Ahmad Chalabi, Iraqi Politician Who Heavily Influenced the U.S. Decision to Invade Iraq, Dies at 71

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Ahmad Chalabi, the Iraqi politician who had a significant role in persuading U.S. officials to invade Iraq, died on Tuesday from a heart attack in his home in Baghdad. He was 71.

Both state media and the Iraqi ambassador to the United States, Lukman Fally, confirmed the news:

Today Iraq lost a giant in its political arena, Iraqis will always view him as a key factor in the removal of Saddam https://t.co/XXXGyl79cK

— Lukman Faily (@FailyLukman) November 3, 2015

Following the attacks on September 11th, Chalabi was seen as strongly influencing President George W. Bush’s 2003 decision to overthrow Saddam Hussein by way of faulty intelligence.

For more on Chalabi’s influence on the Bush administration and events leading up to the invasion, read our special investigation, “The Lie Factory,” here.