Richard WarnickTrapped in Iraq
IraqSlogger closely followed today’s Senate Judiciary Committe hearing on the plight of Iraqi refugees.
“Just when it seemed today’s testimony couldn’t be anymore heartbreaking, Lisa Ramaci-Vincent took the microphone to tell the story of Nour al-Khal. Ramaci-Vincent is the widow of Steven Vincent, the freelance journalist kidnapped, beaten, and killed by insurgents in Basra in August 2005. Nour was his translator who, though kidnapped along with Steven, miraculously survived the three gunshot wounds inflicted by their attackers.”
Below is a short excerpt (emphasis added). The whole story of Nour’s ordeal is worth reading.
In some small attempt to repay her for her dedication, bravery and selflessness, I have spent the last year trying to get Nour into America. I have dealt with officials at the Baghdad embassy and the State Department. I have filled out forms. I have made countless calls, sent innumerable emails. I have pledged to stand financial security for her. I have gotten a promise from the UN Bureau Chief of Al-Arabiya that he will hire her when - if - she gets here. And each path I have gone down has proven fruitless. I have been told she does not qualify for refugee or asylum status because Iraq is now a democracy, hence there should be no reason she would need to flee. I spent months working with embassy people who assured me they were extremely touched by her plight, would move heaven and earth to see she got “special treatment” and who then, in the end, told me she needed to go to Amman and apply for a visa like every other Iraqi. I was told the U.S. government was no longer accepting Iraq’s S-passports because supposedly there are so many forgeries it’s impossible to know who is really holding them, so we won’t take any of them. The embassy in Amman is no longer accepting applications from Iraqis; the Jordanian government is beginning to crack down, stopping Iraqis on the streets who then run the risk of being deported; Egypt is now demanding that before Iraqis come they get a letter of invitation from a certain government official. The noose is tightening, and soon there will be no place in the region where Nour will be able to feel safe. She sits and waits, still hopeful, but the reality is her hope is dwindling, as is mine.”
For more about the Iraqi refugee situation, see my previous post on the subject.
January 16th, 2007 at 7:27 pm
Dear Richard; your concern is admirable. I was just, just, listening to Micheal Savage, he commented that our “compassionate conservative” president…scratch the conservative, says the savage, will no doubt allow these people to emigrate to the US. He seemed cynical.
With no cynicism, I approve of that. Considering that these people stand to lose their lives, or perhaps worse, live and support their maimed, perhaps their children, or even watch them die,.. we will let them come.
At the very least, under saddam, if you kept your mouth shut, and clamored not of religious nonsense, he’d let you keep an AK-47, and 10,000 rounds of ammo, in your house.
At least you could TRY to protect your kids. We are responsible for these poor families, in an around about way. God, enough for me.
The law of unforseen consequence.
Ak-47, and 10,000 rounds?,… priceless…
The Grand Total price,.. for this level of security?
$26 US dollars.
????????????????????????
Compare this to our current exploitation, visa vi, immigration policies, that allow illegals from south of here in droves, so they can be worked out for raised profits, all the while crushing the wages of the legal working man. No matter their compliant reasons, illegals are not living like Iraqis, they, subject to the chaos we have contributed to creating. What a disgusting display on both foreign and domestic levels. Certainly not lost on those with real(AK-47) commitment. Yet we wonder still. We truly are bereft as a people.
I’d kill us too.
Unions? What a joke, in such a sea.
Some..daaay… a real rain will come…, and wash all of the trash,… off of the sidewalk.
That’d be on K street, God help us.
January 30th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
[...] Some of the personal stories of Iraqis who are attempting to flee to the USA, as told in a recent Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, are horrifying. [...]