Afghan Interpreters, Others Fast-tracking to Canada

[Edward Campbell]

I suspect that many pose a dilemma for soldiers, officials and politicians. This is, I think, the first time we have seen a situation in which the "qualification" for entry into Canada is that one served as a contracted employee. My guess is that many, even most of the 'terps' would be unqualified for entry to Canada as immigrants or refugees under the existing rules. The question is probably being asked: where does it end? who else might demand to be pushed to the front of the immigration line for some reason or another.

Let's all agree that 'terps' were vital and that they are now in some danger because of what they did for us ... but was their salary not sufficient to compensate them for that? That's what salaries are supposed to do, after all.

I don't have a dog in this fight but I think it is not simple hard-heartedness or partisan politics. I suspect there may be some legitimate questions that should be asked.

 

[jollyjacktar]

Perhaps for future, ER, but promises were made to these men.  Unlike the people sneaking across the border or earlier being flown in in droves, these men served us, undoubtedly made our troops safer and are now at risk of harm because of their association with us and I do believe some have even lost their lives.  Exemptions can always be granted to "qualifications" needed or variations created, the government does it all the time to the rules it imposes.  I don't believe partisanship comes into it at all, if anything it's hard-heartedness and not wanting to see things done (for whatever reason).  As far as I am concerned, it is shameful that we are not honouring our promises made in this instance. 

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

Any indigenous population that supports a foreign power always gets the shaft when the war ends.  Just look at all the African soldiers that fought for South Africa, Portugal, France, Etc  in the small wars of Colonial Succession.  Left on their own at the end of hostilities, with many killed by the governments that came after.

How many Afghans were given the false promise of citizenship while working as agents?  I'd imagine quite a few, we won't know for another 40+ years when the war files finally become declassified and anyone who cares is long dead.

 

[Kat Stevens]

These people contributed more to Canada without ever setting eyes on the place than the majority of the economic migrants that cross the border illegally ever will.

 

[Lightguns]

These people contributed more to Canada without ever setting eyes on the place than the majority of the economic migrants that cross the border illegally ever will.

Likely than a one third of Canadians as well but neither blue team nor red team has carried through on a national promise. Orange team doesn't care just like the majority of Canadians.  There was a 1000s of Vietnamese who stood in front of the gates of their US embassy watching the last chopper leave that can commensurate.  I would be very leery of assisting a foreign army in my country ever, no manner how much they are the good guys.

 

[The Bread Guy]

The latest case, only this time, trying to move here from the U.S. ...

Canadian war veteran Micheal Rude who fought in Afghanistan waited for an important arrival at Victoria International Airport Friday morning, but the Afghan man who used to interpret for him on the battlefield never arrived.

“I was sitting in my truck crying in the parking lot,” said Michael Rude.

Niaz Hussaini risked his life when he served as an interpreter for Canada and then the United States for many years.

When the Afghanistan War ended, he and his family were moved to California under an American program to help interpreters

However, on Friday he was turned away by the Canadian government he also used to serve when he was told he could not travel to Canada.

“He belongs here,” added Rude. “He bled just like any other Canadian soldier on the battlefield.”

Hussaini’s rejection Friday is being blamed on the last minute arrangements to bring him here and lack of time to process his paperwork, but he wants to move here permanently and that is being stalled as well.

“Last year he wrote to emigrate to Canada and they denied him because they said he was in a safe place already and that’s a guy who lost his legs for our country right?” said Rude.

Mike Rude isn’t the only person trying to bring Hussaini to Canada.

“Canada can’t let him into the country. I’m just baffled by that,” said Maureen Eykelenboom.

Eykelenboom’s son Andrew was a Canadian military paramedic who was killed in Afghanistan in August 2006.*

Hussaini and Rude were supposed to be in Comox this weekend for the annual Boomer’s Legacy fundraiser named after Andrew Eykelenboom, a charity aimed at helping Canadian troops help others in Canada and around the world.

Just months before he died, Eykelenboom saved Hussaini’s when he had both legs blown off in a grenade attack.

Andrew’s mother says Hussaini deserves to live in Canada.

“We owe him and other interpreters from Afghanistan the right to be able to come and live in this country freely and properly,” she said.

Canada has brought 800 interpreters to Canada since the war ended but many others like Niaz Hussaini are still waiting.

