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| Iraq |
| 3,800 Members Of Iranian Opposition Group Held In Iraq |
| 2003-09-12 |
| At least 3,800 members of the Iraq-based anti-Tehran Mojahedin E-Khalq (MEK) Organization are now in the custody of the U.S.-led forces, said General Ricardo Sanchez, Commander of the U.S. Forces in Iraq, Thursday, September 11. "There is no problem with the MEK, because they are now under detention and they have been separated from their combat equipment," he added. That’s nice. Thousands of MEK members, who were stationed in different Iraqi bases some close to the Iranian borders and others in other parts of Iraq, have enjoyed support from the ousted regime of Saddam Hussein. The U.S. troops rounded the MEK forces in a base in north-central Iraq after stripping them from heavy weapons, such as tanks and armored vehicles after the occupation of Iraq. Got their own private camp, do they? General Sanchez denied reports that the MEK have continued to carry out combat operations against neighboring Iran. "That is not correct.. They (MEK) are contained and they are not carrying combat operations.. I can guarantee you that," he said answering a question. Hard to do ops when you’re locked up. Course, the Iranians don’t believe it. Regarding the ultimatum given by the U.S. forces to armed militias in the holy city of An-Najaf to disarm by Saturday, Sanchez said: "There is a very clear policy that has been established by the Coalition Provisional Authority on disarming or the ability to own weapons.. It is that the Iraqi people can have a weapon such as AK-47 (machinegun) in their homes, but they cannot carry the weapons in public without a weapon control card, and that is a policy that we will continue to enforce." "Got to have a carry permit to pack heat." "It is very clear also that our policy as at normal issue will operate independently in this country and if we should encounter militias that is operating independently, then we will take appropriate action." "We got plenty of shovels" On the Honduras troops that were supposed to join the large Spanish force now stationed in southern Iraq and whether they were supplied with enough equipment, General Sanchez said: "Not all of the equipment that was on the original list have been provided, but they have sufficient equipment to enable them to be effectively conducting their operations." "Their guns are clean and they have plenty of ammo." |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #4 They backed Saddam during the Gulf War IIRC, so I'd guess they ain't exactly loved back home (just a hunch like...) IIRC their goal is to turn Iran into a 'Leftist Islamist State' wow, does that mean there'll be real state control over the bonyads? What a great idea, it'll harder to pretend that 'it's nothing to do with us' when cash mysteriously moves from Bonyad X to the Ansar-e Hezbollahi. Plus any nationalisation of clan Rafsanjanis assets has to be welcomed (it's for the good of the people after all...) |
| Posted by: Dave 2003-9-12 6:57:02 PM |
| #3 The MEK is not anti-Iranian because they want democracy or anything like that; they consider the mullahs soft and want Taliban-style suppression of any social or technical advance beyond the 14th century CE, and death for non-Muslims. Well, except for weapons. And TV's for government people. And... ---- ' "There is a very clear policy that has been established by the Coalition Provisional Authority on disarming or the ability to own weapons.. It is that the Iraqi people can have a weapon such as AK-47 (machinegun) in their homes, but they cannot carry the weapons in public without a weapon control card, and that is a policy that we will continue to enforce." ' They are allowed one pistol and one rifle (note, an AK47 may be made or altered to auto-fire, but it is not a machine gun) per person, and businesses much the same, without registration or other paperwork and fees: I think the carry permit is per person, not per weapon. I could wish for some similar law here... I do wonder how one problem was resolved - cabbies complained that their cabs were their places of business so they should not have to pay the permit fee. |
| Posted by: John Anderson 2003-9-12 6:53:18 PM |
| #2 Give 'em to the Kurds. They'll take care of the problem. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2003-9-12 12:42:55 PM |
| #1 Part of me wishes we could use these guys Northern Alliance style but I'm pretty sure they're hated throughout Iran.. |
| Posted by: Yank 2003-9-12 12:22:34 PM |