A Happy Ending (and Beginning) for a Brave Iraqi Friend
According to U.S. officials, about 300 Iraqi interpreters have been killed in the line of duty.
The two most dangerous jobs for Iraqis were probably journalist and interpreter. Bishop wanted to come to the United States. As a result, 1-4 Cav Commander, LTC James Crider, and some of the soldiers Bishop had worked with helped with the paperwork.
Just a small aside: LTC Crider and his battalion were serious contributors to success in Iraq. I got e-mails from LTC Crider about his struggles with Iraqi bureaucracy on behalf of Bishop, even after he went home to America. I’d seen this LTC Crider go to bat for Iraqis over and over again in Iraq. In just one example, Crider and his staff waded for months through the Iraqi legal labyrinth to try to free a man who had been wrongfully detained for a bombing he could not have committed; the bombing had never occurred. Crider and his battalion were welcome fixtures in that neighborhood, because he and his men had brought peace and serenity to a place that had previously been one of the most perilous places in Iraq. The last time I was there, I walked around with no body armor or helmet, and bought popcorn on the street. (I was just there again on about November 15; the progress continues without violence.)
I heard that many Iraqis cried when 1-4 redeployed to America. One captain had even been offered a home if he would come back to live in the neighborhood. The captain knew how to get things done, while still making the time to learn the names of every kid there. And he knew their mothers and fathers, too. But that was it; 1-4 went home and Bishop was left behind, with his family scattered by the war.
His father died in July 2007, his mother and two sisters still live in Baghdad, his brother in Kirkuk, and another sister in Syria.
LTC Crider and others struggled — and struggled — and finally succeeded. On November 6, 2008, Bishop emigrated to America, landing in Nolensville, Tennessee, along with his wife, Alyaa (who is carrying their second child), and their son, Mustafa. And the amazing 1-4 Cav keeps winning battles, without firing a shot, long after leaving the war.
So now, Bashar is no longer “Bishop,” and he has begun an American life, with the many ups and downs we all have to face. His next fight is to find a job in our troubled economy and overcome a high-voltage dose of culture shock. He will come to understand that our culture is just as complicated as the one he left behind — but without the violence, threats, and scars of war.
Many people have welcomed him to America. I think Bashar can be of particular value to America at this time, simply by getting on the radio stations and talking to reporters and telling his story — the story of Iraq — and showing people how it really is over here. (I write this from Iraq.) Perhaps he can explain why many of us think that it was all worth it. I asked Bashar if I could publish his e-mail address, and he agreed.
This is not just a happy ending, but a happy beginning. Please welcome this new family to America and pass this story to your local papers and radio stations. Ask them to talk with a real Iraqi who just got here. People need to know what happened in Iraq.
Bashar can be reached at: bash.amen@yahoo.com
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Michael Yon, author of Moment of Truth in Iraq: How a New 'Greatest Generation' of American Soldiers Is Turning Defeat and Disaster into Victory and Hope, spent more time embedded with U.S. and British combat troops in Iraq than any other correspondent. Michael Yon has changed his focus to Afghanistan.
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26 Comments
1. Paul S.:Bashar’s story is one I hope americans get to know. Thank you, Michael for bringing it to us, and thank you, Bashar.
Nov 18, 2008 - 1:48 am 2. Wacky Hermit:Congratulations to Bashar and his family, and thank him for his service from me and my family. I hope he is welcomed with open arms by all his neighbors; he deserves it.
Nov 18, 2008 - 3:16 am 3. MarkD:Truly inspirational, thank you and thank Bashar.
My first thought was for all our South Vietnamese allies, betrayed by the Democratic Congress and left to fight on to the bitter end, alone. I pray for a better end in Iraq.
Nov 18, 2008 - 5:30 am 4. Ms. Attitude:Thank you Michael, great story. This is proof that not all Muslims are out to kill us!
GREAT IDEA!
Please remember those that have made the greatest sacrifice, the children of our fallen heroes….
http://www.childrenoffallensoldiersrelieffund.org/
Nov 18, 2008 - 7:00 am 5. Instapundit » Blog Archive » MICHAEL YON: A Happy Ending (And Beginning) For A Brave Iraqi Friend.:[...] MICHAEL YON: A Happy Ending (And Beginning) For A Brave Iraqi Friend. [...]
Nov 18, 2008 - 7:25 am 6. Letters From A Tory:It’s very sad what is happening to these Iraqis.
You would have thought that if people risk their lives to help protect the lives of Western soldiers, we might help them out a little bit? The Labour government in the UK refused to allowed the Iraqi interpreters to live in Britain, which I thought was tragic.
http://www.lettersfromatory.com
Nov 18, 2008 - 8:00 am 7. swift boater:MarkD is right. If it wasn’t for Watergate taking down Nixon and leaving a weakened Ford to try to stop the Dems in Congress, S. VietNam would have been a success story.
Now we see what the Dems do to the Iraqis. Obama ran on a platform of abandonment, he is going to disappoint someone. Will it be right thinking Americans and Iraqis or the lunatics in his Party?
