“It would be easy to ignore the condition and plight of 2400 Iranians who are at Camp Liberty in Iraq. There’s so much before this committee, there’s so much disorder in the world. But, the plight of these 2400 really involves some important considerations for our country.” Joe Lieberman.
On the 7th of October (2015) the Committee on Armed Services US Senate Hearing heard testimony on the Iranian Influence in Iraq and the case of Camp Liberty. And guess who was chairing the committee – John McCain – “The Maestro of the Arab Wars” (my article in September last year).
Well, who is at Camp Liberty? The People’s Mojahedin of Iran (MEK).
Founded in 1965 by a group of left-leaning Muslim Iranian university students, they were devoted to armed struggle against the Shah of Iran. While the MEK’s leadership has resided in Paris, the group’s core members were, for many years, confined to Camp Ashraf in Iraq. The MEK was listed as a terrorist organization, but this was lifted in 2012, and the group’s remaining 3,200 members were recently compelled to move to ex-U.S. military base Camp Liberty.
This is what some people had to say about the MEK:
Richard Armitage (U.S. deputy secretary of state, 2001-05) – “…from my point of view they were terrorists.”, but “…there were some in the administration who wanted to use the Mujahideen-e Khalq as a pressure point against Iran.”
Mohammad Jafari, Iranian National Security Council – “…over the past four years the United States has put them under its protection in Iraq and has used them to spy on the Islamic Republic.” (2007)
So why the Senate hearing and the discussion around the MEK in Camp Liberty? (transcript here) And who was giving testimony?
The former US senator, Joseph Lieberman, Chair of Public Policy and Public Service, Yeshiva University was at the hearing. These are extracts of what he said to the committee:
“What does the plight of these 2400 Iranian dissidents, who are opponents of the dictatorial regime in Tehran – what does it say to us about larger policy questions for the United States in the region?…”
He then quotes former attorney general and Federal judge, Michael Mukasey, and relates how the US moved the MEK from Ashraf to the safety of Camp Liberty. He continues…
“If you look at the history of these Iranian dissidents — you could call them “freedom fighters”…
They have quite literally, as many of you know, provided extraordinarily important intelligence to American forces in Iraq during the period after the overthrow of Saddam… (and the Iranian nuclear program)… and they believe in freedom. I mean, their leader — it’s quite remarkable, they’re a moderate Muslim group, they’re against the extremism of the current regime. They are quite refreshingly led by a woman who has put out a 10-point plan that embraces freedom of speech, separation of church and state, free elections, and a non-nuclear Iran…
So, let me wind up with this — or conclude with this observation and, hopefully, suggestion. The Iranian nuclear agreement with Iran has been — is about to be executed…. They’re (Iran) continuing to support terrorist groups throughout the region. …as Chairman McCain said, there — they made a deal with the Russians to move more aggressively into Syria to back Assad, who we have said we feel definitely has to go.
…And here’s the point I want to make about the National Council of Resistance of Iran and other democratic opposition groups that are Iranian. We ought to be supporting them. This regime in Tehran is hopeless. It’s not going to change. There’s no evidence it’s going to — every piece of evidence is the contrary. So, I hope we can find a way — we used to do this, not so long ago, supporting opposition groups in Iran. They deserve our support, and actually they’re a — they would constitute a form of pressure on the government in Tehran that would unsettle them as much as anything else we could do, because it would threaten the survival of the regime, which, from every objective indicator I can see, is a very unpopular regime in Iran.
…And I think it’s time for us to do that in Iran. And there’s no better place to begin than by securing the residents of Camp Liberty and assuring their safe passage away from the Iranian thugs. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.”
Lieberman casually declares his suggestion and intent to disrupt the government of another country by supporting a once-declared terrorist group. Why would Lieberman be concerned about the rights and freedoms of Iranians. He is not, yet pretends to be.
Let us be clear. There was never a threat of WMD from Iraq, yet the country was deliberately destroyed and looted with the help of Western governments. Muammar Gaddafi was targeted and Libya was destroyed. “They” then moved their attention to Bashar al-Assad and Syria. And now Joe Lieberman’s suggestion is the destruction of Iran.
And, let us not forget – “they” still seem to be trying to implement the “destruction of seven countries in five years” plan. Although they are behind schedule, “they” seem intent on the destruction of Iran.
This is what Retired General Wesley Clark said back in 2007.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RC1Mepk_Sw
These men are truly evil and mad. These type of devious suit-wearing warmongers should never be given the microphone at a Senate hearing, but should rather be answering questions in the dock of a courtroom.
Last para: ” These men are are truly evil and mad…”.
And the corporate mass media, our politicians, commentators, ABC , SBS, apologists, and shock jocks protect them!!!!
We are controlled by evil mad people yet they are feited as being civilised. Some pay silly amounts to have dinner with some of them and massage their criminal egos.
An average criminal who goes on a crime spree with a gang of house invasions of 7 houses ( and killing family members including the kids) would have every resource available in our society to track them down and bring them to justice.
The shock jocks would be tearing the courts asunder if some magistrate gave them bail. e.g Hadley of radio 2 GB but he will not recite what was planned pre 911 as exposed by Clark and expose to his loyal bogan listeners, the criminal intentions of the US being continued for the last 14 years and costing our boys lives.
Yet there is complete silence of criticism and bandied misinformation when 5 countries are pillaged and raped with two to go, being Syria and Iran as planned.
‘These men’ ? Hey, it is not only those men it is us included. By our silence we are with the house invaders gang.
We are all aiding and abetting criminals by, not exposing mad and evil leaders and their apologists and voting in those responsible.
Some times things do not work out as planned by the bullies when a new kid enters the school yard ??
I have a question regarding General Wesley Clark’s 7-country prediction:
What is the difference between a dog with a bone, and Dee Mclachlan?
Same as Dee the cat with a msm political mouse.
In Maggie Thatcher’s day as I recall, all this type of people fighting their governments in various places around the world were in her eyes freedom fighters, except the Irish who were (you guessed it ) TERRORISTS.