Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I think that pretty well sums it up. A U.S. court told the State Department that it had examined the reasons the State Department have given in litigation on the issue and found them inadequate. That happened a year and a half ago. They told the State Department to reconsider or get them off the list.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  The animosity underlying it is traceable entirely to the Iranian government. It has increasingly pressured the al-Maliki government to dispose of these people who are, in essence, a bone in their throat. They've been there for a while. They call attention to themselves. They call attention to the depredations of the Iranian government.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  It's all of the above. I think the first order of business is to extend the deadline. There is no reason for the deadline, other than a decision by the Iraqi government that it's the deadline. Second is for United Nations blue helmets to be in place in Ashraf so that the Iraqi government doesn't go in there again, as they did on two prior occasions.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  They were listed initially as a terrorist organization back in the 1990s, essentially as a sop to the Iranian government in the belief that it would help the U.S. government curry favour with the Iranians. They had taken violent action against the Shah's government back in the seventies.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Well, you have access, as does the United States, to international organizations, including the United Nations and the High Commissioner for Human Rights, to pressure the Iraqis, even to put the matter before the Security Council if necessary so as to interpose an armed force and prevent any further carnage.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  First, I'm grateful to the committee and the subcommittee for hearing me on this issue. Obviously, I don't know what proceedings you've had with respect to Ashraf up until now, but I will begin by stating that there are approximately 3,400 women and men in Camp Ashraf. They are Iranians, members of an organization called MEK, Mujahideen-e-Khalq, who are opposed to the current Iranian regime and have opposed it consistently.