One would have to understand the context of his remark. This hints that he was covering his ass with the Iraqi National Council.

Allawi told the Iraqi National Council: “You should expect an escalation in terrorist acts.”

And then read his history, where he comes from. "Although Allawi has sniped at the U.S.-led Coalition in recent months, it's his ties to Langley that seem to have registered with Iraqis. (His organization, the Iraqi National Accord, is funded by the CIA.) "He's a CIA man, like [Ahmed] Chalabi," said Raed Abu Hassan, a Baghdad University political science post-grad. "In this country, CIA connections are political poison." It doesn't help that the Shiite Allawi is also a former Baathist, and a returning exile. Many Iraqis are scornful of politicians who left the country during the Saddam era."

Coupled with the fact that he cannot change any of Bremer's edicts, the guy is, clearly, a puppet. Who covers his unpopular butt by making the occasional remark critical of the US.

And, one has to ask, would the US have allowed anyone BUT a puppet to be installed? Of course not.

Arf