From Afghan Mujahideen to MKO: A Congressman who rejects no terrorist


Habilian Association
Dana Rohrabacher (born June 21, 1947) is a member of the U.S House of Representatives representing California's 48th congressional district. A Republican, he served as a speechwriter and Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan from 1981-1988.[1]
Prior to working in the Reagan Administration, Rohrabacher served as assistant press secretary to Ronald Reagan during his 1976 and 1980 presidential campaigns.[2] During his tenure at the White House, Rohrabacher played a leading role in the formulation of the Reagan Doctrine.[3] He also helped formulate President Reagan's Economic Bill of Rights, which was a series of policy proposals that Reagan introduced in a speech at the Jefferson Memorial.
After two failed attempts to get elected to Congress, he finally made it in 1988. and he has represented California’s 48th district (Orange County) ever since. He serves on the Foreign Affairs and the Space and Technology Committees, and his notable positions have been his advocacy of US withdrawal from Afghanistan [4], a vote against the 2012 Defense Authorization Act on the grounds that it gave the government the power to detain Americans as well as non-citizens indefinitely, and a vote for the Iraq war which he later came to regret as a “mistake.” [5] He was warned in 2012 by the FBI that Russian spies may have been trying to recruit him to act on Russia's behalf, after he met with a member of the Russian foreign ministry privately in Moscow. [6] Following the ISIS terrorist attacks in Tehran on June 7th, 2017, in which 17 innocent civilians were killed, he suggested that the attack could be viewed as ‘a good thing', and surmised that President Trump might have been behind the coordination of this terrorist attack. [7]
Rohrabacher’s political career is really quite a story. Here is someone who went from being a follower of Bob LeFevre, a pacifist libertarian, to a militant Reaganite who championed the cause of the Afghan mujahideen during the 1980s. As a young libertarian, he was a kind of troubadour, who took his guitar and his ultra-sectarian brand of libertarianism all across California, carrying the LeFevrian message of “autarchy” (i.e. market anarchism mixed with intransigent pacifism) to all who would listen. (Another disciple of LeFevre around this time was Charles Koch.) [8]
Following are some Highlights of Rohrabacher political life.  

 
Freedom Fighter
In 1988, shortly after winning his first term in Congress, Dana Rohrabacher dabbled briefly in another vocation—freedom fighter. With Afghanistan’s anti-Soviet insurgency a cause célèbre for conservatives, he traveled to the front lines. Sporting a thick beard and traditional Afghan attire, the congressman-elect joined up with a rebel infantry unit whose mission included laying siege to a Soviet position.  When Daniel Schulman, a senior editor at the Washington, D.C. bureau of Mother Jones, met Rohrabacher in 2010 at his Capitol Hill office— “adorned with mementos of his Afghan adventures, including a tapestry of the legendary mujahideen commander Ahmad Shah Massoud”—he asked if Dana’d joined the battle. “Let’s put it this way,” Rohrabacher said, a glimmer in his eye. “I didn’t carry a gun—most of the time.” [9]
Supporting Terrorist Groups
If the United States Government were governed by the laws it makes for the rest of us, California Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher would be in prison. More specifically, he would be in open-ended military custody without judicial remedy of any kind. Rohrabacher was among the 230 Congressmen who recently voted to preserve measure permitting the indefinite detention, without trial, of US citizens accused of providing “material support” to al-Qaeda or other terrorist groups. [10] That vote, dealing with an amendment to this year’s National Defense Authorization Act sponsored by Washington Democrat Adam Smith, took place on May 22. In a Twitter exchange a few days later, Rohrabacher publicly admitted to acts that make him a fine candidate for arrest and military detention under the NDAA.
For decades, Rohrabacher has been a prominent supporter of radical Islamist terrorist organizations allied with the CIA – from elements of the Afghan Mujahadeen in the 1980s to the bizarre Iranian Islamo-Leninist cult called the People’s Mujhadeen (or MEK).
Any group “that actively opposes Soviets and Nazis and [radical] Islam is good enough for me,” Rohrabacher insisted in a Twitter message after William Norman Grigg of Pro Libertate Blog confronted him about his record. As it happens, Rohrabacher managed to support a group that actually managed to combine all three of those characteristics. [11]
On July 23, 2001 Rohrabacher was a featured guest speaker at a fundraising dinner in Edgewater, New Jersey for the Albanian-American Civic League, a political front group for the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army, or KLA.  That event took place about fifteen miles from the World Trade Center, where – about six weeks later – thousands of people would be murdered in a terrorist act reportedly carried out by allies of the KLA. [12] 
In the years leading up to the US-led 78-day terror bombing of Serbia in 1999, the CIA cultivated the KLA as an asset, despite the fact that it was recognized as an al-Qaeda-connected terrorist group by the State Department and numerous European intelligence agencies. After the NATO-coordinated bombing campaign forced Serbia to relinquish Kosovo, Washington installed the KLA as the government of the breakaway province. [13]

More recently, Rohrabacher was one of the most enthusiastic supporters of the Iranian MEK, which began its life in 1965 as part of the Soviet-sponsored international terrorist network. During the late 1970s, the MEK carried out terrorist acts in which U.S. citizens were killed.
