Current Events

I am with VPK and hope to get a call from their supporters...

I do have my share of things to say to them.

'Hambastegi' is the main key to victory 

Mehrdad

Why an extension

How about UN gives them a temporary home in another nation. USA or West Europe would be great but Australia would also do. The point is they must leave the camp. That has several benefits:

• Iraq gets its territory back.
• They are not in the region so Kurds; Iranians and Iraqi are not next to them.
• It proves good will on both MEK and UN sides
• It guarantees they are disarmed
• It guarantees they are free and not prisoners of MEK
• Avoids a potential tragedy where Iraqi get fed up and act on their own.
• Puts pressure on the West to get on with it and find them a permanent home.
• Gets the peer pressure off MEK in Ashraf
• Gives MEK rank and file a chance to decide what to do on neutral grounds/

Right now is sounds like UN is just pushing the problem off. They have to face it sooner or later. Might as well deal with it now. It is not going away so procrastination does not help anyone. Just makes people mistrust UN more than they already.

Bahram

I will try to respond best I know to your points:

• Does Iraq have a right to evict them. In my opinion absolutely. MEK got Ashraf as a part of a deal with Saddam. They do not own it and Iraq has a right to reclaim it.
• What to do with the MEK members. Iraq should offer them residency as individuals that were not involved in violence against Iraq citizens. The rest should be given asylum in the West. Or go back to Iran if they wish to.
• Are the MEK armed. I am not sure however I think they are still armed. That is a major problem.
• Are MEK allowed to leave. That is a bigger problem. I hear they are kept prisoner. That implies there must be armed MEK guards preventing others from leaving. Therefore some may benefit from an intervention.
• How hard it is to dismantle it. Probably very hard if they resist. As you see even unarmed OWS is very difficult to break up. Imagine 3000 armed trained MEK  gets really bad.
• Why does USA keep them around: That is pretty obvious as a tool to use against the Islamic Republic. Potentially as vanguard of an invasion. More likely to perform sabotage and other clandestine actions.

The short of it to me is the ball is in the MEK court. They have to realize they got no standing; disarm and get out. Then West must step in and offer all of them asylum. Maybe take them to Europe temporarily then on to final destination.

thanks Esfand jaan for more explanation

i hope for a safe end to camp ashraf. thanks for the link.

Vpk

Questions. I thought the American forces basically disarmed the mko at the camp. Is that the case? If so, then they don't have many weapons to put down, as you suggest.Also, wasn't a little while ago that the Iraqi forces entered the camp an slaughtered a bunch of it's residents? I saw a clip of that. It was a horrifying sight. Like shooting fish in a barrell, so to speak. I fear that they might do it again. Do you think they won't do anything like that again? Maybe the Americans want to keep that thorn in the side of the mullahs. Some even clamer about de-listing mko as a terrorist organization. Now, where is rationality here? The u.s. Lists them as a terrorist organization yet shelters them in the country of another people who have legitimate and illegitimate grievances with the group?

Irani, Afghani, Arab, all the same!

Anahid jaan it doesn't matter they'll call people and say what they want to say and actually sound in low tone and very nice and you feel sorry for them.

I was worried that some residents of Camp Ashraf would not even know of the deadline but apparently these days the camp is under loud speakers warning them of the deadline, or so I hope.

Here is a good article about the Camp that Yolanda posted in the News section.  I now understand what UN is trying to do, looks like they want a six month's extension to find suitable homes for these refugees.  I just hope UN is having serious talk with MKO leaders and "defending" the camp is not an option.

Everything is sacred

Sorry Esfand, what, using white pages?

some iranian sounding names might be afghanis.

Vpk

The kind of plan/suggestion you have here is what I feel is lacking. I feel that there are not very many people in authority and power, on all sides, are thinking the sane way you are on this issue. And also there is great deal of bad blood between the Iraqis and the mko. I fear that hatred on one side and the rajavis clinging to their captives and other vested interest such as the mullahs want to have this problem solved their way with least regards for the camp ashraf residents.

Bahram

Maybe I don't understand you please explain to me:

Irrationality and hatred have their heyday. Yeah, many Iraqis would love to cut these people up for their past misdeeds. 

What is irrational about not wanting an armed military on your soil? There is no reason to have any hate. It is very simple if you want to go and live in Iraq get permission from their government. Plus do not set up a military camp with guns and tanks.

