Three Democratic representatives are finding themselves the target of public outrage over the experts selected by them to brief Congress regarding the effects of drone strikes in Yemen — experts with terrorist ties and Iranian connections.
The briefing, sponsored by Reps. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), was originally planned to include representatives of the following three advocacy organizations: al-Karama, Reprieve and Just Foreign Policy. All three groups have drawn the consternation of national security watchdogs.
On Monday, the Washington Free Beacon broke the story that Mohammad Al Ahmady, the director of the Yemen branch of Al-Karama, was denied entry to the US due to visa concerns. This denial blocked him from testifying as planned before Congress.
But Al- Karama’s legal troubles run far deeper than this. On Dec. 18, 2013, the U.S. Department of the Treasury froze the assets of both the president and a Yemen representative of Al-Karama following their classifications by the U.S. government as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorists,” in part for aiding al-Qa’ida.
That the Grayson-Lee-Schakowsky staffs failed to take note of — or ignored — public information describing the president of al-Karama as an “Islamist hardliner” who was “critical of women taking leadership positions” is inexcusable. An invitation to the organization should not have been extended even prior to the terrorist designation.
Now concerns are being raised over the other two organizations invited to brief Congress.
Clive Stafford Smith is the founder of Reprieve. Smith, a British lawyer and former Soros Senior Fellow, has invested an entire career defending Louisiana inmates on death row and numerous suspected terrorists locked up at Guantanamo Bay; in fact, Smith even prepared a 50-page legal brief in defense of Saddam Hussein.
Smith’s organization has also been supported by extremist elements within the United Kingdom. For instance, one of the “patrons” of Reprieve, Oscar-winning actress Julie Christie, is also a patron of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, a leading European advocate of the anti-Israel “boycott, divestment and sanctions” campaign.
Quite clearly, Reprieve in no way represents the mainstream of American values. Yet the Grayson-Lee-Shakowsky trio thought it proper to invite this organization as well.
Just Foreign Policy proves to be another radical group as well. The organization prominently features a video provided by the Ploughshares Fund. This “fund” has transferred more than $100,000 to the National Iranian American Council, an entity which has strongly lobbied against Iranian sanctions.
In fact, Just Foreign Policy and NIAC jointly run Iran Media Fact Check. This site argues that “Iran has never threatened to use nuclear weapons,” argues that “many” top Israeli officials do not believe Iran is an “existential threat,” and suggests that a nuclear-armed Iran would not be an “existential threat” to the United States. Furthermore, JFP claims the American Israel Public Affairs Committee is “lobbying for war.” On every issue, the organization lies far outside the mainstream of both the Democratic and Republican parties.
Yet three members of the Democratic House extended an invitation regardless.
That three Democratic members of Congress provided these radical organizations a platform and an implicit endorsement should trouble all citizens, regardless of party. America deserves an explanation from these three representatives. Do they agree with the agendas promoted by al-Karama, Reprieve and Just Foreign Policy? Are they hiding their true ideology from the public? That three entities — operating against U.S. interests — gained credibility through the U.S. Congress is truly a travesty.
