Afghan Interpreter for Six CF Bosses Wants to Come to Canada

[The Bread Guy]

This, from the Canadian Press:

Froggy cannot forget the horrific blast.

It was in early June 2008 as hundreds of Canadian and Afghan soldiers swept through villages in the dangerous Panjwaii district of Kandahar province.

Froggy, as always, was sticking close to the man he calls "my major."

"He's very handsome. He's very excellent guy. He's very smart major," Froggy said.

"There's a lot of Taliban in this village. So, we start in the morning fighting. We captured the first village, and the Taliban escaped to the other village."

A six-year medic in the Afghan National Army, Mohammad Rahman, 42, picked up his nickname because of his raspy, throaty voice.

He was initially insulted, he said, until he was assured that another famous frog, presumably Kermit, was a bona fide television star.

Sitting in a medic hut on an Afghan army base in Kandahar city, he takes a deep breath as he reaches back to that fateful June day.

"There was big shooting and fighting, and ANA and Canadian did a good job. The Taliban like push off. They leave one village for us (but) they hid some IEDs."

Born in Logar province near Kabul, the married father of seven was lured from the Afghan army when a Canadian officer promised him more than the US$300 a month he was earning.

The soldier became an interpreter - a terp - for the Canadian military, guiding officers through the language and cultural maze of southern Afghanistan.

(....)

Froggy talks about the one thing that scares him: the prospect of the Canadian forces leaving him behind.

His father, who died last month, and other relatives have received a dreaded "night letter" from the Taliban, warning he should quit his interpreter work or face death at their hands.

Froggy is pleading with the Canadian government to grant him and his wife, four daughters and three sons - who range in age from two to 20 years old - entry to Canada.

"How can I live in Afghanisntan?" he said.

"I request from the government of Canada, especially from the Parliament, to think of us, because we are working for Canadians very honestly."

Ottawa has promised to treat immigration applicants like him sympathetically ....

More on link, and more discussion on the issue here
http://forums.milnet.ca/forums/threads/85864.0
and here
http://forums.milnet.ca/forums/threads/89135.0

 

[ballz]

Well he's already done a lot more for this country than a lot of people we've let in have ever done, so why not?

 

[1feral1]

I was recently informed that the Interpreter from my tour in Iraq, Fil and his fam have been relocated to Perth.

I would gladly welcome him as a neighbour any day.

I fully support Froggy and his fam to be relocated to Canada. He's earned it.


OWDU

 

[leroi]

Mohammad (Froggy) Rahman, an Afghan interpreter who helped save the life of a Canadian soldier last year, is seen at an Afghan National Army military compound in Kandahar, Afghanistan, on Thursday, Dec. 17, 2009. The Taliban have threatened to kill him for working with the Canadian Forces. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Colin Perkel

I do hope he will be able to come to Canada with his family ...

Edit: Removed photo at the request of The Canadian Press.

 

[VIChris]

I sure hope he and his family can make it over here. Men and women like him are so incredibly loyal, they make for the best new citizens we could ask for. Doubtless, should they be relocated, he will bring with him a family of hard working young folk who will contribute to Canada on the whole, and surely whatever community the settle into.  This is the type of news story - the Major's injuries notwithstanding - that needs to be heard more often.

For those of you who have been on tour, is this Froggy character typical of the interpreters you would have encountered? Are there many more like him we should be welcoming over here, should the want to move?

 

[armyvern]

This is the type of news story - the Major's injuries notwithstanding - that needs to be heard more often.

Actually, an even better news story would be the one announcing that this brave man and his family will be allowed into Canada forthwith.

I fail to see how an application to immigrate here could ever be justified in it's denial given that we currently have the likes of the Khadr family roaming about the streets.

I wonder when the Liberals will start fighting to have "Froggy" and his family brought here? After they finish their fight for the return to Canada on behalf of the terrorist Khadr locked up south of us?

 

[old fart]

Actually, an even better news story would be the one announcing that this brave man and his family will be allowed into Canada forthwith.

I fail to see how an application to immigrate here could ever be justified in it's denial given that we currently have the likes of the Khadr family roaming about the streets.

I wonder when the Liberals will start fighting to have "Froggy" and his family brought here? After they finish their fight for the return to Canada on behalf of the terrorist Khadr locked up south of us?

Nice one....totally concur.

 

[armyvern]

Nice one....totally concur.

Oh, I'm quite sure that this is the commom sentiment around here ... 

 

[daftandbarmy]

Why bring him here when he should be installed as the Afghan president?