Interpreter gets a visa
This should be so commonplace that it’s not news, but Fox News reports that Janis Shinwari, an Afghan interpreter who rescued an American intelligence officer, Matt Zeller, in a firefight in 2008 and became a target of the Taliban has been finally rewarded with a vise to the United States with his family after a two-year wait. From Fox News;
“Janis gave me the news a short while ago via Facebook chat — and then I called him,” Zeller told FoxNews.com. “It was very emotional. I don’t think I’ve ever heard him that happy. He started telling me about how excited he is and that he expects to have flights and housing arranged by IOM (the organization that handles that aspect of it) within 30-40 days.
“We started talking about how our kids (I have a daughter about the same age as his youngest) will grow up together and be friends,” Zeller added. “I still can’t quite wrap my head around the fact that in a few weeks I’ll be able to talk to him in person.
Now if the State Department would get to work on the other thousands still waiting. And let’s hope Janis can live through the next few weeks to enjoy his new opportunity.
Category: Terror War
At the rate things are going they could just come over and be “amnestied” in.
There was this terp in Kabul who had my respect. There was a story of him riding in an armored vehicle taunting the Taliban with the PA system in some Taliban controlled village. He lost part of his hand during an IED attack and went to the U.S. for medical care. He returned to Afghanistan and continued his job despite death threats against his new family. He had a tough life but was loyal to U.S. forces, despite the hardships.
This angers me. I worked with interpreters with U.S. combat valor awards. They risked their life and limb to save one of us, were recognized by our military for their valor, and the State Dept just says “meh….”
It is unjust, and makes me lose faith in my country and my government.