Gambling with terrorism

Some in U.S paving ground for another round of violence


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Gambling with terrorism
by Reza Nasri
04-Sep-2011
 

If the ultimate goal of delisting the MEK is to create a political entity with military capacity that could come into play when push comes to shove with Iran, then we’re in for yet another foreign policy disaster.

If anything, the whole 9/11 ordeal revealed in a spectacular way that enhancing an extremist organization and tactically allying with it in order to gain strategic advantage over a bigger foe is not necessarily the best long-term policy. Terrorist groups and indoctrinated cults (regardless of how they’re designated) don’t make loyal friends. That’s now a historically proven fact. You could use them for short-term gains –just as you did with Afghanistan’s Mujahidin in early 1980s against the Soviet Union - but once they grow strong, they’ll go by their own twisted agenda.

Certainly, an unethical dogmatic cult like the MEK - which has the capacity of instructing its own members to self-immolate in support of their leaders - a cult that went as far as fighting alongside the troops of Saddam Hussein when he invaded its own country’s territorial integrity - is much less principled and predictable than some hawkish American politicians wish it to be. You may see a potential ally in the fiery group for the time being, but it’s utterly naïve to think that an ideological political formation that took up arms against its own people at a time of war would stay loyal to anyone or to any noble principle it pledges to uphold.

The truth is that enhancing the MEK from a ghostly Marxist-Islamist terrorist organization on the verge of dissolution to a dangerously consequential actor in the inflammable region of the Middle East would most likely be a risky decision that future U.S governments, along with moderate political and ideological forces in the region, will wholeheartedly regret. If left alone, the MEK would probably gradually fade away in the maze of history and spare future generations the hassle of combatting yet another fanatical force. If boosted and unleashed however, there would be no guarantee that anyone – including the U.S - would be able to exercise any sort of moderating influence on it. The risk is for Hilary Clinton to take. She could play it safe, call the terrorist group what it is and contain it until it’s dissolved. Or she could boost it up, let it loose and watch it in action.

The Secretary of State should bear in mind though that in its present miserable form, the MEK is one of the staunchest forces against peace and non-violent resistance among all other Iranian political groups. Not yet delisted, the MEK is perhaps devoting as much time and resource combatting and weakening the voices of non-violence within the Iranian opposition– such as the indigenous Green movement - as it is “fighting” the Iranian regime. It suffices to take a quick look at the MEK’s online media, TV programs and propaganda machine to see the level of hatred and resentment that this group spurs toward the very notion of “non-violence” and civility in political struggle (although the English version of its media productions aimed at a Western audience are much more “peaceful” than its Farsi ones).

So there should be no doubt in her mind that if the MEK’s capabilities and credibility are enhanced through recognition by the State Department, it would not hesitate to unleash all its newly gained impetus to suffocate all voices of rationality and plant the seeds of a new form of extremism that future generations of Iranians, Middle Easterns and Americans would have to deal with.

It is a pity to see that at a time where the Arab spring is promising a new era of rationality and prosperity in the tormented region of the Middle East, some forces within the U.S are yet again paving the ground for another round of violence to emerge.


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more from Reza Nasri
 
Reza Nasri

Dear Fred et al.,   I

by Reza Nasri on

Dear Fred et al.,

 

I am not a member of any of the organizations you named. Although I really recognize and appreicate what NIAC is doing for the Iranian community. The fact that CASMII has published my previous article (as many other websites did) do not make me a member of the organization. Just like you, they googled my name and wrote that outdated biography of mine as the Editor's note.

To avoid more speculations, for those who want to know, I am currently an academic at the international law unit of the Graduate institute of International and Development Studies. "Roads to peace" was an organization i co-founded years ago when George Bush was President and when like many iranians, i decided to become more active in combatting his war-oriented policies againt my country. i still oppose war, comprehensive sanctions, and any measure that could hurt my people and hinder their path toward a homegrown democracy.

 

But... 

   I wish you had disscussed the merits of my arguments instead of googling me to find "SOMETHING" to smear me with. What you did goes against the elementary rules of a respectful public debate.  

Good luck to all.  


Fred

The connection

by Fred on

 Alex Patico the co-founder of NIAC Lobby was/is the number 2 man in CASMII lobby as well

Six members of CASMII’s founding board in 2006 (the majority at the time) came from NIAC or Parsi’s former organization, “Iranians for International Cooperation” (IIC).

