The Washington Post editorial piece Wednesday, advocating State Department's view on Camp Ashraf was misguided.
The State Department has been pressuring the residents of Camp Ashraf and their leaders to relocate to a different location in Iraq without the necessary international guarantees and protections obviously required.
More than being worried about the lives of 3400 residents of the camp, the department is concerned about getting the subject matter out of its hair. The piece is written to cover-up department's lack of action with regards to United States' responsibilities and commitments and instead aims to behead 3400 unarmed and defenseless Iranian exiles in Iraq who once made the mistake of trusting the United States.
The residents, following two massacres in Ashraf, know well not to trust Maliki and his government. They receive considerable international attention in Camp Ashraf and they think they are safer there than any other place in Iraq unless international safeguards and protective force can be provided.
The Department of State cannot expect 3400 residents of Ashraf commit suicide suggesting they to go into a dark alley, where no one can see or hear them, and put themselves at the mercy of Nouri al-Maliki and his Iranian partners while the United States looks away.
The State Department should refer to historical documents about Warsaw ghettos and Armenian massacre to see what happens to those who agree to move peacefully to unknown locations listening to the words of wisdom from apparently concerned but truly misinformed or mal-intended parties.
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