CHEK News contacted Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to see what efforts are being made to bring Hussaini to Canada but was told an answer would not be available before deadline.

The annual Boomer’s Legacy Bicycle Ride is this weekend, leaving Comox Saturday morning, riding to Nanaimo, the returning to Comox on Sunday.

Boomer’s Legacy has raised more than $1.3 million and distributed more than $800,000 in grants since 2006 ...

More in another local media story here.

* - Andrew Eykelenboom is credited with saving this guy's life in Afghanistan (Globe & Mail, July 2008).

 

[OldSolduer]

But if you’re a former or current IS player our PM rolls out the red carpet.

 

[Jarnhamar]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Huzaifa_al-Kanadi

In 2018, he said in a podcast on The New York Times website that he murdered two people while fighting for ISIS

 

[Cloud Cover]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Huzaifa_al-Kanadi

PM inbound.

 

[daftandbarmy]

But if you’re a former or current IS player likely to help the Liberal party in the next election, our PM rolls out the red carpet.

There, FTFY

 

[The Bread Guy]

Took a while (too long?), but bumping this (also in case some want this discussion on this issue in one place) with some photos from the Info-machine of the latest Op AEGIS stuff (source: various CF FB posts here, here, here and here)

 

[Rifleman62]

How many are out of Afghanistan? Last I heard it was secret. Bet they failed.

 

[Good2Golf]

What is the metric for failure?

 

[Rifleman62]

They were not all,or most evacuated.

 

[Good2Golf]

Who’s “they?”

What’s the baseline listing of who is eligible, from which a delta/didn’t get out, is calculated?

I don’t think the math is a simple as you imply above.

 

[Rifleman62]

They: former Afghan interpreters and their families. I have NO idea how many. Time is getting very short to complete the evacuation.

Ottawa ministers vow to bring 20,000 Afghan refugees to safety

Priority will go to those most in danger, including women leaders, human-rights advocates and families of interpreters already in Canada

www.theglobeandmail.com

Ottawa faces calls to speed up rescues from Afghanistan as special forces deploy to Kabul - 13 Aug 21​

The Canadian government is facing urgent calls to speed up its effort to save hundreds of former Afghan interpreters and their families as Western countries step up plans to evacuate Afghanistan after 20 years of war.

Canada is among those preparing to leave, with revelations late Thursday that the government is deploying special forces troops to help evacuate the embassy in Kabul.

Those revelations are sparking alarm and confusion among Canadian veterans and others who have been working to save hundreds of Afghans who supported Canada over the years and are now at risk of Taliban retribution.

One of those calling for more speed is retired major-general Denis Thompson, who previously commanded Canadian troops in Afghanistan and was one of three former two-star generals who wrote a letter last month urging Ottawa to save the interpreters.

Thompson says while he is grateful that the government agreed to expedite the resettlement of Afghans who supported Canada, he is frustrated by the pace of the effort and the lack of information from officials.

The Taliban have moved with stunning speed in capturing large swaths of Afghanistan in recent weeks, and there have been numerous reports of targeted killings and attacks on civilians.

 

[Good2Golf]

My point remains that to throw out a wager that “they failed” against no explicit metric to which failure can be attributed is a meaningless wager.

How many are out of Afghanistan? Last I heard it was secret. Bet they failed.

If there are Afghans who applied to the Canadian rescue program and were accepted, but don’t make it out because egress is no longer possible, then one could at least say that they have been failed.

Perhaps best to not confuse the best efforts of domestic agencies and CDN diplo staff on the ground in AFG trying to get all the rescuees contact info, biometrics and documentation, with the higher-level political leaders who have dithered and not filtered out unreasonable black/white limitations/constraints on the terps and their families?

 

[The Bread Guy]

... Perhaps best to not confuse the best efforts of domestic agencies and CDN diplo staff on the ground in AFG trying to get all the rescuees contact info, biometrics and documentation, with the higher-level political leaders who have dithered and not filtered out unreasonable black/white limitations/constraints on the terps and their families?

Remember where the buck stops, indeed.

 

[Good2Golf]

Remember where the buck stops, indeed.

Dare I hope….

 

[daftandbarmy]

Whoa. How will we be able to extract 20,000 people before the Taliban kill them all?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/afghanistan-resettlement-program-aug13-1.6140599