Newsweek: Consider the Source (Cult Terrorists WH Source on Iran)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7902719/site/newsweek/

May 18 - A controversial exile movement cited by President George W. Bush as a source of information on Iran's nuclear ambitions is condemned for psychologically and physically abusing its own members in a new report by Human Rights Watch.

In a document scheduled for public release this week, Human Rights Watch alleges that the Iranian exile group known as Mujahedine Khalq (MEK) has a history of cultlike practices that include forcing members to divorce their spouses and to engage in extended self-criticism sessions.

More dramatically, the report states, former MEK members told Human Rights Watch that when they protested MEK policies or tried to leave the organization, they were arrested, in some cases violently abused and in other instances imprisoned. Two former recruits told the human-rights group that they were held in solitary confinement for years in a camp operated by MEK in Iraq under the protection of Saddam Hussein. MEK representatives in the United States and France, where MEK is headquartered, did not immediately respond to NEWSWEEK phone calls and an e-mail requesting comment.

MEK has long been controversial because of its history of violent attacks in Iran, its relationship with Saddam's regime and its background as a quasi-religious, quasi-Marxist radical resistance group founded in the era of the late Iranian shah. In 1997, the Clinton administration put MEK on the State Department's list of foreign terrorist groups. MEK's U.S. supporters, among whom at one point numbered dozens of members of Congress, charged that the Clinton administration only labeled MEK as a terrorist group as part of an ill-conceived attempt to improve relations with the ayatollahs who currently run Iran. However, the Bush administration added two alleged MEK front organizations to the State Department's terrorist list in 2003.

Caution - by Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball

[Zen Democrat]

1. Looks like Isikoff isn't rolling over for Karl Rove. Interesting.

Wonder what Brit Fume and Limpballs will think of him now?

[Coexist]

2. go get 'em Newsweek

"Never give up, never surrender"

[central scrutinizer]

5. too late, they already rolled over

Too bad Galloway isn't the editor of Newsweek

[Solly Mack]

3. someone isn't taking it lying down...

lolololololololol

[JDPriestly]

9. The tide is turning

It always does. People have forgotten how highly in esteem middle of the road Americans held Nixon. As his lies and cover-ups became more and more apparent, Americans reluctantly admitted that he was a crook. That is what will happen here. Mark my words.

[Voltaire99]

13. Thoughts on Nixon/Bush contrasts...

You may be right, JD, but Nixon's decline also must be placed in context with the Vietnam War and the draft. Suspending judgment of Nixon became harder and harder for the "silent majority" to do as the body count grew.

Bush, for now, is insulated from that concern. With less than 2,000 US troops dead--and none of them draftees--Bush's evasions still don't cost Americans even remotely as dearly as Nixon's did.

Despite his "restoring respect" campaign rhetoric, Bush ironically may be the beneficiary of diminished expectations for the office. Watergate undid Nixon, but its blow to American faith in leaders has left scars in which a figure like Bush can burrow. Hell, people don't even expect presidents to be able to conjugate simple verbs any more. ;-)

There is also the matter of post-9/11 vengeance, so critical to the Iraq war effort and to Bush's war president metamorphosis...

I was at a big box hardware store the other day, and the parking lot was like the walls of a Republican outhouse: nary a car or truck without some sort of "Remember 9/11" or "Support the Troops" or pro-Bush bumper sticker. This contingent--representative of nearly half the country--will be a strong check on criticism of Bush through the lever of war-time nationalism.

[JDPriestly]

14. You make some good points.

Where do you live? It's so different here in liberal Los Angeles where we proudly just elected our first Hispanic, union organizing, very liberal Democratic mayor. You make me feel lucky to be in Los Angeles where people know where there best interests lie.

[Spazito]

4. Ya gotta love Bolton's comments...

"In an appearance before a House International Relations Subcommittee a year ago, John Bolton, the controversial State Department undersecretary who Bush has nominated to become US ambassador to the United Nations, was questioned by a Congressman sympathetic to MEK about whether it was appropriate for the U.S. government to pay attention to allegations about Iran supplied by the group. Bolton said he believed that MEK "qualifies as a terrorist organization according to our criteria." But he added that he did not think the official label had "prohibited us from getting information from them. And I certainly don't have any inhibition about getting information about what's going on in Iran from whatever source we can find that we deem reliable."


They are so....oh, I don't know......Boltonish.

[SpiralHawk]

6. Media Revolt - Bring it on

For truth, justice, and the American way. - SuperHawk

[bluedog]

8. TRUTH IS POWER

Power is TRUTH...........we have both on our side..........

[Frederik]

7. Ha ha

Go get'em, Isikoff!

[katty]

10. bush should be engaging in extended self-criticism sessions

another cult for bush to check out

[Gloria]

11. Exiled Rebel Group Said to Torture Dissidents (Iran/Bush)--Jim Lobe

From the new World Media Watch up now at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical
Tomorrow at Buzzflash.com



1//Inter Press Service News Agency, Italy May 19, 2005

http://ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=28738



EXILED REBEL GROUP SAID TO TORTURE DISSIDENTS


Jim Lobe

WASHINGTON, (IPS) - An Iranian rebel group that is aggressively campaigning for Washington's support as part of a ''regime change'' strategy in its homeland has committed serious abuses including torture and prolonged isolation, against dissident members, according to a leading human rights watchdog.

