Petition to Grant "Mohammed" U.S. Citizenship

Parkersburg News & Sentinel ^ | 4/8/03 | Evan Bevins

[Dergie]

NORTH ROYALTON, Ohio - A former Marine has started an online petition to bestow American citizenship upon the man who led U.S. forces to Pfc. Jessica Lynch.

Richard DeMarco, who lives in this suburb north of Cleveland, said he felt something had to be done to thank the Iraqi lawyer, known to the public only by his first name of Mohammad. Mohammad drew maps of the hospital where Lynch, a Palestine native, was being held and reported to soldiers on security measures in place around her. "He literally gave us back one of our daughters," DeMarco said.

According to a story on the U.S. Marine Corps Web site, Mohammad, who lived in An Nasiryah, the town where members of Lynch's convoy were attacked after taking a wrong turn, learned of the soldier's captivity while visiting the hospital, where his wife worked.

Mohammad said he saw an Iraqi colonel strike Lynch twice. That display of violence, he said in the Marine Corps article, convinced him he must try to save her.

Locating a Marine checkpoint, Mohammad walked approximately six miles to make contact with coalition forces. He approached the Americans with his hands in the air, so as not to be mistaken for a soldier clad in civilian clothes.

"Being a former Marine ... and being in combat myself, I can fully appreciate the risks he took in approaching Marine lines, especially with the tactics the Iraqis had been using," DeMarco said.

Mohammad returned to the hospital to gather more information. At the same time, Iraqi forces stormed his home, seizing many of his personal belongings. His wife and daughter escaped to the home of family members nearby.

With the help of Mohammad's information and a diversion from troops in another part of the city, a team of Navy SEALs, Marine commandos, Air Force pilots and Army Rangers freed Lynch from the hospital.

Mohammad, his wife and daughter are now in a secure location and have been granted refugee status.

For DeMarco, though, this is not enough for a family that risked their lives to save an American soldier.

"He deserves something above and beyond...," he said.

DeMarco's petition, located online at http://www.petitiononline.com/POWHELPR/petition.html, asks members of Congress to sponsor a bill granting special U.S. citizenship to Mohammad and his family.

So far, the petition has registered more than 120 signatures, many of them from veterans.

DeMarco said granting Mohammad citizenship would show the U.S. can reward its allies, not just punish its enemies.

"I think that would send a good message to the Middle East," he said.

It also might help break down stereotypes held by some Americans, DeMarco said, by showing the violent actions of some Muslims and Iraqis do not reflect the beliefs of all.

[RonF]

I appreciate the thought, but we need this man to stay in Iraq and be a leading Iraqi citizen a lot more than we need him in the U.S. as an American citizen.

[B Knotts]

He wants to stay in Iraq, from what I've heard, but granting him U.S. citizenship would be a nice gesture.

[Dergie]

Yeah, thinking about it, I would agree that he needs to be given a leadership position.

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[cubreporter]

I think so too. Thank God for his character. If it wasn't for his bravery and determination Jessica may still be in the hands of the enemy. Why not citizenship? I'm for it.

[rimmont]

Can we stop playing "fast and loose" with U.S. citizenship?

[AgThorn]

I'm all for it, where do I sign? But I do agree with the sentiment that we need him more in Iraq.

[AmericanInTokyo]

I think a full scholarship for one of his kids when they get older, in a nice Western university that doesn't teach bullshit would be a nice touch. But...it would be hard to find such an institution of lower learning.

[week 71]

Evidently the man is brave, a risk taker, and opposes evil. Sounds like he has the true american spirit. Unlike some craven members of congress, and the american left.

[XJarhead]

Richard DeMarco, who lives in this suburb north of Cleveland

So he's Canadian?

North Royalton is about 10 miles south of Cleveland. North of Cleveland is Lake Erie. Anyway, its a nice gesture, and he seems like the type of guy who would make a good American. But he's needed in Iraq far more.

[Doctor Stochastic]

We need to (for propaganda purposes, it's not a dirty word) play up in the Middle East that this guy acted like a true Muslim whereas Saddam's thugs acted like thugs. (They don't even rise to the level of thugee.)

[philosofy123]

Agree

[Conspiracy Guy]

The man is where he is needed. Could you imagine an American Lawyer taking the chances he took or walking anywhere?

[Eva]

Make him the new attorney general of Free Iraq.

[Doctor Stochastic]

We should also honor (later, later, after the war and its aftermath) the guys who helped the Coalition. Especially the ones killed by shooting and the guy who bled to death after having his tongue cut out after helping finger Saddam's meeting just before the war started.

[RetiredArmy]

Concur. Maybe the guy doesn't want to be an American. He might want to say in his own country, now that it will be free of Saddam. Maybe help rebuild his country. I will be interested to see how many of these so-called exhiles will go back to Iraq to live.

[wastoute]

Think about it guys. This story is probably fiction to cover up the actual means and methods.

[AmericanInTokyo]

IMHO, it sends a shoddy, bad message, somewhat of melodramic, 'America-is-the-center-of-the-world' arrogance at this critical point, I believe, to such overseas heroes to 'reward them with USA citizenship', as it rubs in the face of the Iraqis that somehow THEIR citizenship is second 'class'.

Well, hey, that might be true, but for wider machiavellian PR purposes, we don't need to be ugly patronizing Americans in this sense overseas?

No. Let's help the man wherever he can (and his country), in building a NEW IRAQ, that will be the pride of the entire country, so that Iraqi citizenship will be just as prized for Iraqis as American citizenship would be. That will be the true tribute to his kindness and will also make Iraqis feel better and not as our serfs and tokens.

[kinghorse]

The Iraqi Col. is a chump. I hope our boys can get their hands on that punk chump POS.