On the Rupture of Relations Between Ahmad Chalabi and the United States of America

deadline poet

By Calvin Trillin

This article appeared in the June 14, 2004 edition of The Nation.

May 26, 2004

The learned Wolfowitz and Perle, it seems,
Made Chalabi the hero of their dreams.
Yes, all the Sissy Hawks were glad to sup
On cockamamie tales that he served up.
In triumph back in Baghdad he would pose--
A Charles de Gaulle, with more expensive clothes.
When Ahmad's hopes for power took a dive,
He thought he'd turn against us to survive.
We trashed his house, and now the man is vexed.
Pray tell: Will Wolfowitz's house be next?

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About Calvin Trillin

Calvin Trillin is The Nation's "deadline poet." He has been a staff writer for The New Yorker since 1963 and has written the syndicated weekly column "Uncivil Liberties" since 1986. He has authored many, many books, including Tepper's Not Going Out and Deadline Poet: My Life as a Doggerelist. more...
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