The plight of Iraqi interpreters

[141nptt]

for the interpreters who work with us army it is to easy now to get visa .just go on line and google (SIV program)or(IOMprogram) the us takes 5000 terp in the year . by the way I got my visa by the SIV program and I am in tampa florida

[bunglebonse]

Just another veitnam really isnt it, US couldnt get it's claws into this one either so they bailed on the whole fukin thing leaving whoever supported them(those stupid enough) to suffer the cosequences ie...total instabilty, power struggles and an insurgency.those asking the US not to leave are sadly having to ask the same people who caused this mess to now protect them from it.

[davidts15]

The interpreters in Iraq are not only trying to help the Iraqi government, the Iraqi army and the Iraqi police. They are helping Americans communicate with the local population. I just came home from Iraq two weeks ago and the

[davidts15]

people there were telling me they don't want the Americans to leave. It's not Iraq that the US is at war with it's the very real insurgency that is trying to undermine the country. This insurgency searches for interpreters to kill to discourage the others from helping through intimidation. How can you call someone a

[davidts15]

traitor who has been fighting for years to help their own country AND the US. These people have shed blood for their freedom and are true patriots and I would call them my brothers just like my fellow Marines I served with. They deserve asylum and peace for themselves and their families. How can someone sit at home safe having sacrificed nothing and say otherwise?

[lovelover70]

hey you people keep in mind that we helped the both sides and whatever you say won't get us down ,we'll always be there , we have the skills what do you have ??? nothing but a dirty mouth

[stealthwinder]

Wake up America. What if the US was invaded? What would your attitude be toward fellow Americans who served as interpreters for the invaders? These people were paid by a corrupt Bush administrations to betray their own. Let their own people judge if they should be protected. Its not our problem.

[stealthwinder]

I am opposed to giving Iraqi interpreters and collaborators asylum in the U.S. for several reasons. They were well paid for their services, worked for the Bush administration and its misguided warmongers not the American people.If what they did was so good for their country why do they fear for their lives from their own people? If the US was invaded what would your attitude be toward another American who would aid a foreign occupier? I would call them a traitor.

[DrFelonious]

Work for a foreign force occupying your own country and there WILL be consequences. It's been the case right through history.

[07801542520]

what you saing is not wrong but it is not like that,we interps speak English and arabic , who the hell would we interprt for? (iraqis and americans ) it is not helpping americans as it is in fact helpping our own iraqis.plus we fellow our covernement policy, I bet thet UR a democratic .

[schwein75]

poor Iraqi interpreter .. they work for americans but the just get the shitts and the trouble of beeing them working with US army

and not only this but .. they are getting bad impression and fucking reputation SEPCIALLY IN YOU TUBE !!

poor man poor

[aninterpreter]

poor interpreters! I've read countless times of interpreters being executed for providing translation service to US forces.

[ahoh26]

yeh its true iraqi translator more than 3 years with USA army,airforce,navy

[jp6869]

The interpreters aren't safe in Iraq. And our military and intelligence agencies desperately need Arabic speakers. Why don't we bring the interpreters here and give them US citizenship, on the condition that they take jobs in American elementary schools teaching Arabic to our kids? We can pay them a bonus for every student who passes a proficiency test. And the students who pass should get some money too, as an incentive. In 10 years we'll have all the Arabic speakers we need.

[AnmarDawg2004]

that was a smart idea i wish that some one will listen to you , god bless you

[12041976]

smart and real

[hsp2007]

what do they expect thses people are the worst kind of people on Gods earth They have sold their soul to the devil....

[bolts55]

yes, and to Santa, the Easter Bunny and leprechauns!

the devil? are we in the 21st century?

[bloggerheads]

Hehehehe. "I sold my soul to Santa!"

[jasontd1984]

i sold my soul to the easter bunny and got shit on

[jp6869]

These Iraqis have not sold their souls to the devil. They are helping the liberators of their homeland. They are patriots who should be praised for helping to build a new, free Iraq. It is people like you, who oppose the toppling of dictators like Saddam Hussein, who have made a deal with the devil. Should we have left Adolf Hitler in power too? Should we have respected Nazi Germany's sovereignty?

[OrionEdWood]

Great work! YouTube should definitely feature this video....

[PaPaDJ0480]

You my friend are a moron.

[bloggerheads]

I thought it was spelt 'moran'.

[wallyworld]

Brilliant!

[phillydude79]

Thank you for your thoughtfulness. I am one of the few Iraqi interpreter who made it to the US. I thank all the efforts and support of those who sympathize with people like myself who don't have home anymore. I have lost personal friends who were interpreters. I need your prayers for their souls.

