PRNEWSWIRE WASHINGTON, Feb. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Members of Congress, prominent scholars and former U.S. officials called for a speedy and peaceful end to the standoff over the fate of 3,400 pro-democracy Iranian dissidents at Camp Ashraf in Iraq, amid warnings that a failure to quickly and safely relocate them would endanger their lives. "There is a looming genocide that could occur if a number of different things don't go right in the next weeks and months," warned former FBI Director Louis Freeh. "Our goal here is to make sure that genocide does not occur." "This issue is simple, and at this critical time, the U.S. position must be clear and steadfast," added Rep. … [Read more...]
Bi-Partisan Members of Congress, Prominent Former Officials Call for Peaceful Resettlement of Camp Ashraf Residents, Removal of the Dissidents from Terrorist List
February 7, 2012 By
Statement of European-American Conference in the European Parliament
February 7, 2012 By
Statement of European-American Conference in the European Parliament February 7, 2012 A European-American Conference was convened on invitation of the Friends of Free Iran intergroup in the European Parliament on February 7, in relation to the current political situation in Iran and the region, and the necessity of protecting Ashraf residents, members of the Iranian opposition. The conference was presided over by Jim Higgins, member of the European Parliament’s Bureau. Dozens of EU parliamentarians, including Alejo Vidal-Quadras, Vice-President of the European Parliament, Struan Stevenson, head of the Delegation for Relations with Iraq in the parliament, and many prestigious American … [Read more...]
EU Parliament hosts conf. on situation in Iran
February 7, 2012 By
KUWAIT NEWS AGENCY BRUSSELS, Feb 7 (KUNA) -- A European-American Conference was convened at invitation of the Friends of Free Iran intergroup in the European Parliament in Brussels on Tuesday on the current political situation in Iran and the region, and the Ashraf camp in Iraq, The conference was presided over by Jim Higgins, member of the European Parliament's Bureau. According to a statement released by the organisers, dozens of EU parliamentarians, including Alejo Vidal-Quadras, Vice-President of the European Parliament, Struan Stevenson, head of the Delegation for Relations with Iraq in the EP, and many prestigious American personalities such as Howard Dean, former US … [Read more...]
The message we need to send Iran
January 26, 2012 By
FOX News Several years ago, a political leader from the war torn country of Lebanon observed that in his part of the world it is better to be respected than liked. When it comes to Iran, the U.S. is neither. On the contrary, Iran's leadership is hateful and disdainful of Western values and the United States. President Obama, time is running out. It is time to act unilaterally and decisively, and publicly support the democratic opposition in Iran. Following Iranian threats to close the Strait of Hormuz, recent events further demonstrate the impotence of five years of UN Security Council Resolutions and the West’s economic sanctions to stop the Mullahs’ terrorist … [Read more...]
Move Camp Ashraf to Camp Liberty
January 3, 2012 By
THE WASHINGTON TIMES Former U.S. base in Iraq could shelter Iranian resistance until resettlement. Is Iran serious in threatening to block the Strait of Hormuz or is this simply saber-rattling? Whatever the motives, inaction is not an option - not any more. Fearful of the impact of expanded U.S. sanctions, Iran’s first vice president Mohammad Reza Rahimi told the official news agency IRNA on Dec. 27, “If they impose sanctions on Iran’s oil exports, then even one drop of oil cannot flow from the Strait of Hormuz.” This could spell disaster for the whole region as skyrocketing oil prices would wreak havoc on the global economy. In any contingency planning, it is imperative … [Read more...]
Political Turmoil in Iraq – Camp Ashraf
December 26, 2011 By
Fox News "Special Report" with Shannon Bream Special Guests: A.B. Stoddard, Steve Hayes, Charles Krauthammer Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com MICHAEL MUKASEY, FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL: Now these people are in a camp where they are defenseless, and the United States troops have pulled out with the result that they are now at the mercy of the Iraqi government which is really doing the biding of the Iranian government. They've attacked them twice, both times when the U.S., then U.S. Secretary of Defense Bob Gates, was in country. SHANNON BREAM, GUEST HOST: That is former Attorney General Michael Mukasey talking about a group of Iranian dissidents who actually live in … [Read more...]
As U.S. Withdraws From Iraq, We Must Still Keep Our Promise to the Residents of Camp Ashraf
December 13, 2011 By
Fox News Monday, President Obama welcomed Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to the White House with the declaration that U.S. troops were leaving Iraq with “heads held high.” But while administration spin-miesters are promoting the so-called deepening strategic partnership between the United States and Iraq, an emboldened and increasingly defiant Maliki is quickly moving forward with sinister preparations of his own that threaten to jettison President Obama’s mission-accomplished moment. In collusion with the Mullahs terrorist regime in Tehran, the Iraqi Prime Minister is planning a Srebrenica-style massacre of 3,400 unarmed Iranian dissidents living in his country at Camp … [Read more...]
The noose tightens around Iranian refugees at Camp Ashraf
December 12, 2011 By
The Iraqi government has announced that it plans to close Camp Ashraf, home to more than 3,000 Iranian dissidents by the end of the year. But the decision has put the international community in a difficult position. During his visit to the US this week, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has a number of issues on the agenda, primarily the December 31, 2011, withdrawal of all US troops from Iraq. But at Camp Ashraf – home to more than 3,000 Iranian dissidents in Iraq - all eyes are set on whether Maliki’s visit could bring a resolution to a looming crisis over the future of the refugee camp. December 31 also happens to be the deadline set by Maliki’s government to … [Read more...]
Reaching Across the Aisle, Former Governors Call for Urgent Intervention to Save Iranian Dissidents in Iraq
December 3, 2011 By
PR Newswire As December 31 Deadline Nears for American Military Withdrawal, Fate of 3,400 "Protected Persons" Hangs in the Balance WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- At a press conference at the National Press Club, former Pennsylvania Governors Tom Ridge and Ed Rendell urged the Obama Administration to draw a clear line in the sand with the pro-Iranian government in Iraq: lift the approaching deadline for closing Camp Ashraf, home to more than 3,400 Iranian dissidents, refrain from forcible relocation of the residents that could lead to a massacre and allow their resettlement in third countries. The dissidents are members the main Iranian opposition group, the … [Read more...]
Bipartisan Group of U.S. Leaders Calls on State Department to Remove Iranian Dissidents From Terror List, Urges UN to Protect Them
PRNewswire NEW YORK, Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- A bipartisan group of former U.S. political and military leaders is calling for the U.S. State Department to remove a prominent Iranian dissident group, the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran/Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (PMOI/MeK), from its list of terrorist organizations, saying the classification is unjustified and 3,400 Iranian dissidents housed at Camp Ashraf in Iraq cannot be safely resettled until the change is made. "What troubles me is the politicization of the national terrorist list," former Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-RI, said at a conference attended by more than 1,000 Iranian-Americans and community leaders Saturday in … [Read more...]