In 1981, the MEK fled Iran and sought refuge in Iraq, where it allied itself with Saddam Hussein. MEK cadres participated in cross-border raids in support of Saddam’s U.S.-abetted invasion of Iran.
The MEK’s official doctrine, explained Ray Takeyh of the Council on Foreign Relations (hardly an “isolationist” group) in congressional testimony, fuses Islamic “values” with Marxist ideology: “From Lenin they embraced the importance of a vanguard party committed to mass mobilization, and from Third World revolutionaries they took the primacy of guerilla warfare as indispensable agents of political change.”
Following the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the Bush administration rebuffed an offer from Tehran to exchange al-Qaeda suspects in Iranian captivity for MEK operatives in “liberated” Iraq. Since that time, MEK agents have been used to carry out terrorist attacks in Iran, and the group’s sensationalistic claims about the Iranian nuclear program have been retailed by Washington’s propaganda apparatus. [14] Until September 2012, the MEK was inscribed on the State Department’s official roster of international terrorist organizations. Prior to that time, under federal statutes, it was considered a felony to provide “material assistance” of any kind to the organization – which can include agitating for the State Department to repeal the group’s designation as a terrorist organization.


Death wish for those who oppose the torturing of the United States
During an April 17, 2007 hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Human Rights, European legislators and human rights activists offered testimony condemning the Bush administration’s practice of “extraordinary rendition. This is the extra-judicial kidnapping of suspected terrorists, who were imprisoned and tortured within the CIA’s global archipelago of “black sites.” Rohrabacher’s view was that anybody seized and interrogated by the CIA should be considered subject to summary execution without due process – a position that anticipated the Obama Regime’s “targeted killing” program. Rohrabacher’s arrogance and hostility prompted heckling from a handful of protesters in the audience. This, in turn, provoked a bilious eruption from the fetid depths of whatever substitutes for Rohrabacher’s soul: “I hope it’s your family members that die when terrorists strike.” [15]  When Norman Grigg challenged Rohrabacher about that comment, his first reaction was to whine that he is the victim of a “lie the left uses because it doesn’t want to honestly debate the points I actually make.” He then admitted to wishing death on people who opposed Washington’s global system of abduction and torture, which he considers appropriate punishment for such improper thinking. [16]
Seeking compensation from Iraqi nation for the 2003 invasion
During a 2011 visit to Iraq, Rohrabacher – his Chickenhawk plumage on full display – insisted that Iraqis area indebted to the United States for the invasion and occupation that left their country a shattered ruin. Noting that the U.S. is mired in an ever-deepening economic downturn – brought on, in large measure, by decades of militarism and imperial meddling abroad – the Congressman demanded that “some consideration be given to repaying the United States some of the mega-dollars we have spent here…. We could certainly use some people to care about our situation as we have cared about theirs.” [17]
thoroughly trashing a luxurious rental house
In August 2012, Rohrabacher moved out of a luxurious Costa Mesa rental home, stiffing the landlord out of a week’s rent. [18] After moving in, the Congressman had changed the locks and prevented the owner, Robert Polyniak, from carrying out agreed-upon annual inspections. When the landlord’s girlfriend, Darlene Whitsell, finally gained access to the abandoned home, she found that it had been well and thoroughly trashed. [19] “Massive black stains and muck covered the carpet throughout the home,” recounted the Orange County Weekly. [20] “Sticky grime encased damaged, rusted appliances…. Walls inexplicably contained odd holes, nail polish, and some smelly substance that may have been feces…. A second-floor suite used by Dana’s wife, Rhonda, as her bedroom contained a huge, mysterious, lubricant-like stain – something you might expect on the floor of a Hollywood sex club – that had seeped through thick carpet and padding to tarnish a hardwood floor.”
