Al-Malaf website
March 22, 2009
According to an Arab idiom, ‘There are those who put their baggage on your back to carry for them and then leave.’ There is another expression which says, ‘There are those guilty individuals who try to blame others to cover up their own wrongdoings.”
Today, the National Security Advisor [Muwaffaq al-Rubaie] said in a clear lie that he holds documents showing Iraqi politicians have received money from the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). In response, one may ask: Then why have you waited all this time to reveal it? Obviously, he would not be prepared to admit that he did not have these so-called documents before, but rather obtained them during his recent visit to Tehran, before the cruel and inhumane assault on Ashraf [the residence of the PMOI in Iraq].
He speaks of these documents at the same time as this foolish and inhuman attack aimed to force Ashraf resident out of Iraq, in compliance with the orders of Tehran’s turbaned rulers. The delay in his announcement is due to the fact that the “documents” were being drafted and fabricated in Tehran.
We would like to tell al-Rubaie that defiant Iraqis are like a thorn in his eyes. With such statements, he has solely targeted Iraq’s patriotic politicians, and needless to say, these fake documents and propaganda will not harm them. All Iraqis know that the intention of such provocative remarks and political blackmail is to shut people up, chain their hands, and prevent the people’s protest against the inhumane measures adopted with respect to Ashraf. Therefore, we are not too concerned about either threatening or hailing politicians.
5.2 million of us Iraqis have signed a petition in support of the PMOI. Have all these people received money from the PMOI for expressing their patriotism and free will? The Iraqi people’s support for the PMOI was based on their belief in serving their country and defending higher ideals. If al-Rubaie wants to create fabricated cases against millions of Iraqis, then he can go right ahead. There is an expression that says, “Since you have no shame, you may do whatever you please.” So, you can come up with made-up cases against all Iraqis and convict them, because the 5.2 million signatories were part of the entire Iraqi population. And the Iraqi people would not tolerate abuse against only a portion. But, we must ask, how were such a great number of signatures collected? There are political parties, which have been created in Tehran, and despite having millions of dollars at their disposal, could not even muster 10 signature. We believe that, as Iraqis would say, al-Rubaie “has no shame.”
Was it not al-Rubaie himself who on March 16 issued a statement claiming that the Iraqi government welcomes visits by international organizations to Camp Ashraf? Then, why did the International Committee of Jurists in Defense of Ashraf issue a press release recently stressing that since the start of 2009, Iraq has prevented the entry of twelve international organizations to Ashraf? The committee also released the names of those organizations in its press release.
It is clear that al-Rubaie is threatening Iraqi politicians, especially after reminding them of the “political reforms plan,” on the basis of which no one is permitted to sacrifice national principles for personal tendencies. This plan was signed by all participants in the Iraqi political process, including the ruling factions who are behind the deplorable treatment of Ashraf residents as well as the attempts to expel them.
Rather than trying to punish patriotic Iraqi politicians, if it is indeed in the interests of Iraq, al-Rubaie should begin with himself, because he is accused of receiving money and bribes from the Iranian regime. There are real documents backing up this claim, with the signature of Karim Shahpour at the bottom, who all Iraqis have heard of. … So, Mr. Advisor, as a sign of wisdom, as long as you’re in a glass house, please avoid throwing stones at others.
