Lieutenant leaves Iraq, now calls U.S. home Published Sept. 2, 2003 By Master Sgt. Tammy Cournoyer Air Force Print News U.S. NAVAL BASE GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba (AFPN) -- For one Air Force lieutenant, March 19 was not just the night coalition forces began attacking Iraqi targets, it was also the day war broke out in his former homeland.Known only as Mohammed for security reasons, the lieutenant is an Arabic linguist deployed here as part of Joint Task Force-Guantanamo. He is one of more than 2,000 servicemembers charged with supporting the war on terrorism by providing humane treatment and care to approximately 660 detainees, including three juvenile enemy combatants, from 42 nations.Mohammed was born and raised in Iraq. He was part of the uprising against Saddam Hussein in March 1991. After that failed, Mohammed, his wife and young daughter were taken by American forces to Saudi Arabia.“There were 22,000 refugees with us in the refugee camp,” said Mohammed, a polite, soft-spoken man. “The majority of us came to America.”He was 32 years old when he began his American life in 1992. The passing years did not mellow his feelings about the regime of his former country.“It’s a relief for the Iraqi people to get rid of the oppressive regime of Saddam Hussein,” said Mohammed, who still has family in Iraq but has been assured they are all right. “I want the Iraqi experience to be successful. I want Iraq to be a role model for the surrounding countries in getting their democracy and freedom.”The lieutenant believes the challenges of rebuilding a new, free Iraq are being hampered.“It’s unbelievable what’s happening in Iraq because everybody is happy there except for beneficiaries, so-called ‘Saddam orphans,’ who are making troubles now,” he said. “They (were) the beneficiaries of Saddam’s regime, so when the regime collapsed, was gone, they couldn’t get that privilege again.”He is sure “Saddam’s orphans” will be stopped.“We’ll crush them. Soon,” he said.Mohammed is a fiercely loyal American citizen and that loyalty was one of the many reasons he joined the Air Force.“I wanted to be part of this country that saved my life, and gave me my life back,” he explained.Already in the Air Force, Mohammed was on his way to work when he heard the news about the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.“I was really upset and mad because I consider myself … a New Yorker,” explained Mohammed. “New York is my city because when I came (to the United States) as a refugee, the first city that received me was New York.”Today, Mohammed spends his 12-hour shifts dealing directly with the detainees in the camps, alleged terrorists themselves. His job is to translate for them, even though he believes some of them speak English but try not to show it. He said he is not the most popular man on the cell block because he serves a country the detainees do not like.“What strikes me is that some of them are young, but they have a lot of hate in their heart,” said Mohammed, who fields detainee questions and takes requests for such things as medical attention, books and magazines. “Some of (the detainees) get upset with me. Some of them consider me as a traitor.”The abuse was hard on him at first.“In the beginning, I was really angry because of the things I heard from (the detainees) and the way they treated me,” Mohammed said. He looked to other joint task force people for support and guidance. They urged him to not take the taunts personally and gave him tips for handling them. “I’m following those guidelines they gave me, and I think I’ll be successful.”Mohammed is not exactly sure how he feels working so close to men accused of supporting terrorism.“The only thing I’m sure, terrorism will be defeated because it’s the wrong way,” he said. “And bombings and killings is not going to do anything good (for terrorists).”Life in the United States has allowed the lieutenant and his family a better life. He has been able to finish his education, and he hopes to someday return to work in engineering. Until then, he is supporting the global war on terrorism as part of the joint task force.“The least I can do now is come here,” he said.