Posted on 03/02/2011 4:08:33 PM PST by nuconvert
With the rumblings of fresh protests in Tehran after over a year of relative quiet from the opposition, some members of the US congress, along with several other former officials, appear to be again dreaming of the possibility of a post-theocratic Iran. One significant sign is their renewed push to have the People's Mojahedin of Iran (also known as the MEK) removed from the State Departments list of designated foreign terrorist organizations. Echoing this sentiment last month, former Democratic Senator Robert Torricelli of New Jersey, in an event designed to raise support for the MEK's removal from terror list, asked the audience, "Is it even possible to oppose a terrorist state, and be a terrorist yourself?"
No matter how one looks at that question, the answer must be a resounding "yes." MEK is a non-state organization that, at regular intervals over the years, has taken pride in attacks that have left innocent civilians dead. In the lexicon of our times that qualifies as terrorism. With their designation as a terrorist organization currently under review, the larger issue is not just whether the MEK is engaged in terrorism at the moment, but that if the organization is further legitimated by U.S. policy makers, it will prove to be yet another disastrous read by the U.S. government.
In my ten years of traveling to Iran and writing about it for a mostly American audience, I have not once met an Iranian who had a favorable opinion of the organization. Just over a year ago I wrote an article in which I warned of unpopular, exile opposition groups opportunistically attempting to high jack the homegrown Iranian civil society movement.
(Excerpt) Read more at mideast.foreignpolicy.com ...
pong
Torricelli deserves to be rotting in a prison cell or worse. He was forced to drop out of his senate race when it was revealed he was taking money from North Korea. Earlier he authored a law that forbade the CIA from contracting foreign agents who might be criminals. Not only is this guy a traitor, he’s a traitor for money.
Supporting commies in exchange for opposing muslies is no difference in kind or result. In hindsight we should have let the ruskies bury afghanistan.
Thanks for the ping.
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