Stalwart Service for U.S. in Iraq Is Not Enough to Gain Green Card

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Source: Washington Post

During his nearly four years as a translator for U.S. forces in Iraq, Saman Kareem Ahmad was known for his bravery and hard work. "Sam put his life on the line with, and for, Coalition Forces on a daily basis," wrote Marine Capt. Trent A. Gibson.

Gibson's letter was part of a thick file of support -- including commendations from the secretary of the Navy and from then-Maj. Gen. David H. Petraeus -- that helped Ahmad migrate to the United States in 2006, among an initial group of 50 Iraqi and Afghan translators admitted under a special visa program.

Last month, however, the U.S. government turned down Ahmad's application for permanent residence, known as a green card. His offense: Ahmad had once been part of the Kurdish Democratic Party, which U.S. immigration officials deemed an "undesignated terrorist organization" for having sought to overthrow former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

Ahmad, a Kurd, once served in the KDP's military force, which is part of the new Iraqi army. A U.S. ally, the KDP is now part of the elected government of the Kurdish region and holds seats in the Iraqi parliament. After consulting public Web sites, however, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services determined that KDP forces "conducted full-scale armed attacks and helped incite rebellions against Hussein's regime, most notably during the Iran-Iraq war, Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom."

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/22/AR2008032202228.html?hpid=topnews

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Saman Kareem Ahmad, left, served with then-Capt. Trent A. Gibson. Gibson backs Ahmad's application for permanent U.S. residence. (Courtesy Of Saman Kareem Ahmad)

[glowing]

1. Absolutely, positively disgusting.. I hate my counry. I'm ashamed to say

I'm an American.. Seriously, I need to study another language and leave this God-Forsaken place.

[irishvet]

7. Please do.

[Doremus]

8. Welcome to DU.

Enjoy your short stay.

[Earth_First]

9. ?

[Selatius]

2. It's because the KDP incited rebellion in the 1980s...when Saddam Hussein was Ronald Reagan's ally.

I guess, everything that came out of the KDP afterward was blacklisted, including this person.

[caraher]

3. Reminds me of the designation of Americans who fought Franco in Spain

I believe they were called "premature anti-fascists!"

Even more disgusting when you consider how the US hung anti-Saddam fighters out to dry following the '91 war.

[Solly Mack]

4. Amazing.

Amazingly fucked up country...that is

[ShockediSay]

10. "With justice for all" nice words but

in reality, it turns into BULLSHIT!!!

[Hissyspit]

5. Clusterfuck cont'd. n/t

[UpInArms]

6. Long Live Irony! Irony is Dead!

too freakin' unbelievable for words - this asswipe administration couldn't think its way out of a wet cardboard box.

The inept bureaucracies have destroyed any possible ability to think.

[tuckessee]

11. I wonder if he translated at any torture fests? n/t