An example of what greeted Dana's landlord. Repairing the damage cost nearly $26,000. Polyniak deducted Rohrabacher’s $6,700 security deposit and sent him a bill for the remainder. A year later, the Congressman – who had already stiffed Polyniak out of a portion of the last month’s rent – filed a lawsuit against the landlord, demanding $21,000 for not refunding his full security deposit.  [21]


Making the Code Pink “Hall of Shame”
On Sept. 17, 2007, the anti-war ladies from Code Pink visited the D.C. office of Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Skipped Vietnam Combat Duty) to present him with a certificate inducting the congressman into their "Hall of Shame." The back of the pink piece of paper detailed an exit strategy for the war for politicians like Rohrabacher, who the activists believe could use some direction. From the Code Pink website: Congressman Rohrabacher has earned induction into the Hall of Shame for: His blind support of the occupation of Iraq; His complete disregard of the Constitution; His repeated attacks on anyone who disagrees with him; His unflagging support of TORTURE. Behind the cut: A YouTube clip uploaded just yesterday featuring the visit to Rohrabacher's office, and some "lowlight" Rohrabacher quotes Code Pink has collected. [22]
Stances on the War on terror and invading Iraq
Here is a sampling of Rohrabacher's public declarations as memorialized by the Congressional Record in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005:
December 19, 2001: "We should liberate Iraq in the same way that we have liberated Afghanistan, now that we have the chance and the opportunity to do so."
September 11, 2002: "The President has wisely suggested that now is the time for us to eliminate the threat that hangs over us [in Iraq] . . . He has committed us to eliminating the dictatorial, fascistic regime of Saddam Hussein. We should not be weary of this . . . The people of Iraq will be waving American flags and dancing in the streets because we will help them build a democratic society."
October 15, 2003: "Many people are talking about and challenging whether or not our military should have been in Iraq in the first place. Let me note that taking care of Saddam Hussein was necessary for America's security and we should applaud our president for making the tough decisions . . . So, I am supporting what we have done."
May 5, 2004: "President Bush has a long-term strategy. This is why we are in Iraq, for example . . . That is the better world President Bush is trying to build. But it must start in Iraq. And if we lose in Iraq, the evil forces . . . will then dominate this planet. And I am here today to applaud the president."
July 20, 2005: "I think it is important for the American people to hold their heads up high, not only about the goals of the war on terror but the way we have conducted it." [23]
Global warming is a liberal plot to “create global government”
During a speech in 2013, Rohrabacher called global warming a “total fraud” designed by liberals who want to “create global government to control our lives.” [25]
ISIS attack in Iran, a “good thing”!
On Thursday, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) praised the recent Islamic State attack in Tehran as a “good thing” and suggested that maybe the United States should work with the militant organization. Rohrabacher’s entire line of reasoning for why the United States should work with a militant group accused of human rights violations and war crimes like ethnic cleansing is astonishing. Here it is verbatim:
    “We have recently seen an attack on Iran, and the Iranian government, the mullahs, believe that Sunni forces have attacked them. This may signal a ratcheting up of certain commitments by the United States of America. As far as I’m concerned, I just want to make this point and see what you think, isn’t it a good thing for us to have the United States finally backing up Sunnis who will attack Hezbollah and the Shiite threat to us? Isn’t that a good thing? And if so, maybe this is a Trump — maybe it’s a Trump strategy of actually supporting one group against another, considering that you have two terrorist organizations.” [26]
The Israeli assassinations were justified
The Israeli elimination of Dr. Abdel Aziz Rantisi was justified, as was the killing of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. [27]
Islam Will ‘Motivate People To Murder Children’
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) during a hearing on Friday said that he believes that Islam as a whole is a threat to the United States, labeling it as a religion that will “motivate people to murder children.” During a hearing he chaired on “Islamist Extremism in Chechnya: A Threat to the U.S. Homeland?” Rohrabacher continually referred to the 2004 Beslan hostage situation — in which Chechen extremists took control of a school in Russia resulting in the death of more than 180 children — as an example of the threat that Islam poses. [28]
Rohrabacher’s defense of the MEK reads like a variation on WWII-era Popular Front propaganda. Insisting that the MEK has “changed,” he points out that “Iran’s Mullahs target [the] MEK [for] death,” which illustrates one occupational hazard of being part of a murderous Islamo-Leninist cult. Those who don’t leap to the defense of the MEK “side with [the] Mullahs,” declares Rohrabacher in a rhetorical flourish worthy of a petulant High School sophomore. Not surprisingly, Rohrabacher is willing to take the side of terrorists as long they direct their violence at people who oppose Washington’s imperial foreign policy. [15]

Sources:
[1] Gais, Hannah (April 14, 2015). "Dana Rohrabacher's No Good, Very Bad Weekend". The Eastern Project. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
[2] May, Clifford D. (1989-05-11). "Washington Talk; Two House Freshmen Reflect Clash of Cultures". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-04-15.
[3] Gais, Hannah (April 14, 2015). "Dana Rohrabacher's No Good, Very Bad Weekend". The Eastern Project. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
[4] Michael Crowley (October 1, 2009). "Dana Rohrabacher, Unlikely Afghanistan Dove". The New Republic. Retrieved 2011-10-02.
