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The MeK is a secular alternative -- they deserve our benign support at least

Reader comment on item: Washington Puzzles over the Mujahedeen-e Khalq
in response to reader comment: Regarding Mujahideen-e Khalq

Submitted by Charles Martel (United States), Aug 13, 2009 at 11:20

I'm sure the MeK have numerous faults, but even if they are 90% communist (probably an exaggeration but I don't know) I would rather have a Communist Iran than a Moslem Iran.

My guess is they are a Persian counterpart to Baathists or FLN or Fatah or Nasserists -- secular nationalists who believe in socialism and scorn Islam but have to accept it is part of their constituents' values. (I would invite Daniel's brief comment on that -- I admit I don't know.)

During the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, I was puzzled by India's lack of cooperation with the US, but an Indian official said "We would rather have a Communist government in Kabul than a Moslem one." Even at that time, I was struck by the potential wisdom of that position -- and I now wholeheartedly embrace it with the Soviets gone.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (17) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
correct me if I'm wrong... [337 words]Peter HerzNov 29, 2011 22:13191314
more on MEK [101 words]Peter HerzDec 1, 2011 05:55191314
revised thinking [147 words]russell wohlfordMar 7, 2013 11:19191314
linkage [8 words]Consul-At-ArmsJun 24, 2011 12:19186743
Arabs need a secular dictator [90 words]MotkeJun 17, 2010 01:11174480
Now, should Israel trust Clinton's umbrella [60 words]Yuval Brandstetter MDAug 12, 2009 11:05160103
Regarding Mujahideen-e Khalq [74 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Debanjan BanerjeeMay 11, 2009 20:51155254
The MeK is a secular alternative -- they deserve our benign support at least [143 words]Charles MartelAug 13, 2009 11:20155254
Remember Mossadeq [121 words]Charles MartelAug 16, 2009 05:34155254
As for Mossadegh... [117 words]Kepha HorNov 29, 2011 21:53155254
Seems to me that Mr. Kepha needs to study history more [369 words]Debanjan BanerjeeDec 4, 2011 11:26155254
Dear Debanjan [227 words]Kepha HorDec 9, 2011 16:49155254
Dear Kepha [743 words]Debanjan BanerjeeDec 10, 2011 12:27155254
2I met these folks [518 words]russell wohlfordAug 24, 2006 11:2053901
Read some history [436 words]The Historian...Nov 19, 2006 12:4953901
response to "The Historian" [1093 words]russell wohlfordNov 22, 2006 02:4053901
Response to "the Historian" [305 words]RSTAug 9, 2009 00:0653901

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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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