Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Iraqi Interpreters deserve more than Assassination(2009Happy new year 2009)

farewell 2008
Here we are living the last minutes in 2008,I cannot consider this year as the worst year in my life, at least, I still alive, and that’s really enough to say it was just another year…in Great Iraq(Alhamdu lelaah).
In career, this is the worst one, In this year they banned the mask, and that was the biggest event for us as Interpreter. In this year I worked with really great team I’ve ever seen, I worked with high rank officer, It was great chance to me to be more close to my people and to discover how my people think, and what’s going on in this country!.How the Americans deal with their counterparts and how the Iraqis work and deal with their counterpart from CF(coalition forces).
In this year, many weird thing happened, on of these thing was: when you dicover like a person has accused by many murders of Iraqi innocents, but after few days, you seen him not just seen but also sit down with him on the same food ceremony table, I never got feeling such this before.
In this year, I went to range to shoot, not with AK 47! But this time was with M4, what a wonderful weapon is!
In this year also, I discovered that the US Army has a good percent of Muslims and Iraqis!!.
I worked with two of them, they were really great.
I will leave bad memories and turn to good once:
Two things happened to me this year: I really proud that I made real friendship with a little….very little of my coworkers, I gained two friends, friends I will never forget even if they forget me…
The other thing and the most important thing is……..I found my life partner!!! what a great feeling is this!!!, if I will alive, I will marry her, She is great and beautiful, smart and brilliant…I think it is a gift from Allah (God) !! I really appreciate this…wow.

Welcome 2009
Yes, 2009 will be the most difficult and last year to me…
They will begin this year with another assassination to Iraqis Interpreters…Official paper came to Interpreters Manager say:

“depend on the SOFA(Iraqi – American Agreement), the GOI considers the Iraqi local interpreters as Iraqi citizen working in a foreign company, so the GOI will take tax from them, about 20% !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and they (Iraqi interpreters) have to fill a form about their information, name…address and all biographic data, to let Ministry Of Finance put them in its system !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! “

I really shocked when I heard, the Government Of Iraq left everything and turn its face to Iraqi Interpreter!! …what the hell is going on???, when I decided to work as interpreters, I’ve known that one day, they will sell all our information to any person(special group….JAM….AL-Qa’ida….country….GOI…) will pay much money to has the database, but I never expected it will be in this quick and this way, and to whom!!!!!!!!!!!! Minister Of Finance( previously was: Minister Of Interior who accused of many sect crimes and many murders).
Yes, that the real face of Americans.... and Iraqis… and I don't blaim them!!!
You know… I can go ahead and fill that form…but what about my family !what about my relatives and my house, who will take care of them…? Who will protect them from GOI guys and BAQIR JBR SOLAGH guys(BAQIR JBR SOLAGH is the name of minister of Finance).
Many question in my mind!!! If they are looking for the tax, they can take it from our corporation and that is it….but why they want us to fill information form!!!!!!!!!!! why !!!!!!!!!!!and for whom interest that happens? I really don’t know…
I think we reached to the end…..I have a friend always says: The Game Almost Over.
I think so…
Have a good and great new year and always feel regretful because you are not in Iraq!!!!! …2009 will be the most challenge year in my whole life…see you “Insha’a Allah”.

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Updating...

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They postponed the taxes to 29 January, but they got new way to get us out, Yes...new one, now they say:you have to do medical examination to continue do your job!!!!! now you remember??? Medical Examination!!!!, friend of mine got termination because he didn't pass that medical examination...I'm realy upset, and realy missing him....they just told him, you didn't pass, you have some trouble in your lungs!!!!He never ever smoke a cigarette in his whole life....!!! I don't know what to say....

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I truly hope your next year is better than last. Stay safe and take care and please contact me if you ever need a hand finding work.

Matt said...

Happy New Year! I hope you will be safe whatever happens. That sounds pretty creepy about the Minister of Finance... but I think that the US will need fewer local interpreters with time as they withdraw forces, right?

The WordSmith from Nantucket said...

Good luck to you! I hope 2009 proves to be a prosperous year of recovery, healing, and rebuilding for your country.

And congratulations on finding your "gift from Allah".

Anonymous said...

Well buddy i'm a terp too and i don't know what's the Fu# is goin on,i'm lost and i don't know what to do, i mean is that what we deserve or what?!,givin' out our information,for what??,i think it's just a fucking execuse for GOI to get them, and then they will start to kill us one by one,don't forget that we are in iraq so ANYTHING may happen, who knows?!!,we all know that GOI is a bunch of criminals or at the best conditions "Bribers",so we have to expect any and everythin' from those guys.and with whom they are messing? with terps who r the bravest people in this country,"For me i'm so proud to be a terp".with out us nothin' would happen at all,

Anonymous said...

I just read about the changes myself and I really hope that some one is going to offer some true force protection to you and the other terps.

This really makes me angry because you have been risking so much for all of us these past years. You know, at times I wonder why my country is so foolish our senior leadership in the Army is at times.

The truth is without you terps the U.S. mission would be a great deal worse off. In my operational world you NEVER bite that hand that has been feeding you. MNF-I is biting the very hand that has been feeding them by unmasking you and turning your names over.

I am going to try and do what I can to let others know of this. It is very disappointing.

Stay as safe as you can alright.

-- said...

Well it sounds like you have had a lot of challenges and probably more to come, but meeting your life partner seems like pretty good news! I'm sorry that the prospect of filling out a form seems so treacherous to you - in the UK we would do it without thinking about it, but I can see why for an Iraqi translator circumstances are very different. I will you all the best whatever happens :)

Sandybelle said...

sami,
please take care of yourself.
Soleil

Unknown said...

I hope you are ok we haven't heard from you in awhile. I enjoyed your posts you should write more, or at least drop a line so we know you are ok.

Unknown said...

Just wanted to say we miss your blogs!

Ali said...

Sami? where are you? has anything happened? a problem? somthing wrong? we miss you, wallah >>