http://www.mndaily.com/article.php?id=5138
Despite U.S. government efforts to recruit speakers of Arabic and other
Middle Eastern languages, University students and professors said they do
not know of individuals who would take the jobs.
U.S. government agencies such as the CIA and FBI started recruiting
Arab-Americans, especially those with Arabic and other Middle Eastern
language skills, to work for the government after realizing they were short
translators.
"We've been letting them know we have these job opportunities," said CIA
spokesman Tom Crispell. The CIA started a new advertising campaign last
month targeting communities with large Arab-American populations.
Arab Student Association adviser Ayman Balshe said the advertisements for
jobs he has seen on Arab satellite TV channels offer $50,000 to $70,000 as
starting pay but give no specifics about the positions' duties.
"I haven't met anyone who's interested in that kind of job," he said. "All
it says is to call a number."
Mazher Al-Zoby, a graduate student from Jordan studying cultural studies
and comparative literature, said the U.S. government cannot be suspicious
of Arab-Americans while it also recruits them.
"The government is pursuing a kind of contradictory agenda," he said.
U.S. government agencies invite Arab-Americans to help in the name of
national security, Al-Zoby said, but then ask them to identify people in
their own communities who might be linked to terrorism.
"They wanted these people to be informants," Al-Zoby said, adding that the
advertisements promote the government's view of good citizens. "They're
basically asking them to spy, which alienates the very people they're
trying to recruit."
After Sept. 11, 2001, Al-Zoby said, a private agency contacted him about
doing work for the FBI.
"It was vague," he said, explaining why he declined the offer. "No one was
certain what the task would be."
Al-Zoby said he has done Arabic translation work before, but is not
interested in working for the government.
He added that people who have translated for the FBI or CIA probably would
not be allowed to talk about it.
Balshe said he thinks U.S. government policies targeting people of Middle
Eastern descent might take away from recruiting efforts.
"I think it's a factor as to why people aren't interested," Balshe said.
Arab students are more likely to pursue jobs and internships with nonprofit
community organizations, Balshe said, especially after some antiterrorism
policies have targeted individuals from certain countries.
But Hisham Khalek, the University's only full-time Arabic language
instructor, said he would help the government if asked.
"If they needed me, I would volunteer my service as a citizen," Khalek
said, adding that he isn't interested in a U.S. government job because the
University already employs him.
In general, Khalek said, government efforts to monitor foreigners are
justified.
"If in the name of national security they need to question people, they
have every right to do it," he said. "If at any point I don't agree, I
don't have to stay here."
Crispell said translators are in particularly high demand, but the CIA also
needs people with language skills in other positions.
"Depending on what kind of skills they bring to the table, they could do
any number of things," Crispell said.
Bruce Downing, a linguistics professor and director of the College of
Continuing Education's translation and interpreting program, said he is
aware of U.S. government recruiting efforts.
Though the University does not currently have an Arabic translation
training program, Downing said, government agency recruiters attended an
American Translators Association convention in November.
"It was the first time that American Translators Association had a
convention where there was dialogue about the need for translators in
relation to national security," Downing said.
He said recruiting in Arab-American populations will not necessarily
produce capable translators for government agencies.
"It's somewhat of a mismatch to find people that simply speak the
language," Downing said. "There's a gap between speaking the language and
being able to translate."
Elizabeth Dunbar covers international affairs and welcomes comments at
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
