Obama admin denies heroic Iraqi translator asylum; may grant it to Uighur terrorists

911FamiliesForAmerica.org ^ | April 5, 2009 | Tim Sumner

[Sergeant Tim]

By way of both the Gateway Pundit and Black Five, I came across this Fox News report:

An Iraqi translator who has earned commendations for risking his life repeatedly to save the lives of many American soldiers in combat has been denied a visa to live in the United States because of nonviolent actions he took to overthrow Saddam Hussein — at the same time the U.S. government was calling for regime change in Iraq. Jasim, whose name is being withheld for his safety, has received strong support from the U.S. military, and the Department of Homeland Security approved his application for a visa. But the State Department has denied Jasim a visa because he was arrested in 1996 for actions against the Saddam dictatorship. ... Because Iraqi translators are seen by jihadists and former Baathists as "traitors," Jasim's life is at greater risk the longer he stays in Iraq, according to multiple State Department and U.S. military officials. A number of translators and their families have already been tortured and/or murdered. ... During his three years as a translator, Jasim has exposed himself to enemy fire in the course of saving American lives. Three different Americans who served with him in Iraq told FOXNews.com that they are alive today because of Jasim. "The only reason I am here today is because of Jasim," said Elisabeth Keene, a U.S. Army specialist who serves in a combat unit. "He saved the life of everyone in my unit. On several occasions while our guys were putting rounds down range, Jasim put himself in harm's way to pull the wounded out and treat them," Keene said. "Jasim is a hero to everyone he has ever met." "I owe my life to Jasim ... hands down," said Master Sgt. Jason Krieger, who went on over 200 combat patrols with Jasim. "I consider him a brother, not only in arms, but in love as well." Those who have worked with Jasim are astonished at the decision to deny him a visa. FOXNews.com has obtained numerous letters submitted by U.S. Army and Marine Corps personnel supporting his application. Each letter praises his heroism in glowing terms and strongly recommends issuing a visa. Jasim even received letters of recommendation from a couple of two-star generals. It is unusual for a translator's visa application to be endorsed even by one general.

On March 19, 2009, the Wall Street Journal reported:

For "people who can be released there are a variety of options that we have and among them is the possibility is that we would release them into this country," Mr. Holder said. "That process is ongoing and we've not made any determinations or made any requests of anybody at this point."

The "country" being America and the terrorists being mostly Uighurs, as Reuters confirmed:

Holder said it was possible the 17 Chinese Muslims who have been held for years at Guantanamo, and two or three others prisoners, could be freed in the United States.

Section 103 of the 'Real ID Act of 2005' prohibits the immigration of those who train in terrorism or who are associated with terrorist groups. The NRO's Andrew McCarthey explains:

That law was enacted in 2005 because of the war Holder says he now realizes we’ve been in for over a decade. It was enacted because paramilitary courses factored into all those terrorist attacks from the 1990s that “we as a nation” missed the significance of. Holder hasn’t explained how turning trained jihadists loose on the infidels that they were training to kill is consistent with his new war mentality (a war in which, at his direction, we no longer call enemy combatants “enemy combatants”).

Rasmussen Reports that Americans are overwhelmingly against granting asylum or immigration to terrorists:

Seventy-five percent (75%) say Guantanamo inmates should not be released in this country, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Twelve percent (12%) are not sure. For 75% of voters, safety is more important than fairness in determining where terrorist suspects are released. Only 17% say fairness is more important. National Intelligence Director Dennis Blair also said some of these inmates may receive financial assistance from the government to ease their transition into society. Seventy-four percent (74%) oppose giving taxpayer money to former Guantanamo prisoners to help them return to society. Sixteen percent (16%) think taxpayers should provide money to the inmates. ... 64% of Democrats agree with 88% of Republicans and 76% of unaffiliateds that Guantanamo inmates should not be released in the United States. Similarly, 83% of Republicans, 66% of Democrats and 79% of unaffiliated voters say safety is more important than fairness in determining where the terrorist suspects are released.

Survey or not, it is against the law to allow terrorists to immigrate into the United States. Yet that is a mere inconvienence to the "rule of law" administration of President Barack Obama; they just will not grant asylum to someone who placed his life on the line in battle for our troops during "President George W. Bush's war."

[Sergeant Tim]

Ping!

[Sergeant Tim]

Ping!

[Sergeant Tim]

Join Honest Conservative this Sunday, April 5, at 8 PM Eastern time, on Freedom Radio. Her guests this week are David Bellavia and Bill Roggio.

'House to House' author David Bellavia is a former Army Staff Sergeant who served in the First Infantry Division for six years. He has been recommended for the Medal of Honor by his leadership, and has been nominated for the Distinguished Service Cross. He has received the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the Conspicuous Service Cross (New York State's highest combat valor award) and was recently inducted into the New York State Veteran’s Hall of Fame. His Task Force 2-2 Infantry has fought on such battlefields as Al Muqdadiyah, An Najaf, Al Fallujah, Mosul, and Baqubah. His actions in Fallujah, Iraq were documented in the November 22, 2004 cover story “Into the Hot Zone” by award winning journalist Michael Ware.

Bill Roggio is the Managing Editor of The Long War Journal. He is also the president of Public Multimedia Inc., a nonprofit media organization with a mission to provide original and accurate reporting and analysis of the Long War, an Adjunct Fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, a Hoover Institute Media Fellow, and contributor to the The Weekly Standard. His coverage includes the war in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Lebanon, and Iraq, as well as al Qaeda's operations, tactics, and strategy.

Bill has embedded with the U.S. Marine Corps, the U.S. Army, the Georgian Army, the Iraqi Army, and the Iraqi police in Iraq in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008, as well as with the Canadian Army in Afghanistan in 2006. He also presents regularly at the US Air Force's Contemporary Counterinsurgency Warfare School on the media and embedded reporting. From 1991 to 1997, Bill served as a signalman and infantryman in the US Army and the New Jersey National Guard.

Click Freedom Radio to visit the web site, listen in, and even chat if you like. The call in number is 646-478-5613

[reg45]

The terrorists from China should be returned to China.

[DieHard the Hunter]

What an evil outcome.

[6SJ7]

Conservatives believe in punishing the guilty. Liberals believe in punishing the innocent.

[nmh]

Tragic.

Convince me that Obama loves his foreign country, the U.S..

Meanwhile terrorists and obstinateillegla aliens sucking up taxpayer dollars stay. I am talking about Obama’s Auntie in Boston.

[nmh]

What an evil outcome.

You said it best.

[MHGinTN]

Hmmm, I wonder if this 63 years old twice divorced man could ‘marry’ this guy in Iowa or Massatwosh!ts and thereby give him asylum? What an interesting crowd of protesters that would make for!

[PreciousLiberty]

Just another disgraceful move by the 0bama ‘administration’. Par for the course.

[Syncro]

OTM’s (Other Than Mexican) are a major group that come in from Mexico disguised as Mexicans.

Many of them, probably the bulk of them, come here to train at the Mosques and with Islamic groups to prepare for another attack on the USA.

Many also go to war against us overseas after receiving their terrorist training here.

[Clint Lippo]

Maybe we could get him in with a straight-up trade for our “dear leader’s” aunt?

[ThreePuttinDude]

[Syncro]

"But the State Department has denied Jasim..."

What the heck, who runs the State Department anyway?

Oh, that's right, Hilliary Clinton.

The Clintons hate anyone who helped with the war in Iraq (terrorists---not so much), it's highly political.

[sono]

You'll not like THIS either.

[happygrl]

The world has gone mad.