Struggle for a new home

Blacklisted a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) whose activities are banned in the US, MKO has initiated a propaganda blitz there along within a number of European countries to draw attention for the protection of Camp Ashraf, its main cult bastion located in Iraq that houses majority of its captivated members. Reportedly, the cult’s sympathizers residing in the US, have gathered before the Wight House to call for guaranteeing Ashraf residents’ rights granted only by the US following the invasion on the claims of war on terrorism. However, terrorists were the firsts to come under the invaders’ protection rather than the Iraqi people. Emboldened by the given protection, the terrorist MKO is combating versus the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s earlier announced decision to expel it from Iraq according to the Iraqi Constitution and in an attempt to uproot terrorism there.
Evidently, the group’s harsh reactions have even jeopardized Iraq’s internal and national security to some extents. Its own threatening tone and some of its advocated inside and outside of Iraq against the taken decision is just a repetition of MKO’s hostile attitude shown at the inception of its armed phase after the 20 June event in Iran. Regardless of MKO’s potentialities to onset yet another military phase in spite of trying to be taken off the terrorist lists, MKO is doing its best to convince the Iraqi government to consent to its stay in Iraq in a peaceful way.
Supposedly, after Saddam’s fall, Mojahedin’s presence in Iraq has no rational justification. Getting advantage of the chaotic situation in the region, MKO’s leadership in 1986 moved the organization’s headquarters to Iraq which was considered an opportunistic decision at the time for some reasons and to achieve desired objectives. The main strategic goal for both MKO and Saddam on which the two were making the alliance was overthrowing the newly formed Islamic regime in Iran.
MKO believed that the alliance with Iraq could play a decisive role to alter the course of the war that was threatening the invader himself. The Iraqi soil offered MKO the opportunity to form the Liberation Army so it could stage cross-border attacks at the right time. Closeness to Iranian borders could facilitate it for the supposed sympathizers to join the group more easily and, on the other hand, the operational teams could easily penetrate to launch terrorist operations. A well equipped army with Saddam’s logistics as well as political and financial support was enough to keep MKO bound to Iraqi soil since the organization had concluded it was impossible to overthrow the Iranian regime from within the country.
Saddam’s fall frustrated their political arithmetic all. The possible regional transformation and Mojahedin’s disarmament on the one hand and Iraq’s internal, political transition as well as the new government’s policy to establish friendly, cooperative ties with the neighbors on the other hand led Mojahedin to isolation to desperately wait an unknown future. But the protected status granted to Mojahedin by the coalition forces offered them a prolonged opportunity to stay in Iraq until a final decision was made or they would be transferred to a third country.
No country has yet accepted to receive Ashraf residents although the group is delisted from the UK and the EU terrorist lists. It is only a matter of legal enforcement and the very same countries are well aware of the group’s terrorist nature and thus, they will actually avoid letting it roam in the streets of their countries to jeopardize their social-political security.
The only hope for MKO is the US that has already taken it under its protection. Will the US’s new president assent to wear the same hypocritical mask that had become a precedent before his presidency? Especially at such a critical juncture he claims to be after a total political change in ties with Iran. Let’s wait to see how sincere the new administration is in its slogans. Besides, it has a responsibility towards its people to accomplish, that is to say, to protect them against terrorism. It will be much absurd to chant slogans of war on terrorism while the real terrorists receive full protection and promises of going to live next door as neighbors of American citizens.