I bet if MEK disarmed; left the camp there will be no violence. Members could apply as individuals to immigrate to Iraq. In fact one may even argue they should be given the equivalent of permanent residency since they were there for so long. But no weapons and no armed camp or any  other kind of para military stuff. For goodness sake no nation would allow it. Please show me one country that allows paramilitary groups even "nice" ones with heavy weapons.

I hope PMOI does phone

me because I got something to say. That is MEK has no business being in Iraq. They must disarm and go immediately.

There is no reason why Rajavi should matter. Iraq is a sovereign nation. They are under no obligation to have an armed foreign military group on its land. MEK has to understand they have overstayed their welcome. Pack up and go to wherever accepts them. They have no standing whatsoever to stay there. How would USA or Britain react if there was an armed camp of foreign troops in their territory? How would any nations act? The only time you allow it is if you invited them or you lose a war. 

Iraq has both the right and the power to remove them. If they are sane they will disarm and go. If they are not sane then there will be violence and 100% the fault of MEK. What part of "get out of my sovereign nation" do they not get.

MKO supporters are using White Pages to find telephones and call

December 12 is their rally in front of the White House and they are going page by page in the thousand pages White Pages to find "Iranian sounding names", call them and let them know Camp Ashraf is closing down.

They must sense something that joking around is coming to an end and Camp Ashraf is indeed going to be closed down.

My heart goes out to those imprisoned in Camp Ashraf and I hope a chance will be given to those who want to leave that Camp to leave.  The future is bleak but the pressure should really be put on MKO's leadership.  UN should focus on their leaders and urge them to let them go.

I don't think Iraqis would harm them if they leave that place voluntarily.  UN has got their priorities all mixed up.  Where is their appeal to MKO?  Do they even know MKO's history and the history of Camp Ashraf or are they just being that dumb and duped? 

Everything is sacred

Send them to Saudi Arabia.

Send them to Saudi Arabia. They can help A-rabs to invade Iran.

Dear A.S?

Reason? What reason? Somehow there is a huge shortage of reason in the world, particularly in the M.E. Irrationality and hatred have their heyday. Yeah, many Iraqis would love to cut these people up for their past misdeeds. I guess, Iranians would too. Human life has very little value, particularly in that part of the world. Just think---shudder---at the thought of how easily the mullahs string people up from cranes for their purported, often drummed up, crimes. Killing is a popular regional sport. The biggest "fun" for the barbarics is the stoning of women to death. Yeah, some iraquis would have a ball slaughtering a few thousand helpless AGAMS.

Why are the MEK/MKO/PMOI spending Millions in U.S.?

While their own people are effectively homeless. I say, send them to Israel, where they belong...after all that is who is funding them.

Iraqis can not be faulted for wanting this last remnant of Saddam Hussein out of their country - people that cooperated with Saddam to gas the Kurds, people that cooperated with Saddam on "internal security" matters. Why should the people of Iraq give them anything (shelter, land, an army base)? Why?

Let them live in Israel - their current paymasters.

Alarming appeal!

It seems no progress has been made in this matter. A non-violent relocation will take the cooperation of the Rajavis and they're not on board. Bahram G, is there reason to expect that the Iraqi government will harm the residents if they peacefully march out to other host countries before the deadline? 

It is rather Fugly...

How these bunch have been used and abused by MEK leadership, Iraq, IRI and the lack of a responsible policy/approach by the West and maintaining this group in their back pocket for the future use.

These bunch need to be rescued, first from themselves and their leadership by de-programing them from their years of brainwashing and then from the criminal entities who want to either fry them for their past or use them as a bait.

 'Hambastegi' is the main key to victory 

Mehrdad

You are talking

To KHOL va KHOLTAR. There is a lot of bad blood there. The Iraqis in charge love to decimate these remnants of Saddam. They get a large measure of revenge, a very prized trophy with the Arabs, and score points with their Tehran bosses. And the camp ashraf prisoners are the victims, no matter how you look at it. They are the helpless pawns of the rajavis and no one really cares about them all that much. A very sorry and sad situation.

I hope the Iraqis listen

If the Iraqis don't extend their end-of-the-year deadline it's going to be a tragedy. I home the UN and the international community put pressure and drill some sense into the Iraqis. And the Rajavis must cooperate fully with UN and avoid any agitation.

Look who I'm talking about... the Iraqi government and the Mojahedin! It's ugly.

Good luck!