Friend,
Hi! My name is Alea.
I was born in Toledo, Ohio to an American mother and an Iraqi father - I know - an unusual combination. When you are a kid, you don’t know where your parents are from, but you just know they are your parents. I was a normal kid, went to school, ate McDonalds, and spent weekends with my grandparents.
At the age of eight, I was kidnapped to Iraq, unfortunately by my own father. My life has never been the same, but believe it or not, it made me who I am today.
Being kidnapped and losing my freedom is what made me appreciate the freedoms so many in the U.S. take for granted. I know firsthand what it’s like to lose your freedom – and was forced to live under Saddam Hussein’s brutal and repressive regime in Iraq, where being a woman means having no rights, speaking out costs you your life, and your future is not your own.
When I was 8 and my sister was 3, we took a family trip with my parents to visit my father’s mother who was sick in Iraq. At first, it was a wonderful experience meeting family for the first time. But my entire world would soon change forever.
The night before our flight back to America, my dad woke us up for a surprise trip to my aunt’s house for ice cream and candy. As any little kid would, we relished the excitement of being up past our bed time, playing after we had our fill of sweets. But we soon realized both of our parents were nowhere to be found. That’s when my nightmare began.
Hours that felt like months and several nights of crying myself to sleep passed before they returned. Our family members they left us with didn’t speak English and we didn’t speak Arabic.
When they finally did return, it wasn’t the happy reunion I hoped for. My father had given my mother a heartbreaking ultimatum: She could only take one of us back to America. Fearing for my sister who was only 3 years old, my mother made an impossible decision, and I was left behind.
As a young girl, I had no choice but to adjust to my new life.
I learned Arabic and went to school. My family helped me and tried to comfort me as much as possible. I was surrounded by good people in Mosul, but I never stopped trying to get back to America–back to my home.
Following Operation Desert Storm, U.S. forces protected the civilian population in northern Iraq. I remember a U.S. helicopter landing near my home in Mosul. I desperately begged the aircrew to take me back home. Of course, they couldn’t, but I never lost sight of my goal – not once during my four years in Iraq.
Neither did my mother. I didn’t know this then, but she was working with the FBI and local government officials in Toledo to secure my return home. My father was arrested for kidnapping, and the court told him he could not be released until I was brought back to the United States.
Finally, I was reunited with my mother and my life in Ohio. I was 12 years old, and a lot changed since I was last in America. I spoke broken English and was behind academically. It was a tough road, but I made it slowly.
As a junior in high school, I watched in horror as our country was attacked on September 11, 2001. I knew I had to do something – to lead by example and show my fellow Americans that, in fact, Arab Americans love our country – and to give back to the country that gave me a chance.
So, I walked into an Air Force recruiting office and asked to do whatever job deployed the most.
A year later, I was in basic training, learning to become an Airman.
Since then, I’ve spent my career in military intelligence, serving both active duty and in the Air Force Reserve. Today I’m a Lieutenant Colonel. I’ve advised top military leaders, deployed to the Middle East, and used my experience to help America understand the culture and geopolitics of Iraq and Syria.
America gave me a second chance, and I am committed to continuing my service to this country with everything I have. That's why I decided to run for Congress - and I hope I can count on your support.
My experiences have taught me that freedom isn’t free, and you never know what you had until you lose it. America needs strong leaders who understand that and who will stand up to ensure that future generations have a stronger, better, freer country than we inherited.
Our military, our families, and our freedoms are worth fighting for. And I will never stop fighting for you and I will always put America First. I hope you will join me on this mission.
With deep gratitude,
Alea Nadeem
Candidate for U.S. Congress
| Paid for by Alea for Congress |