The Damra saga [ Cleveland Ohio, The Plain Dealer ]

[Sara Bradi]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=124x163363

I posted the story in the Arab/Israeli forum, but this story isn't really about the middle-east,
it is about the behavior of our government.

[Sara Bradi]

1. CNN special report

I watched a CNN special report "The War Within", by Christiane Amanpoor.

http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/siu/shows/war.within/index.html

The US ambassador to the UK, perhaps our closest diplomatic tie, was reaching out to muslims
in UK attempting to explain that the administration is not anti-muslim.

And the Justice Department did everything it could to alienate muslims in Ohio, Michigan &
Illinois where Fawaz served in different capacities.

Let me see if I have this right, Billions of tax payer dollars spent in operating propaganda
machinery in Iraq & around the world, Billions paid to informants for flawed intelligence to
start an illegal & immoral war, We have angered muslims not only in the middle east but
around the world, The US ambassador to UK is playing suck-up / kiss-ass to angry muslims in UK,
millions of illegal aliens get a FREE pass inside our borders...

Yet, one man, who apologized for his past mistakes, who had renounced his ties to militant
groups, who preached tolerance and interfaith outreach after 9/11, was literally picked up
and handed over to a country that is all but guaranteed to torture him.

The government squandered a golden opportunity to pardon Fawaz and build goodwill in muslim
communities, thru him.

If nothing else, it was a stupid move that negates some of the good things we do around
the world.

[partylessinOhio]

2. This man should never have been deported to ISRAEL.

He should be here with his wife and children. This is an outrage.

[Sara Bradi]

3. he has been released ...

(on edit, fixed block quote I hope, sorry still learning how to use these forums)

Thank goodness the Israelis have more sense than people in our government.

Damra spoke by telephone, his voice broadcast to a small gathering of friends, family and media in the community center behind the Islamic Center of Cleveland.

He said he hoped his Christian and Jewish friends in Northeast Ohio would one day visit him in the West Bank, where he believes God has work for him.

“I plan to continue work I started in Cleveland, to build bridges of respect and understanding between the members of the different faiths in the Holy Land,” he said.

As spiritual leader of Ohio’s largest mosque, Damra, a Palestinian immigrant, had emerged as a progressive imam who reached out to Christians and Jews.

Damra vows to be a force for peace

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/1168682289185130.xml&coll=2&thispage=1