Exiled Iraqi leader Ahmed Chalabi dies in Baghdad

World Today

Exiled Iraqi leader Ahmed Chalabi died Tuesday of heart failure at his home in Baghdad. He was widely seen as pushing the U.S. towards war while jockeying for a role in his homeland in the post Saddam Hussein era.

Chalabi was a familiar figure in Washington in the early 2000’s as the U.S. went to war in Iraq. As the unpopular war dragged on for years, bringing chaos to Iraq, the U.S. distanced itself from Chalabi, and he, in turn, distanced himself from the U.S.

He survived an assassination attempt in 2008 and held a variety of government jobs in post Saddam Iraq. He leaves behind a complicated legacy – splitting opinions in Iraq. There has been little official reaction in Washington.

CCTV America’s Jim Spellman reports from Washington.