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Use the MEK if possible, but don't support them

Reader comment on item: Unleash the Iranian Opposition[, the Mujahedeen-e Khalq]

Submitted by Charles Martel (United States), Aug 29, 2007 at 14:53

I like secular Moslem-world nationalists/communists for three reasons:

  1. they are the only significant, autochthonous alternative to Islam -- the greatest threat to human freedom in history -- in the Moslem world:
  2. they are less crazy than real Moslems --
    • they don't think Allah is whispering in their ears
    • they tolerate Christians and Jews
  3. their ideology is bankrupt with the collapse of the Soviet Union and the failure of secular Arab nationalism and socialism (Nasserism, Baathism) all over the Arab world (I know Iranians aren't Arab).
Thus, although I don't know anything about the MEK and apparently they have some Moslem taint, I think we should encourage them and see if we can use them but not support them, because that kind of thing has indeed bitten us while trying to use Moslems against the Soviets.
Keep them divided, end of story.

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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".

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