Freedom for the terps
posted at 9:43 am on October 2, 2007 by Bryan
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I’ve written before about the plight of interpreters, or terps, who have helped the US military since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The terps have been indispensable to the struggle to stabilize Iraq. Many of them have given their lives, and all of the Iraqis who become terps will be in danger for years to come no matter how stable Iraq eventually becomes.
While Hollywood depicts our troops either as misguided or as monsters, the troops that Michelle and I met at Task Force Justice are proving what our troops really are: The best warriors in the world and the best people in the world. I received an email from our friends at Justice a couple of days ago; the troops there have recently helped two Iraqi terps obtain their visas and have seen them through all the way to the US. They will get to live in real freedom for the first time in their lives. The troops are calling their effort to help the terps get to the US the Task Force Justice Underground Railroad, referencing Harriet Tubman’s secret network that freed slaves in the 1800s.
The troops at Justice also report that as the US is seen to deliver on promises it has made to the terps, more young Iraqis are joining up to become terps and help US troops communicate with local people to win the war. Becoming a terp is definitely not the easiest way out of Iraq; it’s one of the most dangerous jobs in the entire country. But I don’t think that they’re joining just to get out of Iraq. They’re joining to help our troops fix and stabilize their country. They’re using their language skills to help fight the war however they can.
I just want to thank and congratulate the two terps who have ridden the TF Justice Underground Railroad to the US and to thank them for their service. They are examples of Iraqis who, contrary to what the Democrats keep saying, are stepping up to help the war effort. They helped our troops help their country.
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Great news, thanks Bryan.
I’ll be looking for this on CNN tonight.
Tony737 on October 2, 2007 at 9:48 AM
But why shouldn’t they want to stay in the wonderful Islamic country we have helped them found?
Why are they abandoning their glorious Muslim brethren in their time of crisis?
We don’t need any more potentia Sudden Jihad Syndrome folks here.
Islam is anti-Constitutional.
It’s followers, as well.
Let them stay in their Islamic countries and work to bring them out of the 7th century.
We can thank them by helping them build their own land.
Not by letting them abandom the fight.
profitsbeard on October 2, 2007 at 9:53 AM
My boy has met bad ones, and fought with the good ones. It makes me adsolutely sick that we, as a nation, discount the efforts of these people. I have two plus years of letters and e-mails from my son. He has told of the bad ones, and of the good ones. If not for some of the good ones there would be a different color star on the banner over our front window. If we leave. If we abandon Iraq, then I want you all to imagine being the crew chief of the helicopter looking down at the faces looking up as you fly away.
Limerick on October 2, 2007 at 10:00 AM
thanks for the info Bryan, very brave people these terps.
trailortrash on October 2, 2007 at 10:04 AM
Bryan,
I understand that many of these ‘terps are brave folks who have aided our troops. But if you look at the bills Congress has enacted to bring them here, they are atrocious pieces of legislation. The worst offender was HR.2265, which we did a piece on at http://www.vigilantfreedom.org/910blog/2007/08/06/faq-on-hr-2265
The Senate version which they slipped into the national defense spending bill yesterday does not appear to be as bad, but it still opens us up to around 25,000 refugees in 5 years, which includes not just those who worked with us (the brave ‘terps, which most people can support) but any Iraqi ethnic group which faces danger, which if we pull out would be pretty much all of them. I don’t think anyone has a problem with a handful of at-risk interpreters, but what if they are selling it to us like that, but its actually a comprehensive Iraqi immigration bill?
Dkshideler on October 2, 2007 at 10:30 AM
Just because…
http://midwaysailor.com/midwayfreqwind/
Limerick on October 2, 2007 at 10:35 AM
But why shouldn’t they want to stay in the wonderful Islamic country we have helped them found?
Why are they abandoning their glorious Muslim brethren in their time of crisis?
We don’t need any more potentia Sudden Jihad Syndrome folks here.
Islam is anti-Constitutional.
It’s followers, as well.
Let them stay in their Islamic countries and work to bring them out of the 7th century.
We can thank them by helping them build their own land.
Not by letting them abandom the fight.
profitsbeard on October 2, 2007 at 9:53 AM
Are you kidding here???? I hope so. Read Bryan’s article and past posts about these people. They have targets on their backs, as do their entire families. They will be assassinated if they stay.
RobG on October 2, 2007 at 10:47 AM
Thankd for the Midway photos Limey. That ship is docked right across the street from the hotel we stay at when we overnight in San Diego. Last time I was there, me and a pilot I was flying with took the tour of the Midway. He was on the that carrier back when he was in the Navy, flying A-4s I think he said.
Tony737 on October 2, 2007 at 10:51 AM
Thought this post would be about a solution for immigrating turtles around the border fence or a statement on University of Maryland athletics.
Valiant on October 2, 2007 at 11:14 AM
The question of whether Islam is incompatible with democracy and western civilization is still open. Or will Muslims feel compelled to try and change our way of life to accomodate theirs, as they are already doing in Europe, Detroit, Brooklyn, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, universities, and elsewhere.
I hope Muslim immigrants understand full well that fundamentalist Islam is not welcome here. Reformed Islam, to the extent that it exists, is perhaps another story.
JiangxiDad on October 2, 2007 at 11:33 AM
Very cool.
High Desert Wanderer on October 2, 2007 at 12:02 PM
RobG on October 2, 2007 at 10:47 AM
The question of whether Islam is incompatible with democracy and western civilization is still open. Or will Muslims feel compelled to try and change our way of life to accomodate theirs, as they are already doing in Europe, Detroit, Brooklyn, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, universities, and elsewhere.
I hope Muslim immigrants understand full well that fundamentalist Islam is not welcome here. Reformed Islam, to the extent that it exists, is perhaps another story.
JiangxiDad on October 2, 2007 at 11:33 AM
Valid points, but my point is these folks have already put their lives and the lives of their families at risk to help out our military in an effort to bring these same freedoms to their land. I’m sure they don’t WANT to leave, they must leave in order to survive. They are marked for death. We owe it to them to let them come here.
RobG on October 2, 2007 at 12:28 PM
I hope it turns out well for them, truly. But it didn’t in the case of France, where the children and grandchildren of France’s former Algerian allies form a disloyal fifth column today. It didn’t work in the case of Britain’s former Pakistani/Indian subjects who today form a disloyal fifth column in the U.K.
But in the case of our Vietnamese allies, and Hmong allies, and others, it has worked. Because our culture makes room for theirs, but doesn’t make way. I repeat, do they understand it is their obligation to learn to “fit in?” I hope so, but have doubts.
JiangxiDad on October 2, 2007 at 12:47 PM
This is also an issue in the UK, although it is the kind of issue that the media doesn’t like to cover, because the British people don’t want to know about it. There will not be a happy ending. It is transparently obvious that, when Britain’s armed forces are pulled out of Iraq, the Iraqi support staff will be left behind. They will all be murdered.
I am also reminded of this charming editorial piece that ran in The Guardian a couple of months ago:
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/neil_clark/2007/08/keep_these_quislings_out.html
“Keep these quislings out:
Calls from pro-war bloggers for Britain to grant asylum to Iraqi interpreters are truly nauseating.”
The writer openly admits in the comments that he wants the UK and the US to fail in Iraq. This editorial was not controversial in Britain, and did not cause a stir in the media. It came and went.
Apeking on October 2, 2007 at 1:06 PM
Thanks, Bryan. That was great to read.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on October 2, 2007 at 2:05 PM
Hi Bryan, does anyone know if Hammer and his family found anyone to sponsor them, did they make it to the U.S.?
4shoes on October 2, 2007 at 2:14 PM
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