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DEL.ICIO.USRisking it all for family
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Camp Taji, Iraq — Agent Q said he trades in his car almost every month. He paints his license plates white, so they are harder to see from a distance. And he has learned to drive fast to and from this base. Real fast.
Q is an interpreter for U.S. soldiers here. And he knows being seen near this base could mean trouble. Insurgents killed a fellow interpreter, he said, for cooperating with the U.S. military.
“I don’t stop. I don’t want to be stopped,” said Q, who asked that his real name not be used for his safety.
Q is paid $900 a month to risk his life. When the soldiers give him candy, he brings it home to his four children. But he never throws the wrappers away in his neighborhood. He wears a scarf over his head sometimes to disguise himself on the way to work.
Q said he took the dangerous job because he was unemployed following the U.S. invasion of Iraq. And he needed the money to support his wife and children. His daughter has cancer and needs a bone marrow transplant, he said.
His dream is to move his family to the United States, where he said his daughter could get the transplant. He is now looking for an American to sponsor him and help him get U.S. citizenship. “I want to take my family away from this country until it is good,” he said.
Perhaps one day, when Iraq is peaceful, he said, he would move his family back.
Comments
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By Tammy
November 8, 2005 09:41 AM | Link to this
Jeremy, Does Q’s little girl have a bone marrow match within her family- is she in a bone marrow match program? I am trying to find out what would need to be done. could you help? To Q - You are obviously a good man, and are very much needed to rebuild your country. If all the good men like you leave, when will Iraq ever be peaceful? Please hang in there, our soldiers need men like you they can trust to help them. With your help and the many more like you - Iraq can and will be a nation of peace and freedom. Peace and Freedom have a cost as your people are finding out. Americans have gone through the same thing and continue to do so for nations such as yours. I’m sure there are times that you wish you could go back to the way it was, I think we all feel that way sometimes. But it is worth it. Stay the course, it does not happen over night, it is a continueing process. Freedom is not the right to do what you want - it is the freedom to do what is right. That is why my husband and my daughter are there. That is why more than 2000 US soldeirs have died in this war, that is why the rest stay, and that is why you need to stay as well. I will have your daughter and your family on my heart and in prayers every day. As an American, I can tell you there are more people scrambling to help your daughter than you can imagine. Your daughter fights this cancer, you must continue to fight for a free and peaceful Iraq. She can not quite and neither can you. God bless you for all that you are doing, and keep you and your family safe.
By G.Lawrence
November 8, 2005 03:33 PM | Link to this
My prayers are for you and your daughter. Do stay the course and, hopefully, Iraq will be a better place to live. Our military personnel really need your assistance. They are risking their lives daily to help the Iraqi people to be able to have the freedoms that they deserve. Thank you for helping our troops. God bless you!
By Q
November 9, 2005 11:37 AM | Link to this
Thanks for Mr.Redmon guys iam proud working with us troops ,my concern is ,Moving my family to states or australia ,So i can react again and no one can threat my family and i can stay longer in camp , iknow that many people depandeng on me i need to keep sport them ,Q never quit ,My 5 years ols duaghter need to be finish her chemotheraby outside iraq we have big shortage of drugs . God pless every body Thank you Agent Q
By CAK
November 9, 2005 04:50 PM | Link to this
It is hard to know who to trust and who to keep an eye on over there. So keep an eye on everyone.
-A Grunt
By cb
November 9, 2005 11:41 PM | Link to this
You could not have done a better job of telling the people his name. They can read our newspapers on the web.
By Prince
November 10, 2005 11:40 AM | Link to this
Just wanted to let everyone know that I have worked side by side with “Q” and he is an honorable man. Without “Q” I would not have been able to complete my missions, “Q” is truly a team player and a family man. “Q” if you are reading this I wish you the very best and my family will keep you in our prayers. God bless you Q