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Seasoned Vet
 
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'Saddam's Orphans.' I wonder if these are the people who go hunting cameras to demonstrate for?
http://www.af.mil/stories/story.asp?storyID=123005539
by Master Sgt. Tammy Cournoyer
Air Force Print News
9/2/2003 - U.S. NAVAL BASE GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba (AFPN) -- For one Air Force lieutenant, March 19 was not just the night coalition forces began attacking Iraqi targets, it was also the day war broke out in his former homeland.
Known only as Mohammed for security reasons, the lieutenant is an Arabic linguist deployed here as part of Joint Task Force-Guantanamo. He is one of more than 2,000 servicemembers charged with supporting the war on terrorism by providing humane treatment and care to approximately 660 detainees, including three juvenile enemy combatants, from 42 nations.
Mohammed was born and raised in Iraq. He was part of the uprising against Saddam Hussein in March 1991. After that failed, Mohammed, his wife and young daughter were taken by American forces to Saudi Arabia.
“There were 22,000 refugees with us in the refugee camp,” said Mohammed, a polite, soft-spoken man. “The majority of us came to America.”
He was 32 years old when he began his American life in 1992. The passing years did not mellow his feelings about the regime of his former country.
“It’s a relief for the Iraqi people to get rid of the oppressive regime of Saddam Hussein,” said Mohammed, who still has family in Iraq but has been assured they are all right. “I want the Iraqi experience to be successful. I want Iraq to be a role model for the surrounding countries in getting their democracy and freedom.”
The lieutenant believes the challenges of rebuilding a new, free Iraq are being hampered.
“It’s unbelievable what’s happening in Iraq because everybody is happy there except for beneficiaries, so-called ‘Saddam orphans,’ who are making troubles now,” he said. “They (were) the beneficiaries of Saddam’s regime, so when the regime collapsed, was gone, they couldn’t get that privilege again.”
He is sure “Saddam’s orphans” will be stopped.
“We’ll crush them. Soon,” he said.
Mohammed is a fiercely loyal American citizen and that loyalty was one of the many reasons he joined the Air Force.
“I wanted to be part of this country that saved my life, and gave me my life back,” he explained.
Already in the Air Force, Mohammed was on his way to work when he heard the news about the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
“I was really upset and mad because I consider myself … a New Yorker,” explained Mohammed. “New York is my city because when I came (to the United States) as a refugee, the first city that received me was New York.”
Today, Mohammed spends his 12-hour shifts dealing directly with the detainees in the camps, alleged terrorists themselves. His job is to translate for them, even though he believes some of them speak English but try not to show it. He said he is not the most popular man on the cell block because he serves a country the detainees do not like.
“What strikes me is that some of them are young, but they have a lot of hate in their heart,” said Mohammed, who fields detainee questions and takes requests for such things as medical attention, books and magazines. “Some of (the detainees) get upset with me. Some of them consider me as a traitor.”
The abuse was hard on him at first.
“In the beginning, I was really angry because of the things I heard from (the detainees) and the way they treated me,” Mohammed said. He looked to other joint task force people for support and guidance. They urged him to not take the taunts personally and gave him tips for handling them. “I’m following those guidelines they gave me, and I think I’ll be successful.”
Mohammed is not exactly sure how he feels working so close to men accused of supporting terrorism.
“The only thing I’m sure, terrorism will be defeated because it’s the wrong way,” he said. “And bombings and killings is not going to do anything good (for terrorists).”
Life in the United States has allowed the lieutenant and his family a better life. He has been able to finish his education, and he hopes to someday return to work in engineering. Until then, he is supporting the global war on terrorism as part of the joint task force.
“The least I can do now is come here,” he said.
Go with God, but make Him walk the point.
If you load a mudfoot down with a lot of gadgets he has to watch somebody a lot more simply equipped - say with a stone axe - will sneak up and bash his head in while he is trying to read a Vernier. - Robert Heinlein
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Seasoned Vet
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I would like to know why the USAF has not sent Mohammed to Iraq to translate. It seems to me that he would be a much greater asset to us over there; and, he would get more of a sense of accomplishment in helping to pacify and rebuild his native land.
I think that the US Govt. should encourage all Americans who were born in Iraq, to return to Iraq now to help out in rebuilding Iraq. I think these folks would be ideal for civil affairs work and civil service/governing.
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BS6's Dude
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They're working on it...
FYI - When I was still in Detroit, there were quite a number of outreach programs going on to get the Iraqi expat community involved, including in the US Army.
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Seasoned Vet
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Good.
I know an Iraqi who doesn't want to talk about anything 'War on Terror' related. I ask him how his family is and he says they are good so far. Noone got killed or anything.
I asked him if he would ever go back and he said he would visit when things calmed down.
In all fairness, his dad pulled the family out around '91 and he was like 14 or so then. He seems pretty Americanized. I see him at bars sometimes.
Go with God, but make Him walk the point.
If you load a mudfoot down with a lot of gadgets he has to watch somebody a lot more simply equipped - say with a stone axe - will sneak up and bash his head in while he is trying to read a Vernier. - Robert Heinlein
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Seasoned Vet
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quote:
In all fairness, his dad pulled the family out around '91 and he was like 14 or so then. He seems pretty Americanized. I see him at bars sometimes.
In that case, we need to send his ass back to Iraq to DO SOMETHING for his new nation and his native one. WTF isn't he volunteering to go and help out? What a puss.
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Seasoned Vet
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I really do think that many of the Arabs who aren't jihadis think they are doing us enough of a favor just by not doing that.
After I wrote that, I was thinking 'Why the hell ISN'T he over there? If it was MY Old Country that was in this shape, I would WANT to help.'
Go with God, but make Him walk the point.
If you load a mudfoot down with a lot of gadgets he has to watch somebody a lot more simply equipped - say with a stone axe - will sneak up and bash his head in while he is trying to read a Vernier. - Robert Heinlein
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Seasoned Vet
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Didn't a large number of Iraquis living here in the States volunteer to return to Iraq to assist in the rebuilding effort? I seem to recall the news was full of stories about this after that statue got torn down.
During the first Gulf War I knew an Iraqi woman she lived across the street from the mother in law. We had many a discussion back then about that War and of course Sodam Insane. Her family and actualy her entire Sect of people were brutaly treated under his rule and she absolutely hated him. She was vehemently opposed to the war though. Her reason was simple enough, the bombs we dropped were killing Iraqui people. She could not make the leap from this to the reasons why that war was undertaken. I have to tell you though I doubt for all her bluster back then about going back that she won't. She still lives here and I don't see her giving up her comfortable life here to go back. I guess there are true Patriots who love their Country and will risk themselves for its freedom and then there are those who enjoy talking about their love of their land but wouldn't want to lift a finger if it meant they may be hurt. Seems that isn't an attitude unique to any Country.
Abraham Lincoln (quiet, reserved and selfless): “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here” -Gettysburg Address
Obama (egotistical): “Now the world will watch and remember what we do here”
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