United Press International, By David Amess MP: Unimaginable to say the least; recent remarks made by Ambassador Lawrence E. Butler, a top U.S. State Department official, about the status of 3,400 members of an Iranian opposition group taking refuge in Iraq has left him being labeled mockingly as "Tehran's Butler."
Financial Times, Letters, By Lord Archer of Sandwell and Lord Fraser of Carmyllie: Sir, Your article “Favourite ‘terrorists’ in US focus on lobbying” (July 30) and its complementary piece on FT.com, “Heavyweights back Iranian exile group”, repeat the Iranian regime’s stale allegations against the main organised opposition group People’s Mujahedin of Iran (Mujahedin-e-Khalq) and do a disservice to the Financial Times’ record of unbiased journalism.
The Hill, By David Amess MP: For two decades, the policy of appeasement has dominated the relationship between the West and Iran. Realpolitik was top of the agenda as the Iranian regime’s cronies in the U.S. cloaked as “Iran experts” and analysts recommended offering incentives to the regime in Tehran in return for constructive coexistence with Iran.
The Independent, By Lord Alton of Liverpool: As the world was preoccupied with the ongoing fiscal debate in Washington, DC, important news that could have serious consequences for global security and U.S. national security passed by with little notice. After years of speculation, debate, unconfirmed reports and intelligence, the Treasury Department announced last week that Iran had struck an agreement with Al-Qa’ida, allowing its operatives and facilitators to function there freely.
CNN, By Lord Waddington: The July 5 ruling by the Dutch Appeals Court on the responsibility of the Dutch government for the 1995 massacre of Bosnian Muslims by the Serb army reminds us of one of the darkest stains on recent history. It will not swiftly fade, not least because the massacre could have been prevented if the governments of the time had not been so spineless and devoid of the will to do what was right.
Roll Call, By Lord Clarke of Hampstead: Gen. Hugh Shelton, the former chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, put it politely when he asked recently in the context of a conference in Washington about Ambassador Lawrence Butler’s plan for Camp Ashraf, “What is this man drinking?”
The Evening Standard: A danger of foreign intervention is that you don't always know who you are dealing with. "Rebels" could mean anything. The Libyan opposition look brave to me, but any protest can be hijacked, whether by anarchists in Parliament Square or Islamist opportunists in Libya.
BPCIF: Attacks by Iraqi forces on Camp Ashraf, home to pro-democracy Iranians, have seen 47 residents killed and 1,071 injured leaving the US guilty of ignoring its responsibility to protect residents and prevent these war crimes.
Newsmax, By Lord King of West Bromwich: U.S. President Barack Obama recently said the U.S. stands behind those people in the Arab Spring who have risen up for their inalienable rights, seeking freedom and democracy. After such an admirable pledge, one may expect its essence to shape U.S. policy in the region.
The Church of England Newspaper: The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Douglas Williams, has issued a statement expressing his concern over the situation at Camp Ashraf, the refugee camp in Iraq that houses 3400 Iranian exiles, writes Ed Beavan.
The Church of England Newspaper: The Iranian Community and families of Camp Ashraf residents in London will hold a rally outside the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The Hill, By Brian Binley MP: The situation I set out below might seem imaginary to you, but it is stark reality for a group of Iranian exiles who trusted the U.S. and now are in danger of being slaughtered.