Sounds like trouble

Submitted by Robert Koslover (United States), May 21, 2003 at 00:49

I just read your article about the Mujahedeen-e Khalq (MEK). Your reasoning sounds logical, and by applying a rule-of-thumb (specifically, anything that State Dept thinks is a good idea is very likely not!) I would reach the exact same conclusion. My only concern is that the basis for your approach sounds a bit too close to "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." The MEK, at least as you describe them, sound like no better than fair-weather friends.

We helped the Afghani Mujahedeen defeat the Russians, but then they turned on us like vipers and gave us 9/11. I don't want to see that happen again. Do the MEK actually support any of our key western values of freedom, liberty, etc? Do they believe in (or even appear to advocate) representative democratic governments, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, the rule of law, and so forth?

Or sadly, could it be that they simply hope to install their own version of a fascist, fundamentalist, or otherwise dangerous, expansionist, and ultimately anti-American government in either Iraq or Iran? Frankly, if they want my help now, but are already planning to kill me later, I have insufficient incentive to support them. I really don't know the answers to these questions, so I sincerely hope that you and others will study them further and help to spread the truth about them, whether it turns out to be favorable or unfavorable to the argument that we should support and/or tolerate their quasi-military activities.

p.s. Congratulations on your recent appointment by President Bush. And keep up the good work!

---

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".