Ahmad Chalabi -- on America's payroll and giving our secrets to Iranian mullahs?

...U.S. intelligence agencies have recently raised concerns that Chalabi has become too close to Iran's theocratic rulers. NEWSWEEK has learned that top Bush administration officials have been briefed on intelligence indicating that Chalabi and some of his top aides have supplied Iran with "sensitive" information on the American occupation in Iraq. U.S. officials say that electronic intercepts of discussions between Iranian leaders indicate that Chalabi and his entourage told Iranian contacts about American political plans in Iraq. There are also indications that Chalabi has provided details of U.S. security operations.

His pals still defend him, of course:

"Rushing to judgment and cutting off this relationship could have unintended consequences," says one Pentagon official, who did not respond to questions about Chalabi's dealings with Tehran.

His pals say, according to Newsweek, that

Chalabi has provided information that saved American lives.

On the other hand,

According to one U.S. government source, some of the information Chalabi turned over to Iran could "get people killed."

So I guess you win some, you lose some, right?

And yes,

Each month the Pentagon still pays his group a $340,000 stipend, drawn from secret intelligence funds, for "information collection."

Or misinformation collection.