Iraqi Forces Storm Iranian Dissidents in Iraq

Press Release Contact: Prof. Raymond Tanter
For Immediate Release 202-249-1142
28 July 2009 rtanter@iranpolicy.org

Tehran Seeks to Divert Attention from its Oppression in Iran
As Injuries and Deaths Mount in Iraq, the Obama Administration
Could be Implicated in Human Rights Violations

Washington, DC—On Tuesday, 28 July 2009, Iraqi Security Forces stormed the residents of an enclave in Iraq where unarmed Iranian dissidents have been living under the protection of U.S. military forces until such protection for their security transferred to the Government of Iraq at the end of 2008.

According to IPC President and former member of the National Security Council Staff at the White House, Professor Raymond Tanter, “As the continuation of demonstrations and resultant suppression by the Iranian regime divide the clerical leadership and show its weaknesses, the ruling clerics have persuaded their proxies in the Iraqi Security Forces to attack unarmed Iranian civilians in Iraq. But the schisms that divide the clerics will not close by shifting the arena from Iran to Iraq.”

Prof. Tanter continued, “After all the American blood spilled and U.S. treasure spent on the transformation of Iraq into a moderate American ally in the Middle East, it would be the height of irony if the Obama administration remained silent in face of the humanitarian tragedy that is unfolding in Iraq with the assault of Iraqi Security Forces on unarmed Iranian dissidents.”

According to General Thomas McInerney (Lt Gen, US Air Force Ret, Chair of the IPC Advisory Council), “When armies attack unarmed noncombatants, those who conduct the operation, those who gave the order, and those who transferred responsibility may be subject to being prosecuted for committing war crimes.”

Gen. McInerney continued, “The Obama administration may be ultimately prosecutable for dereliction of its responsibility to make sure the Iraqi Security Forces treat those formerly under U.S. protection in a humane fashion. As the Iraqis attack Iranian dissidents, it opens the door to prosecutable offenses on the part of the Obama administration.”

According to MG Paul Vallely (US Army Ret, IPC Advisory Council), “Now that Iraqi Security Forces have responsibility for protecting Iranian opposition Camp Ashraf and some 3,000 plus Iranian residents, the Iranian regime’s modus operandi clearly suggests that there will be increased assaults on the unarmed civilians by uniformed soldiers on orders from Tehran.”

Gen. Vallely continued, “At the time that Tehran is attacking its own citizens on the streets of Iran and promoting violence by its proxy Hamas in Gaza, it is also continuing to fill a political vacuum in Iraq as the United States forces are gradually drawing down. As well, Iran is moving closer to having deployable nuclear weapons and now is not the time for the United States to make concessions to the Iranian regime and its Iraqi proxies by turning a blind eye to assassinations of innocent Iranian civilians in Iraq.”

According to R. Bruce McColm, President of the Institute for Democratic Strategies, IPC Board of Directors, “The Fourth Geneva Convention protections of the people in Camp Ashraf and declarations of Amnesty International dictate that unarmed Ashraf inhabitants should not be attacked by the uniformed military of Iraq.”

McColm states, “The residents of Ashraf, Iraq were awarded protected persons status by the United States in 2004. In this respect, such attacks are incompatible with the Fourth Geneva Convention, international humanitarian regulations, and other international laws.”

McColm concluded that, “Because the United States military has played a monitoring role over the Iranian dissidents to ensure their security as ‘protected persons,’ Washington could be implicated in any war crimes human rights violations that befall them as they are assaulted in their homes.”