Attack on Asraff - Comments from the Field
Since the American invasion of Iraq in 2003, the refugee camp at Ashraff has been home to roughly 3,000 residents, who have been living under U.S. protection. Although there is still a US presence at the camp, its protective role came to an end when the Iraqis took control in January.
The civilians living in the camp are Iranian ex-patriots and members of an Iranian opposition group, known as the Mujahedeen-e Khalq (MEK), who have played a very big role in providing the U.S. with intelligence on Iran's nuclear program.
According to CBS, "
The MEK have lived in Camp Ashraf - a quiet community featuring fountains and manicured gardens - for decades, providing intelligence on Iran. The Iranian government wants them expelled and accuses them of being involved in the recent unrest in Iran."
Last week, Iraqi police mounted a vicious attack on this camp of civilians. Although it has been impossible to verify the numbers, because the camp has been sealed off by the Iraqi government, it has estimated that at least 11 people were killed, hundreds more injured, and 30 arrested.
Our source, who is stationed at Camp Grizzly, which is located 60 kilometers north of Baghdad, wrote in an email: "Yes they [gave them Asraff]! All I can say in this email is we heard a LOT of gun fire when it happened, I was coming back from the gym and heard the yelling and gun fire, I knew something was up. We are still here on base, we had a couple striker units move in so the population [here] has grown to 800-900." F.O.B. Grizzly, Ashraf, Iraq
A colleague commented on the email: "The significance (in my opinion) is that F.O.B. Grizzly is within "shouting distance" from Ashraff and has (and had at the time of the attack) a resident population of USMC and two (2) Stryker units with total numbers nearing 1000 US combatants. . . . We had the capability to prevent what happened but not the POLITICAL will."
The use of police or military force against unarmed civilians is unconscionable. That we had forces on hand who were not allowed to stand up to protect them, is mystifying and deeply disturbing.
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