Ahmad Chalabi will be acting oil minister, the parliamentary speaker said.

--"Iraq Parliament Approves Cabinet, Government Formed," Reuters, 4/28/05

[Scott] Ritter had one other memorable encounter with Chalabi. Six months after [their January 1998] London meeting, Ritter was feeling dispirited. U.N. investigators had discovered trace evidence of VX nerve gas on warheads in Iraq; he was concerned that Saddam was still hiding something. Chalabi invited him to the town house in Georgetown, and they discussed the VX discovery. Chalabi then talked to Ritter about doing intelligence work for the I.N.C....

According to Ritter, Chalabi went on to describe a clear vision of Iraq's future -- with himself in charge. Ritter said, "He told me that, if I played ball, when he became President he'd control all of the oil concessions, and he'd make sure I was well taken care of. I guess it was supposed to be a sweetener." Chalabi’s office denied Ritter's account, calling him a "liar." Ritter left without agreeing to work for Chalabi.

--Jane Mayer, "The Manipulator," The New Yorker, 6/7/04

(Reuters link via Atrios.)