These were Mohammad Ala, S. Mostarshed, A. Patico, M. Navab, J. Fakharzadeh, and D. Pourkessali. http://www.campaigniran.org/casmii/

The connection between NIAC Lobby and Casmii Lobby is well established.

http://www.honestly-concerned.org/Temp/Document5-CASMII.pdf

 


Faramarz

MM

by Faramarz on

I must have used NIAC as a generic term for NIAC/CASMII and the "Grand Bargain/Reform" crowd. Do you find any problems with my argument or just the NIAC designation of the author? They all seem to be going to the same place.


Oon Yaroo

Worse than NIAC, Reza Nasri in CASMII

by Oon Yaroo on

 http://www.campaigniran.org/casmii/

Editor's note: Reza Nasri is an international lawyer and the co-founder of "Roads to Peace," a foundation that aims to facilitate the Iran-US rapprochement through "people-to-people" diplomacy. He was a counsel at the "Clinique Internationale de Défense des Droits Humans" in Montreal, Canada, through which he has cooperated on various research projects with the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) in Paris.


AMIR1973

If/when files of IRI Intelligence Ministry are opened...

by AMIR1973 on

I daresay one may find some interesting links between various IRI organs, outfits, and front organizations and the Grand Bargainistas-"Rapprochement" lobby and individuals...


Fred

The business of rapproachment

by Fred on

Reza Nasri is the "co-founder " owner of a 501(c)(3) tax exemption outfit,  just like the NIAC Lobby and its lifetime president who is also a  "co-founder"  of a  501(c)(3) tax exemption lobby.

Nasri's outfit has  essentially the same mission as NIAC Lobby. " a foundation that aims to facilitate the Iran-US rapprochement"

http://www.roadstopeace.com/about-rtp/about-us

http://hir.harvard.edu/article-authors/reza-nasri


MM

is Reza Nasri part of NIAC?

by MM on

Why are you all connecting this article to NIAC?  This is very interesting that if someone speaks against MEK, then (s)he is part of NIAC!

As little Fereydoon would say: "tabreek"


Faramarz

Another Fatwa from NIAC Leadership!

by Faramarz on

NIAC is good at saying what they are against under the guise of their love for the motherland, but they are not as forthcoming about what they for; for example getting rid of this Regime that has committed so many crimes against the Iranian people in the past 33 years and has brought war and devastation.


They also call themselves a lobby group for the Iranian-Americans and our interests. As a proud Iranian-American, I took the time and tried to find out what the pressing issues with Iranian-Americans are.


Well, I found out that the Iranian-Americans have the same issues as the rest of Americans. They are worried about their jobs/economy/healthcare/retirement and are worried about their aging parents and their kids in school, drugs and crime and all those other issues that we all know about. Obviously, NIAC does not do anything to deal with those issues.


We also worry about what is going on in Iran with the detention, the torture and the killing of the Iranians by the Regime and want democracy and the rule of law. NIAC, while paying lip service to the human rights issue, does not really go anywhere near placing the blame squarely on the Regime, Rahbar, Sepah and Basij. Instead it has created an alternative narrative of war, AIPAC, Zionist, disintegration of Iran, etc.


To me, NIAC is a narrow lobby group of a few hundred people who are brought together by strong feelings towards Arab/Israeli issue, “penis envy” towards AIPAC, a desire to fly directly from New York to Tehran on brand new Boeing 787’s, business interest in Iran and a genuine hatred of the West because of Bush and Cheney policies in Iraq.


The future of Iran and Iranians are always subordinate to these other items.


Roozbeh_Gilani

Oxymoron: "MEK from a Marxist-Islamist terrorist organization"

by Roozbeh_Gilani on

I believe that last Pahlavi Shah also dismissed and suppressed all the opposition to his dictatorisl rule as "Marxist-Islamists". Well, we saw the outcome of that, a popular Revolution hijacked by a bunch of terrorist thieves who are certainly not marxist, and by most account not even Moslems, leading us to what we have today, this islamist so called "republic"

The very fact that 32 years on , still someone from an irrelevant organisation (NIAC) is using this oxymoron terminology of "marxist-islamist", in order to discredit another irrelevant organisation (MEK), tells us something about this whole niac/MKO cat fight and the people behind it... 

"Personal business must yield to collective interest."


Shazde Asdola Mirza

Thanks NIAC for keeping us focused on what matters for IRAN!

by Shazde Asdola Mirza on

Dear NIAC:

Many thanks for keeping us focused on what really matters for Iran ... day ... after day ... after day!

http://www.iranian.com/main/blog/tapesh-604


Bavafa

Excellent analysis about the nature of this cult...

by Bavafa on

And the possible consequences of a misguided approach by legitimizing this treasonous group which will have long lasting and disastrous affect not only for any possibility of freedom and democracy in Iran but also for the future of US as a whole.

'Hambastegi' is the main key to victory 

Mehrdad