Nov 18, 2008 - 8:07 am 8. Winston:great reporting as always. Thank you!
Nov 18, 2008 - 8:22 am 9. AlanC:“People need to know what happened in Iraq.”
then don’t let him talk to the media. They will cut and spin everything he would say to fit their anti-war, anti-American propaganda. Cynical? Damn straight.
Nov 18, 2008 - 8:44 am 10. Maggie45:I just sent Bashar and Alyaa, and Mustafa, and their baby who will be born here, a Welcome email. Michael, you are the absolute best!! It is so wonderful to have a man of known integrity reporting all of this. We know we are getting the truth. Thank you.
Nov 18, 2008 - 9:29 am 11. Another Chandler:I think AlanC is probably right. The media can’t allow a story with such a positive ending to come out of Iraq without applying the proper amount of negative spin. That’s not exactly cynicism, that’s just reality.
Nov 18, 2008 - 9:40 am 12. nlcatter:Im not going to bother him
since he is a Kurd, would like to know why Kurds terrorists are attacking Turks?
Nov 18, 2008 - 11:32 am 13. SFC New "1-4 CAV OIF V "Raider 1":Michael, once again another great piece of work from you, I was proud to say I served with you and joked often to my wife when we were in Iraq by telling her you couldnt report your news without my guys given up their office and computers, but you were/are a true “Raider” and team player. Keep up the great work, I will proudly share my office with you again on any battle field.
Nov 18, 2008 - 11:35 am 14. NahnCee:Maybe nlcatter’s question should read, “why are Kurd freedom fighters attacking Turkish terrorists?”
Nov 18, 2008 - 11:38 am 15. castocreations:I have chills. An incredible and wonderful story!
Nov 18, 2008 - 1:22 pm 16. Jason Sieckmann:Awww, it’s like we’re his father; and this is our white-man’s burden for invading his country which started the civil war in the first place.
No go for me. The best way to help that man would have been to leave his country alone and offer him immigration status. Instead, well, his people hated him enough to shoot at into his car and practically chase him from his own country.
What a gift we’ve given these people. The gift of a war torn crap hole where the only thing that gets out are refugees and oil reserves.
Nov 18, 2008 - 6:20 pm 17. JGsez:Michael – Seems like he could have a book in his future. Know anyone that could help him?
Also, are not the Kurds attacking Turkey Communist? And where they not the ones who caused years of fighting in the Kurdish area of Iraq?
Maybe the Milbloggers could set him up with a blog or have him post on one of their blogs. Something like “Ask the Bishop”.
Welcome to the US of A Basher! (and your family!) Thanks for helping our guys and gals. You have met our finest. Keep that in mind because some of our folks can be real jerks! But then that is pretty much universal. My German ancestors said the same thing about their homeland.
Nov 18, 2008 - 7:20 pm 18. chris:your name is right jason, you are a sickman
Nov 18, 2008 - 8:39 pm 19. Safa:Bashar you are a U N I Q U E and am so proud I have you as a friend..and a brother ..
Nov 19, 2008 - 3:29 am 20. Scott:Amazing Story!
Nov 19, 2008 - 8:29 am 21. Bush was right. Victorious, too | The Anchoress:[...] seem to have achieved a quiet and roundly ignored victory, as demonstrated here, and here, and [...]
Nov 19, 2008 - 1:20 pm 22. Paddy:I am curious. I am aware of a critical shortage of Arabic interpreters along with difficulties in vetting them. I hope that Bashar, whose loyalty and courage has been proved, is gainfully employed by a component of our intelligence apparatus. He deserves financial security in exchange for his sevice.
Nov 19, 2008 - 3:11 pm 23. trangbang68:nicatter you’re a liberal. Why are your liberal homosexual brothers attacking Christians in California?
Nov 19, 2008 - 3:18 pm 24. The Irascible Chef » I Smell Napalm…:Why did one of the heroes of your movement, Bill Ayers plot to kill American soldiers at Fort Dix, NJ?
Why is Michael Moore a lardass fool making propaganda movies?
Why is your movement funded by a demented, neo-fascist dwarf like George Soros?
Just asking…..
[...] seem to have achieved a quiet and roundly ignored victory, as demonstrated here, and here, and [...]
Nov 19, 2008 - 10:00 pm 25. Hither and Yon « Buttle’s World:[...] And be sure to read the story of the happy beginning of Bashar. [...]
Nov 20, 2008 - 9:14 am 26. MarcH:Great story Michael,
I served for a year as an embedded civilian advisor with a BCT of 10th MTN DIV in Iraq. LN Terps are unsung heros in this war. They are frequently well treated by their units but often treated like dirt by their civilian employers and by FOB security forces.
Welcome to the US Bashar!
P.S. I hope D. Schlussel gets this post. She has often attacked modest attempts to bring terps to the US following their years of heroic service.
Nov 20, 2008 - 9:46 am