CIA in Iraq elections

Like they aren't in elections everywhere. This was a no-brainer.

Time Magazine reports that the Bush administration had had a plan to use the Central Intelligence Agency to funnel money to candidates it favored in the forthcoming Iraqi elections. The rationale given was that Iran was bankrolling its own candidates.

In other countries we call it funding democracy, via the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). I guess they're not as concerned about whitewashing anything in Iraq. After all, that's a front in the WAR. ON. TERROR! Surely you can see the need to intervene in whatever way necessary to bring democracy to Iraq.

This plan was apparently derailed in part by the intervention of Democratic Minority Leader in the House, Nancy Pelosi, who remonstrated with National Security Adviser Condaleeza Rice about it.

I'm hearing more and more about Nancy Pelosi that I like. She sounds like a woman with scruples and no fear. Stay out of small planes, Nancy.

This comes from Juan Cole today. You should definitely read his commentary.

And, for whatever reason, Cole has thrown in this tidbit:

So, the "cover story" of forestalling "Iranian influence" doesn't hold water. Bush just wanted to buy himself an election, in the Bush tradition. (Bush's grandfather Prescott, a US senator, probably made much of the pile on which he ran by investing in Nazi companies).

Perhaps because it is newly run at the Guardian under the title: "How Bush's grandfather helped Hitler's rise to power". If that story interests you, here's another: Bush-Nazi Link Confirmed.