I served on active duty in the US Army for 31 years. The most challenging mission I was ever given in those 31 years was what took place right through those gates at Camp Ashraf. I was charged with providing protection for the over 3,000 men and women who were imprisoned, detained there by the United States, my government. It’s also the longest mission I have ever had because it is not complete. I’m still working this mission. In 2004 after going through numerous interrogations and interviews, there was a promise of protection given in writing to over 3,000 members of the organization. Each and every member was given a handwritten note promising them protection, indefinitely. When I left there in 2005 we were providing that protection.
I could have just forgotten the people of Ashraf. Although I have been through these gates a hundred times, I could have not had anything to do with it again and just focused on my own career. But in 2005 Human Rights Watch which I respected but didn’t have much knowledge about, wrote a report about what took place behind these gates. I took personal offense at the challenges laid down saying that my soldiers did not do the job of protecting them, that the people inside were torturing, holding their own people against their will. I was on active duty and those of you on active duty know that you do not speak publicly while in that status. I could not live with myself. I could not fulfill my mission of protecting unless I spoke out.
I wrote a letter to the directory of Human Rights Watch, countering his report and letting him know there was no torture going on and I know first-hand because I raided the individual camps at 2 in the morning. There were not people being held against their will because when people wanted to leave they were dropped off at our gates with a suitcase and Iraqi dinars in their hand.
In 2007 I returned to Iraq. I went back to Ashraf as General Petraeus’ police rebuilder.  I was in charge of rebuilding the Iraqi police during what you know as the surge. I convinced and assured the people of Ashraf that we were still providing them protection at this point, and then when I departed in 2008 shortly thereafter, we the United States abandoned our promise and turned over the over 3,000 men and women to the Iraqis.
In that time frame many have died in the hands of the Iraqis and their Iranian puppeteers, and for the past several months, even though we were assured by Dan Freed at the State Department that there would be frequent visits to Camp Liberty by the US Embassy, none have taken place. I knew, lived with, ate and worked with and sweated with many of the individuals who were massacred in Ashraf. Every one of them knew me and I knew most of them personally.
Hossein Madani, I consider a friend because we went through many trying times of trying to work out the negotiations. I still believe in that promise and my mission will end the day I go to a free and democratic and I sit there remembering what Hossein and all of you at Camp Liberty have persevered through. I was with you at Ashraf, I only wish I could be with you at Camp Liberty.