US Halts Payments to Iraqi National Congress

The US government has decided to stop monthly payments to the Iraqi National Congress, a group headed by Ahmad Chalabi, which had received at least $27 million in financing in the past four years. The payments, worth $335,000 monthly, were part of a classified program through the Defense Intelligence Agency to help gather intelligence in Iraq. However, internal reviews have found that much of the information provided by the group was useless, misleading or even fabricated. The decision to halt payments comes as the group's leader, Mr. Chalabi, has become a lightning rod for critics of the Bush administration, who say the US relied too heavily on him for prewar intelligence.

Key Takeaways:

• The US government has decided to halt monthly $335,000 payments to the Iraqi National Congress, a group headed by Ahmad Chalabi.
• The group had received at least $27 million in US financing in the past four years, including $335,000 a month as part of a classified program through the Defense Intelligence Agency.
• Internal reviews by the US government have found that much of the information provided by the group was useless, misleading or even fabricated.
• Mr. Chalabi's group has been involved in intelligence-gathering and helped capture 1,500 insurgents, mostly loyalists of Saddam Hussein.
• The group's leader, Mr. Chalabi, has been at odds with the Bush administration on several policy questions and has been criticized for being a political opportunist.
• Michael Rubin, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, has defended the group's intelligence-gathering efforts, saying it helped save lives.
• Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. has described Mr. Chalabi as a "problem" and "not part of the solution," and questioned the US government's willingness to break from him.

Statistics:

• At least $27 million in total financing received by the Iraqi National Congress in the past four years.
• $335,000 monthly payments to the group as part of a classified program through the Defense Intelligence Agency.
• 1,500 insurgents captured by the group, mostly loyalists of Saddam Hussein.
• September 30, 2003: Original scheduled end date for the classified program.
• December 31, 2003: Program was extended to this date.
• June 30, 2004: Program was extended to this date again before being halted.

Sources:

• An official with the Iraqi National Congress as quoted in the New York Times, June 29, 2004.
• Michael Rubin, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, as quoted in the New York Times, June 29, 2004.
• Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr., as quoted in NBC's "Meet the Press" on June 27, 2004.
• A Pentagon official, as quoted in the New York Times, June 29, 2004.
• Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld, as quoted in a news briefing on April 27, 2004.