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Length: 6:15
JOHN ROBERTS: Call it
holy writ in the Middle East: the enemy of my enemy
is my friend. It explains why American forces in Iraq
are now working with Sunni sheikhs who once tried to
kill them. It also speaks to another relationship,
with people that America doesn't exactly like, but
certainly believes it needs.
CNN's Michael Ware has this fascinating inside look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice-over): To the
U.S. State Department, these are terrorists, based in
this sprawling military camp inside Iraq. Yet, in an
American contradiction, they are also protected by
the U.S. military. An Iranian dissident group, they
are the Mujahedeen-e-khalq, or MEK.
MOJGAN PARSAII, MEK V.P., CAMP ASHRAF, IRAQ: The U.S.
military police protects us as protected persons
under the fourth Geneva Convention against terrorist
attacks by the Iranian regime and its agents.
WARE: While U.S. intelligence hunts and arrests
Iranian special forces said to be training and
supplying weapons like these to Shia militia in Iraq,
the MEK are American allies opposed to the Iranian
regime. Their politics: pro-democracy with a dash of
Marxism and Islamic ideology.
To the U.S., they are valued as sources of much
needed intelligence on Iran's armed forces and
nuclear program.
But under U.S. law, they are listed as a foreign
terrorist organization. Meaning no American can deal
with them. U.S. banks must freeze their assets and
any American giving them any support -- even
transport -- commits a crime. Yet their regular
supply runs to Baghdad are given U.S. military
escorts.
PARSAII: The trips for procurement of logistical
needs also take place under the control and
protection of the MPs.
WARE: Military police escorts because as these U.S.
documents show, coalition forces regard them as
protected persons under the Geneva Conventions.
An American two-star general writes that "the
coalition remains deeply committed to the security
and rights of the protected people of Ashraf."
The MEK denies it is a terrorist group. After the
U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003, all 3,800 camp residents,
including a female tank battalion, were questioned by
the FBI or other American agencies. Not a single
arrest was made.
The Red Cross monitors the MEK as a protected group,
insisting they must not be deported, expelled or
repatriated.
So, the U.S. designates the MEK officially protected
terrorists. Despite repeated requests, neither Iran's
ambassador in Baghdad nor the U.S. military would
comment for this story. But Zalmay Khalilzad, former
U.S. ambassador, did.
ZALMAY KHALILZAD, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO IRAQ: We
have a policy that as described, the people were here
from the Mujahedeen-e-khalq as a protected group. One
of our coalition and partner country is actually
protecting the camp where they mostly are, but there
is no change in our policy that the
Mujahedeen-e-khalq, that we still regard them as a
terrorist organization.
WARE: Having fled Iran and operating from Iraqi
camps, the MEK spied on Iran for decades. Their
movement, credited with exposing Tehran's secret
nuclear program. In the 2003 invasion, Green Berets
arrived at their camp to find gardens and monuments,
plus more than 2,000 well-maintained tanks, armored
personnel carriers, artillery, anti-aircraft guns and
vehicles, all quickly surrendered under a cease-fire
agreement, an agreement that also guaranteed their
safety.
PARSAII: Everyone's entry to the camp and his
departure are controlled by the U.S. MP force.
WARE: The MPs haven't approved journalists' entry to
the base, Camp Ashraf, north of Baghdad. Two years
ago, "TIME" magazine photographer Yuri Kozyrev and I
snuck past U.S. sentries to see the camp for
ourselves.
This video recently shot by the MEK shows not much
has changed. And Camp Ashraf remains one of the
best-kept Army facilities in Iraq.
Meanwhile, both Iran and Iraq accuse the MEK of
ongoing terrorist attacks. And the Shia-dominated
Iraqi government wants them out.
"We gave this organization a six-month deadline to
leave Iraq and we informed the Red Cross," says
Iraq's national security minister. "And presumably
our friends, the Americans, respect our decision and
they will not stay on Iraqi land."
The MEK denies launching any attacks and for now,
America is helping them stay.
KHALILZAD: There are counter-pressures, too. There
are people who say, no, they should be allowed to
stay here. And, as you know, around the world, there
are people who have got different views towards them.
WARE: Different views that allow the U.S. to regard
the MEK as both a terrorist group and a potential
source of intelligence on Iran.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: Sun's coming up now in Baghdad. And Michael
Ware joins us live from there.
Michael, what are the chances that the United States
might eventually end up actually arming the
Mujahedeen-e-khalq?
WARE (on camera): Well, that's something to be seen,
John. I mean, in many ways, the Mujahedeen-e-khalq
are a useful barometer of American intention with
regard to Iran. So sensitive is Tehran about their
presence here in Iraq, so sensitive are they about
the American protection being given to being given to
this group, which they see -- which Tehran sees, as
its greatest internal threat, that to even put one
rifle back in the hands of the Mujahedeen-e-khalq
would be so inflammatory, it would be like an
American declaration of war.
ROBERTS: Well, it will be interesting to see how
things go between the United States and Iran. Maybe
that becomes a part of the program.
Michael Ware in Baghdad, thanks very much.