Iraqi translators Abandoned

[ScottishJohn]

I just read this on the BBC:

Iraqi interpreters who have risked their lives to help UK forces will not get asylum, a report has claimed.

Whitehall officials ignored appeals by high-ranking army officers for asylum to be given to 91 interpreters and their families, according to the Times.

BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner says interpreters are marked men who "face a horrific death".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6935517.stm

Does this make anyone else feel thoroughly ashamed of our country? Say for instance each family has 10 members, that is less than a thousand people to let into the country, a small sacrifice to make considering the aid they have given us, especially considering that we will likely have the same number of deaths on our conscience if we leave them in Iraq. We have lost 165 soldiers in Iraq over the 4 1/2 years, and now we are ready to let 91 interpreters and their families die for helping us at the stroke of a pen. I don't feel proud...

 

[mrswebber]

Disgraceful!!!!

I believe Britain has plenty previous, for such behaviour in the past too.

 

[MarcusHill]

To be fair, there may be a couple of misconceptions in there.

Firstly, the interpreters aren't being denied asylum, they're just being told they have to apply like anyone else - turf up in the UK and apply on arrival, needing to prove they'd be in danger if they returned. Secondly, a figure I heard on the radio this morning is that the total number is more like 15 000, though I may have misheard and this could be a total for all potential Iraqi asylum seekers.

That said, I still think it's disgraceful. Although I think the war was unjustified, these people risked their lives in the service of our military, and should at the very least be allowed to apply for a fast track asylum before uprooting from Iraq and be given transportation to the UK by the very military that they aided.

 

[non-religious]

I would go even further and state that anyone presently in Iraq who can escape that hell and find sanctuary in another country (the UK included) should be made welcome.....

 

[uberd00b]

Disgraceful!!!!

I believe Britain has plenty previous, for such behaviour in the past too.

Yeah. Anyone remember the Ghurkas? We do seem to use people then just cast them aside.

 

[uberd00b]

I would go even further and state that anyone presently in Iraq who can escape that hell and find sanctuary in another country (the UK included) should be made welcome.....

Reps to you.

 

[lismore]

Its not like the British Empire to use people and then abandon them?

Thats why we need to get out of this ungodly Britain, redeem the land and see the nation of Scotland emerge.

The Union of 1707 was bought with bribery, blood, lies and corruption. Everything God hates.

 

[ScottishJohn]

You can sign the petition for the Interpreters here:

http://www.campaigns.libdems.org.uk/interpreters

 

[lismore]

You can sign the petition for the Interpreters here:

http://www.campaigns.libdems.org.uk/interpreters

Lets hope it does more than the petition I signed urging Blair not to go to war in Iraq in the first place.

 

[bunced]

Write to your MP too.