[5] Dana Rohrabacher for Secretary of State, Justin Raimondo, Antiwar, December 5, 2016, http://original.antiwar.com/justin/2016/12/04/dana-rohrabacher-secretary-state/.
[6] Damien Sharkov, May 19, 2017, Newsweek, FBI WARNED REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN WHO ARM-WRESTLED PUTIN OF RUSSIAN SPY RECRUITMENT, Retrieved May 20, 2017.
[7] Rep. Dana Rohrabacher suggested that the #ISIS attacks on #Iran could be viewed as ‘a good thing.’, [1], Retrieved June 9, 2017.
[8] Dana Rohrabacher for Secretary of State, Justin Raimondo, Antiwar, December 05, 2016, http://original.antiwar.com/justin/2016/12/04/dana-rohrabacher-secretary-state/
[9] Dana Rohrabacher’s War, Daniel Schulman, Mother Jones, March/April 2010 Issue, http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2010/04/dana-rohrabacher-afghanistan-war/
[10] http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2014/roll234.xml
[11] Why Isn't Dana Rohrabacher in Prison, William Norman Grigg, Pro Libertate Blog, May 26, 2014, http://freedominourtime.blogspot.com/2014/05/why-isnt-dana-rohrabacher-in-prison.html
[12] The New American (4 May 2001). "Rohrabacher Shills for the KLA. Rep Dana Rohrabacher and the Kosovo Liberation Army) (Brief Article)". The New American. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
[13] The Historical US Support for al-Qaeda, William Blum, Foreign Policy Journal, Jan 10, 2014, https://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2014/01/10/the-historical-us-support-for-al-qaeda
[14] Terror delisting the MEK is a cynical sham, Richard Silverstein, The Guardian, Saturday 22 September, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/sep/22/barack-obama-terrorism
[15] "I Hope It's Your Family Members That Die", Ann Wright, scoop, 25 April 2007, http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0704/S00379.htm
[16] Why Isn't Dana Rohrabacher in Prison, William Norman Grigg, Pro Libertate Blog, May 26, 2014, http://freedominourtime.blogspot.com/2014/05/why-isnt-dana-rohrabacher-in-prison.html
[17] ibid
[18] Rohrabacher Comes Clean About Messy Housing Dispute, Warren Rojas, rollcall, Dec 20, 2013, http://www.rollcall.com/heard-on-the-hill/rohrabacher-comes-clean-about-messy-housing-dispute/
[19] OC Congressman Accused Of Trashing $1M Costa Mesa Home, CBS Los Angeles, December 20, 2013, http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2013/12/20/oc-congressman-accused-of-trashing-1m-costa-mesa-home
[20] Dana Rohrabacher Is Dirty, R. Scott Moxley, ocweekly, December 19, 2013, http://www.ocweekly.com/news/dana-rohrabacher-is-dirty-6428829
[21] Why Isn't Dana Rohrabacher in Prison, William Norman Grigg, Pro Libertate Blog, May 26, 2014, http://freedominourtime.blogspot.com/2014/05/why-isnt-dana-rohrabacher-in-prison.html
[22] Touring the Halls of Shame, Codepink blog, September 17, 2007, https://codepinkdc.blogspot.com/2007/09/touring-halls-of-shame.html?m=0
[23] Dana Rohrabacher Again Uses Twitter To Lie About His Terrorism Stances, R. Scott Moxley, ocweekly, May 14, 2012, http://www.ocweekly.com/news/dana-rohrabacher-again-uses-twitter-to-lie-about-his-terrorism-stances-6446994
[24] Member of Congressional Science Committee: Global Warming a ‘Fraud’ to ‘Create Global Government’, The Nation,  August 10, 2013, https://www.thenation.com/article/science-committee-congressman-global-warming-fraud-create-global-government/
[25] Republican congressman praises ISIS attack in Iran, says US should consider supporting ISIS, Think Progress, Jun 10, 2017,https://thinkprogress.org/republican-congressman-calls-isis-attack-in-tehran-a-good-thing-says-maybe-we-should-back-isis-a7e9382dbe1b
[27] Congressman Rohrabacher Comments on the Death of Abdel Rantisi, rohrabacher.house.gov, Apr 20, 2004, https://rohrabacher.house.gov/press-release/congressman-rohrabacher-comments-death-abdel-rantisi
[26] Congressman Rohrabacher Guantanamo Amendment Passes House, rohrabacher.house.gov, Jul 20, 2005, https://rohrabacher.house.gov/press-release/congressman-rohrabacher-guantanamo-amendment-passes-house
[27] Islamist Extremism in Chechnya: A Threat to the U.S. Homeland, The House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Joint Subcommittee Hearing, 04.26.2013, https://foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearing/joint-subcommittee-hearing-islamist-extremism-in-chechnya-a-threat-to-the-u-s-homeland/