They protected me; who protects them?

Dallas Morning News | Tod Robberson:

“A Kurd, a Sunni, two Shiites and a Christian. As a reporter, I couldn't have asked for a more representative cross section of Iraqi society. They worked with me as translators covering the war from 2003 to 2006. Each put himself at considerable personal risk to help me do my job. Now, each is afraid for his life for having collaborated with Americans.”

Ed Cognoski responds:

This behind-the-scenes story of war reporting from Iraq reads like a Hollywood screenplay. Threats, kidnappings, killings. Simple everyday behavior is invested with life-and-death consequences. All from just doing your job telling Americans what's going on in Iraq. So much for the theory that life in Iraq is not as bad as reporters would have us believe.

Mr Robberson would like to see asylum offered to Iraqis who helped reporters keep Americans informed about the war. This touches on an aspect of this war that has received little media attention — yet. Mr Robberson says "the U.S. government will grant permanent residency to around 7,000 Iraqi refugees later this year." Surely, this is only the start of the refugee migration. The US will be the ultimate destination for thousands more Iraqis who once collaborated with Americans and now can live no longer in their homeland.

This is right and just. It is now inevitable. It is also ironic. George Bush may himself end up being the agent who fulfills his oft-repeated warning: "If we withdraw before the job is done, the enemy will follow us here."