Posted on 03/04/2011 5:17:30 PM PST by nuconvert
Former Indiana Congressman Lee Hamilton (D) and former CENTCOM Commander Anthony Zinni told the Inter Press Service that they were paid to appear at recent events supporting the MEK, an Iranian opposition group currently considered a terrorist organization by the State Department.
Hamilton and Zinni are among the many big time former government officials and military leaders who have appeared at recent pro-MEK events sponsored by a group called Executive Action, LLC. (The events true organizers remain unclear, Executive Action's CEO Neil Livingstone would only tell TPM they included Iranian American groups.) Speakers at the events have portrayed the MEK as critical to any chance of regime change in Iran.
Hamilton, who once chaired the House Foreign Affairs Committee and was a co-chair of the 9/11 Commission, told reporter Barbara Slavin he was paid "a substantial amount" to appear at a panel in Washington D.C. in February. Zinni, who spoke at a similar event in January, said he had been paid his "standard fee," without detailing what that is.
According to Slavin, both men said they were unaware of the cultish elements attributed to the MEK. The State Department's 2008 Country Reports on Terrorism, for example, reported the following
(Excerpt) Read more at tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com ...
Methyl Ethyl Ketone?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2683882/posts
discussing this article:
What’s Behind the Campaign to Delist the Mujahedin al-Khalq Organization?
Quote:
"A growing number of former U.S. officials — both Republicans and Democrats — have hopped on the bandwagon to demand that the State Department delist the Mujahedin al-Khalq Organization (MKO) from its list of terrorist groups.
I consider the MKO a terrorist group for good reason. There is no doubt that the MKO has targeted Americans, and no amount of slick public relations should erase that. During my time in Iran, it was clear that while Iranians respect the United States and have little good to say about their own government, they all detest the MKO."
Merman, Ethel, Kareoke?
meant to do that. Thanks
No problem.
I was totally unaware of this group.
Besides the money, why do you think the Washington types are promoting them?
They seem to be backed by Iranian exile groups here in the U.S.
Were they connected with the Shah in any way?
“Were they connected with the Shah in any way?”
They were involved in getting rid of the Shah and were on Khomeini’s side until they had a falling out. Many were then killed by Khomeini and most others fled Iran.
“They seem to be backed by Iranian exile groups here in the U.S.”
They are NOT backed by Iranian exiles in the U.S. in any great numbers. Quite the opposite...they are despised by most exiles. They always greatly inflate the number of members they have, and pay people off the street -indeed bus them in- to attend their rallies to make their numbers appear larger.
“Besides the money, why do you think the Washington types are promoting them?”
Mostly, because they are ignorant, as Lee Hamilton admitted. And those with some background information on MEK, think that they can be used to help bring down the Iranian regime...which is also ignorant. They would be slaughtered in Iran not only by the regime, but by the people. If the U.S. sides with them, we will lose the pro-American sentiments that most Iranians have today.
I suggest reading this, it’s excellent...
http://www.michaelrubin.org/968/monsters-of-the-left-the-mujahedin-al-khalq
This piece is from 2003, but it provides good background into the group and what life is like for members....
The Cult of Rajavi
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/13/magazine/13MUJAHADEEN.html
The only remaining question is are they crack hoe’s, (cheap) or high class escorts that make lots of money off their services..
“This could be an exercise to convince Tehran that the U.S. plans to de-list the MKE and support them in a campaign of chaos inside Iran. This would turn the MKE into a bargaining chip the State Department could use to get concessions.”
They would be fools to think that. The regime knows that the Iranian people also hate MEK, and that MEK would be slaughtered. If the U.S. sides with MEK, we will lose the pro-American sentiments that most Iranians have today.
(Chaos means nothing to the regime; in fact if you’re waiting for the Mahdi, you welcome it.)
Listing or de-listing will not get concessions from the regime.
I agree. Thanks for the link.
Are there any policy makers arguing against supporting this group?
“Merman, Ethel, Kareoke?”
Nice! Hadn’t thought of that approach!
There always have been, but I don’t know what the count is now.
Reagan and Bush 41, as well as Israel, aided both sides in the Iran/Iraq war. This suggested a strategy to prolong the war and to maximize the damage to both belligerents.
“Reagan and Bush 41, as well as Israel, aided both sides in the Iran/Iraq war. This suggested a strategy to prolong the war and to maximize the damage to both belligerents.”
It wouldn’t be prolonged much, and the Iranian people would be united with the regime against the MEK....that’s not a desired a effect. Neither is having the previously pro-American Iranian people angry & turning against the U.S. for supporting the slaughter that will certainly occur.
“Everything you say makes perfect sense which is why I was looking for some rationale in Zinni and others to be flirting with this bunch.”
If you find one, let me know. The only thing I can think besides ignorance is desperation. It’s also possible, that they’ve been hoodwinked by MEK and believe their lies about having tens/hundreds of thousands of followers in Iran.
That's too butanone for me.
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