Hersh: U.S. Trained Iranian "Terrorist" Group in Nevada

[KansDem]

Source: Democracy Now!

Investigative journalist Seymour Hersh has revealed the U.S. Joint Special Operations Command has trained operatives from an Iranian opposition group at a secret site in Nevada. Writing in The New Yorker, Hersh reports JSOC began training the Mujahideen-e-Khalq, or MEK, in 2005, even though the group is listed as a foreign terrorist organization by the State Department. The training included intercepting communications, cryptography, weaponry and small unit tactics. The training is said to have ended before President Obama took office. Last month, NBC reported members of the MEK have been involved in the assassinations of five Iranian nuclear scientists.


Read more: http://www.democracynow.org/2012/4/6/headlines/hersh_us_trained_iranian_terrorist_group_in_nevada

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Report starts at 4'45"

[atreides1]

1. Because this worked out so well the last time.

This country never fucking learns...we did this with the Mujahadeen and we got the Taliban...

And the government telling us that this training ended....please!

[kickysnana]

2. What is the term for not being able to learn from your mistakes?

I do know there is always blowback.

[The Second Stone]

3. The Bush people gained power and money from wars

so they love this shit. Take Osama bin Ladin. First he helps further the war against the Soviets. Republicans whip up war rhetoric for political gain and manufacture arms (Halliburton, etc) for monetary gain. Win win for Republicans. Next, after the Cold War, Osama start his own Dr. Evil style war and the Reps do the same thing. They don't kill Osama because they need him for political and manufacturing reasons. So they train the next generation.

[Comrade Grumpy]

4. If I sent a nickel to a designated foreign terrorist organization, I'd be in prison.

But the US military is using our tax dollars to train them?

Did we train the assassins of the Iranian nuclear scientists?

Is it okay for them to do the same thing to us?

On edit: I see this has been discontinued, but payback is still a bitch.

[RitchieRich]

5. Damn, DU makes me feel like I'm on the right

Seems like a better option than open war.

I remember Obama talking recently, citing Libya, vs. the path his predecessors had taken.
... tens of dead are better than millions.

and, after the signing NDAA, do we actually believe this isn't still happening? really?

[frylock]

8. yeh, and using the mujahideen seemed like a better option than open war too

[leveymg]

10. The Soviets had all those nukes, no open war. See, deterrence works. Why should Iran be different?

It occurs to me that there has not been a single invasion of a nuclear power for six decades. But, lots of invasions and open attacks on those that do no have The Bomb. If I were Iran, I would want into that tight little club. Wouldn't you?

[Comrade Grumpy]

12. Uh, more like 20,000-30,000 died in the Libyan civil war.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casualties_of_the_Libyan_civil_war

[RitchieRich]

13. sorry...

just now figured out how to check for replies on my posts.

I'm really not a Red Operative. I was thinking of our battle related deaths, and the people we directly kill (not counting pretending not to notice what we contribute to), as apposed to the total Iraqi dead, for instance. I agree and recognize that far more than tens were lost.

[Owlet]

6. Why are the 'secret sites' always in Nevada? (eom)

[Gibby]

7. More dirty work from the Bush Republicon cabal

Lord save us from the perverted machinations of the Republicans in their work to train and equip our enemies.

Back in the 1980's Ronald Reagan and Oliver North were giving the "evil" Iranians weapons -- that they could use to wound or kill our US sons and daughers.

Why are Republicons always doing evil, dark shit against America?

[gratuitous]

9. Hmmmm . . .

I wonder what the response would have been if Iran, let's just say, had launched an armed unmanned aerial vehicle that fired a missile or two into the JSOC site in Nevada? I've been reliably assured here at DU over the last year or so that that's a perfectly valid tactic when we do it, because we're at war and stuff.

[David__77]

11. The neocons were/are big on lifting the terrorist designation on MEK.

Truth is, MEK still has important capabilities inside Iran. Of course, almost every Iranian views them as terrorists and traitors for siding with Iraq in the war in the 80s. Stupid neocons...