The group, the Mojahedin Khalq Organisation (MKO), also known as MEK after its Iranian initials, insists that it should lead a U.S.-backed effort to bring what it has termed democratic rule to Iran. Last month, it organised a rally, attended by several powerful Republican lawmakers and billed as the ''2005 National Convention for a Democratic, Secular Republic in Iran,'' at Washington's historic Constitution Hall.

But MKO's own human-rights record during its almost 20 years as an armed group sheltered and supported by former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein belies its professed commitment to democratic rule, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a 28-page report, ''No Exit: Human Rights Abuses Inside the MKO Camps'', released Thursday.

''The Iranian government has a dreadful record on human rights,'' said Joe Stork, Washington director of HRW's Middle East division. ''But it would be a huge mistake to promote an opposition group that is responsible for serious human rights abuses.''

The report comes amid rising tensions between Washington and Teheran focused primarily on U.S. charges that Iran is building a nuclear weapon, a development that President George W. Bush has described as ''unacceptable''.

The U.S. administration has not yet explicitly endorsed ''regime change'' in Iran but hardliners based primarily in Vice President Dick Cheney's office and at the Defence Department have made little secret of their belief that such a policy should be adopted. Their only question is how best to achieve that goal.

MORE

[sabra]

12. take that!

[TexasLawyer]

15. MEK is very important to the Bushco case for war with Iran

Perhaps one of the reasons they wanted to discredit Newsweek and Isikoff.



"Iranian Dissident" Alireza Jafarzadeh is the source for the AP story today that Iran is importing graphite for possible use in making nukes. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=1771369

He is an officer in the MEK.


Mr. Jafarzadeh is a complete political hack with even less credibility that Ahmed Chalabi, if that is possible. He is the "Founder and President of Strategic Policy Consulting Inc," and is a paid Fox News commentator shilling for the RNC. For the right amount of money, Mr. Jafarzadeh (AKA Strategic Policy Consulting Inc) will say any bad things about Iran that his clients want.

He also has links to the terrorist group MEK, a "cult-like" group that certain RW-ers are now saying really isn't all that bad. Here's the link to a DU thread discussing this guy and the MEK.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

Heaven help us if the US government and the commercial media are going to rely on Alireza Jafarzadeh for intelligence on Iran.

Here's a link to his web-site:

http://www.spconsulting.us /

Strategic Policy Consulting, Inc. (SPC) is an independent firm, founded to provide a wide range of consultancy on issues related to terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, Iranian internal and external affairs, as well as Iran’s role in Iraq.

Here are just some of SPC's 2004 "Interviews and Commentaries." All on Fox-- go figure!

Is Iran's Nuke's program more advanced than we thought? (Yes!)
Fox News Live 2/05/05

Who Can Steal the Outcome of the Iraqi Elections? (Iran!)
Fox Commentary 1/18/05

Iran Enemy Number One? (Yes!)
Fox News 12/20/04

Fox News Heartland
Fox News 12/18/04

IAEA Watchdog
Fox News 12/13/04

Special Report with Brit Hume
Fox News 12/02/04

Do Satellite Photos Prove Iran is Creating Nuke Weapons? (Yes!)
Fox News Live 12/02/04

Iranian Intentions? (They're up to no good!)
Fox News 11/26/04
Watch the Video

A Look at Developments in Iran’s Nuclear Program
Fox News with Studio B 11/25/04

An Eye on Iran
Fox News 11/23/04

Eye on Iran
Fox & Friends 11/20/04

Diplomats Say Iran is Producing Nuke Gas
Fox News with Studio B 11/19/04

Is Iran playing a Shell Game Over its Nuclear Capabilities? (Yes!)
Fox News Live 11/18/04

US Intelligence Studies Zarqawi’s Tracks in Iran
Fox News Live with Rita Cosby 10/17/04

How to Prevent Iran from Getting the Bomb?
Fox News with John Kasich 10/02/04

Atomic Anxiety over Iran
Fox News Live 9/12/04

Worries about Iran's Nuclear Weapons Program
Fox News with John Gibson 9/08/04

Iran's Nuclear Concern
Fox News Live 9/06/04

Iran and Nukes
Fox & Friends 8/21/04

The Iranian Factor
Fox & Friends 8/17/04

Iran's Missile Test
Fox News Live 8/11/04

Iran has taken over Iraq's boarder positions
Fox News Live 7/27/04

Iran is closer to getting a bomb
Fox News with Studio B 7/22/04

Iran and Al-Qaeda Link
Fox News with Rita Cosby 7/17/04 (PDF)

Iran's role in 9/11 tragedy
Fox News Interview 7/17/04 (PDF)

Iraq Threatened by Extremists
Fox News Interview 7/05/04


******************
It looks as if SP Consulting can provide full-service war-mongering to whomever crosses their collective palms with sufficient silver. They advertise themselves as qualified to opine upon (demonize) Iran on many fronts. Apparently, Fox uses this outfit to provide their news analysis on Iran, such as it is.

http://www.spconsulting.us/research-speaking.htm

SPC Inc. provides speakers for expert testimony at congressional hearings and briefings; presentations at international economical seminars and conferences as well as lectures at universities and academic institutions.

These presentations and testimonies include the following subjects:

- Islamic fundamentalism and its threat to world peace

- Iranian regime’s role in Iraqi affairs

- Iran’s nuclear weapons program

- Iran’s ambitious missile program

- Iran’s terror network

- Iran’s foreign policy

- Iran’s internal situation

- Policies, composition and nature of the ruling religious theocrats

- Student movement in Iran

- Iranian opposition groups

- Human rights situation

- Plight of women in Iran