Peace!

[CllrTimKent]

Good video Tim highlighting our countries shameful treatment of people we owe a debt too.

As someone who opposed the war I am surprised by some of the comments up here. We have a moral duty to these people and their families.

[meesterlowe]

I served in Basra province for six months in 2005 and I can tell you that the interpreters deserve better than this.

It doesn't matter if you think that the war was wrong or right - they made a sacrifice for us and they don't deserve to be left behind to be murdered.

[DRGQ]

That video was short,sharp,clever and carries powerful message.

Superb.

[AMayer71]

It says in this film that they helped 'us'? who is 'us'? Please don't associate 'me' with a barbaric power that has committed the most horrendous crime of recent history.

And why is Iraq 'no longer safe for them'? Maybe because people resent those who assist the army that illegally invaded their country, murdered 1 MILLION of their people, maimed and bereaved who knows how many more, and turned 4 million into refugees?

[bloggerheads]

I'm of the view that even those who opposed the invasion and failed to stop it carry some responsibility... if that's the main issue for you. The video clearly acknowledges the varying roles played by interpreters in the Iraq clusterf**k... if that's the main issue for you.

For me, the main issues involve humanity and practicality. The short version is that I fail to see what good can come of leaving these people to face the death squads. Over to you if you think you have an answer to that...

[mortalmerlin]

Kindly fuck off, those of us that opposed war carry no responsibility.

This is just another distraction from the simple fact that we should stop fucking interfering at all.

[bloggerheads]

Did we sacrifice everything to stop it? No. We therefore carry some responsibility.

Does that mean that we should stop interfering? No.

[mortalmerlin]

If we had sacrificed everything would we have stopped it? No.

Yes we should stop interfering. How can you say no with the mess that is over there now. The argument of "we fucked it up but we need to fuck around some more to make it better" is bollocks.

Interperters might have it bad but so have hundreds of thousands of other Iraqis.

[bloggerheads]

"we should stop interfering"

No the only point we disagree on, but you have yet to explain what good can come of leaving these people to face the death squads.

[mortalmerlin]

The "death squads" as you call them are ether US private security firms, US and UK soldiers or armed by them.

Yes if they leave it will be a mess, but so will staying and even more so. They don't want us there, it's their country and their right to choose.

[bloggerheads]

There are death squads on many sides in the conflict... and saving these people does not require any extension of our stay.

[mortalmerlin]

What about the millions of others? The Kurds for example? How about them? Or does your humanitarianism only extend to a few interpreters.

[bloggerheads]

I think it should be clear from my background and posts on this very subject that it extends just a *little* further than that.

[mortalmerlin]

Forgive me for not realising how very important you are.

So what about the rest then? How does helping them not extend our stay?

[bloggerheads]

"Forgive me for not realising how very important you are."

That's not what I was saying and you know it. If you can't engage honestly, I'll be forced to block you.

"So what about the rest then? How does helping them not extend our stay?"

Are you referring to Iraqi employees previously in our employ, or the Kurds or all Iraqis?

[mortalmerlin]

Block away.

All Iraqis, why only favour the ones who aided the illegal invasion.

We should not be there. That will result in a civil war but in the long run they will have a state again. Less people would probably die as a result. It's too late now to stop the events set in motion deliberatly by the US and UK. They arm and aid both sides of the conflict. They have even been caught posing as rival groups to insight violence. I think not being there would help.

[bloggerheads]

(Psst! They also aided attempts at reconstruction.)

You said 'only', not me. What we are talking about here is what is known as a 'priority' (look it up while you're learning how to spell 'incite')... because they are under pronounced and immediate threat.

And in what parallel universe would a civil war in Iraq result in a single state?

Moron.

[mortalmerlin blocked]

[pickmanfox]

Your desire to leave Iraqis to die and your pig-headed inability to realise that bloggerheads is *also* against the war are noted.

Get out.

[07801542520]

half what you said is true , and the other one(the last) is not

[arsenal76]

Bye.

[bloggerheads]

You said it. (moron blocked)

[arsenal76]

I'm a former soldier. How about you? I don't deal with liberals...so, no, I won't tell you more. I said it all. Get a clue. LOL

[bloggerheads]

Well, you had your opportunity to say what exactly was BS, but (a) failed to do so and (b) failed to find the 'reply' button.

[arsenal76]

It's MORE than good enough. This is 100% pure BS propaganda. Get a clue!

[bloggerheads]

Please, arsenal76, do tell us more:

[slappy1234567]

True, if they helped us, we should help them.

[RMC1989]

I'm away to sign now