrow — at 2 PM at 1150 17th St NW — send us in reports, send us in pictures. We’ll post the good stuff so TPM Readers around the country can see ordinary Americans protesting against this shark and his friends who’ve brought him back into American waters.
