Sunday, September 23, 2007
A Royal Shame
Britain, apparently, has hung out its Iraqi interpreters to dry.
Indeed.
This is a decision no soldier would make.
If the British have no stomach for this fight, let them depart. But they have an obligation, if they leave, to provide for those who have risked everything, including the most brutal and sadistic treatment imaginable for themselves and their families, in order to ensure success.
If the British cannot be trusted, the US should immediately hire these 91 interpreters, and consider asylum for them and their immediate families here, after the US pulls out.
Interpreters talk to each other. It's a small community. If it is clear that bureaucrats in the Coalition cannot be trusted, we will have fewer interpreters - and they are already a critically scarce commodity.
At best, interpreters will refuse to leave base, where their identity could be compromised.
If this report is accurate, it's outrageous.
As the British pulled out of Basra and could no longer work to protect these families, arrangements should have been made to move these families out of the country. Not even neccessarily to the UK - we could have worked with anyone in the Arabic-speaking world to arrange somewhere safer to live for them.
As it stands, in the future, the UK will get the host nation linguistic support it deserves.
Splash, out
Jason
It is six weeks since the Government promised an “urgent review” of the situation of Iraqis whose lives are in danger because of their work as interpreters for the British Army. During that time, the 5,000 British troops have pulled back from central Basra to the airport, mainly for their own safety. Nothing has been done for the interpreters. Several have already been tortured and killed. Some have received death threats from militia thugs who accuse them of collaboration. Their homes are unprotected and their families live in terror. Out of loyalty and honour, they remain at their posts, helping British troops understand the dangers and the confusion. In return, they have been contemptuously brushed aside, as though they were trouble-makers demanding special favours. This is utterly shameful.
Indeed.
This is a decision no soldier would make.
If the British have no stomach for this fight, let them depart. But they have an obligation, if they leave, to provide for those who have risked everything, including the most brutal and sadistic treatment imaginable for themselves and their families, in order to ensure success.
If the British cannot be trusted, the US should immediately hire these 91 interpreters, and consider asylum for them and their immediate families here, after the US pulls out.
Interpreters talk to each other. It's a small community. If it is clear that bureaucrats in the Coalition cannot be trusted, we will have fewer interpreters - and they are already a critically scarce commodity.
At best, interpreters will refuse to leave base, where their identity could be compromised.
If this report is accurate, it's outrageous.
As the British pulled out of Basra and could no longer work to protect these families, arrangements should have been made to move these families out of the country. Not even neccessarily to the UK - we could have worked with anyone in the Arabic-speaking world to arrange somewhere safer to live for them.
As it stands, in the future, the UK will get the host nation linguistic support it deserves.
Splash, out
Jason
Comments:
Didn't I read something similar about our policy the other day...
"
What they have seen instead is a slow dribble, though it is speeding up. The head of the State Department's refugee office, Ellen Sauerbrey, said recently that 400 Iraqis had entered the U.S. over the past month — a big jump over the 190 who made it in the rest of the year before August.
Overall, though, the sluggish process has left refugees confused and angry — particularly those who risked their lives working for the Americans in Iraq and now feel abandoned by the U.S. at their time of need.
USAToday
Not sure how that would change if we upped and left, but so far we are not exactly a shining light in the darkness.
I think it might have something to do with the GOP hanging it's last hope on immigration as it only chance to gain power, ever again.
"
What they have seen instead is a slow dribble, though it is speeding up. The head of the State Department's refugee office, Ellen Sauerbrey, said recently that 400 Iraqis had entered the U.S. over the past month — a big jump over the 190 who made it in the rest of the year before August.
Overall, though, the sluggish process has left refugees confused and angry — particularly those who risked their lives working for the Americans in Iraq and now feel abandoned by the U.S. at their time of need.
USAToday
Not sure how that would change if we upped and left, but so far we are not exactly a shining light in the darkness.
I think it might have something to do with the GOP hanging it's last hope on immigration as it only chance to gain power, ever again.
I had thought that Great Britain was busily jettisoning the better parts of a thousand years of its history in its mad rush to sell out to political correctness.
But its abandonment of those interpreters - IF TRUE - shows that it maintains the 'Perfidious Albion' part in good working order.
Post a Comment
But its abandonment of those interpreters - IF TRUE - shows that it maintains the 'Perfidious Albion' part in good working order.
# posted by 
: 10:34 AM
: 10:34 AM
