Government… too big, too cumbersome, too inefficient at the working level. This, regardless of party leadership – either aisle. This whole federal machine has just gotten out of control, Congress needs a serious “cleaning house”.

I’m with MarineTBryant. This is as appalling as the border guards in jail….

Like or Dislike: 0  0

Yeah, I’ll go along he should be allowed in, just as soon as Ramos and Compeon are set free.Tom

Like or Dislike: 0  0

This might require a top down approach, meaning both President Bush and secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertof can override the INS by ordering the INS to give Saman Kareem Ahmad a green card. President Bush could use his pardon power to strike the terrorist remarks from Saman Kareem Ahmad’s record.

Like or Dislike: 0  0

This case is a travesty. One of many things that the Bush administration should be ashamed of.

Like or Dislike: 0  0

Before I dig into this, let me say up front that this fellow should have already received a waiver; his service to this country clearly justifies permanent residency.

I can understand, however, the caution with which the US government is moving as far as the KDP (and other such groups) are concerned.  There’s an underlying issue here, and it basically goes unmentioned in most reports of this sort; this article didn’t get into many details, although it did say this:

Until recently, language in the Immigration and Nationality Act virtually compelled a finding that the KDP and similarly pro-American organizations were “terrorists”; legislation allowing such groups to be cleared was passed in December, but a review of the KDP has not been completed.

When we get into the question of opposition movements (as the KDP most certainly was during Hussein’s rule, yes?), one person’s ‘terrorist’ is another person’s ‘freedom fighter’ or yet another person’s ‘political activist’ or ‘opposition leader.’   Remember when Putin named the Chechen separatists "terrorists" some years ago?  We (the US) have to be particularly careful in our dealings with Kurdish groups, since Turkey (about 1/3 of which is, according to some Kurdish groups, "Kurdistan" territory; see the map on the KDP-Lebanon website) is a NATO ally.

Naming groups "terrorists" (or removing such designation) can have serious diplomatic repercussions.  I’m glad that we have a waiver process on an individual basis–and, as I said, this guy should receive such a waiver immediately–but we should remember that there’s a diplomatic dance with our allies which demands careful steps.

Like or Dislike: 0  0

I just remembered that 60 Minutes did a piece on this topic.

Of course the “flavor” of their program, as I remembered it, was as much to drive another nail of hurt into the Bush Administration as it was in pointing out the injustice of the screwed up policies.

Like or Dislike: 0  0

This is a travesty…..what utter morons at the INS.

Contact your local Representatives and let them know about this situation. If anyone is deserving of citizenship in this country its this man.

House: http://www.house.gov/writerep/
Senate: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Like or Dislike: 0  0