BAGHDAD (AP) — Ahmad Chalabi, a prominent Iraqi politician who helped convince the Bush administration to launch the 2003 invasion to overthrow Saddam Hussein by providing false evidence of weapons of mass destruction, has died of a heart attack, Iraqi state TV reported Tuesday.
The report said he died in Baghdad but did not provide further details. He was 71.
Chalabi, a secular Shiite politician who lived in exile for decades, was a leading proponent of the invasion and had close ties to many in the Bush administration, who viewed him as a favorite to lead Iraq.
However, he had a falling out with the Pentagon after the invasion, and was largely sidelined by other Iraqi leaders, many with close ties to neighboring Iran. Chalabi had been serving as the chairman of parliament’s finance committee, and was previously a deputy prime minister.
The first deputy speaker of parliament, Sheik Humam Hamoudi, lamented Chalabi’s death as a “big loss” for Iraq, calling him “an example of perseverance and dedication.”
“Our national and political arena has lost a prominent figure who dedicated his life to serve the country,” he added in a statement.
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