[Khashayar]

Despite the U.S. State Department having designated the Iranian MKO (Mujahedin Khalq Organization) as a terrorist group, some administration hawks nevertheless think that its members could be useful as the Bush administration pressures Iran over its nuclear weapons program.

At the Ashraf camp south of Baghdad, U.S. forces have confined 3,850 MKO members since the invasion of Iraq in 2003, largely because the MKO were once Saddam's allies against Iran during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War and were thus seen by the U.S. military as unreliable.

But now some members of the Bush administration, notably in the Pentagon and CIA, are seeking to recruit useful MKO members to operate in or simply to pressure Iran -- even as it insists that it does not deal with the MKO as a group.

Some Pentagon policy planners are hoping a corps of informants can be selected from among the MKO at Ashraf, trained as spies and then be infiltrated back into Iran to gather intelligence, particularly on Iran's nuclear activities.

One MKO official complains, "They (want) to make us mercenaries." The MKO has its roots in Marxism.

Its former role in terrorist attacks dates back to its support for the U.S. embassy takeover in February 1979.

During the 1970s, when the shah ruled Iran, the MKO assassinated U.S. military and civilian personnel working on defense projects.

[Khashayar]

I am an Iranian student and I'd like to speak loud on the US-MEK cooperations,

I'd rather live under the Mullahs and their oppression than seeing the MEK in power in Tehran

I'd rather defend the Mullahs than standing with the MEK terrorists to be named as a so-called fighter.

I'd rather have Mullahs than MEK in power.

And I would like the US to hear our words...

STOP SUPPORTING AND USING MEK terrorists.

[jsmith48]

The debate has echoes of the fight two years ago over Iraq, and some critics are saying the administration is making the same mistake -- relying on dubious intelligence sources to justify the case for overthrowing a hostile foreign government

You've got to be kidding me....

Iraq was a relatively minor player when it came to exporting terror, so I can understand some dissent.

But is there ANY case for exonerating Iran? Iran has had a butt whooping coming for a loooong time.

[StoneGiant]

From your profile:

I think we will never forgive Carter for his dirty deeds, he is the main reason for all miseries of Iran and the USA in the past 26 years!!!



Carter has to be one of the worst Presidents we've ever had; by electing him we performed a great disservice to not only ourselves but also our allies.

[Southack]

"some critics are saying the administration is making the same mistake -- relying on dubious intelligence sources to justify the case for overthrowing a hostile foreign government."

Overthrowing a hostile government is not a mistake.

Now, as for Iran...first we negotiate, then we blockade. Let the internal pressure for change build.

Introduce enough pressure and they'll beg for an American solution.