European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 6, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                July 2007 stars and stripes Page 13 would be citizens turn to courts for help suits seek to Speed Bis name Check by Rebecca Boone the associated press Idaho for six All a Lati has worked with the teaching soldiers simple iraqi words and telling them about the cultural mores of his native land and offering advice on How to Deal with the extreme weather  face in Hes a frequent visitor at joint readiness training Center at fort and has passed the background checks necessary to work for a department of de sense but to another Branch of the govern a Lati is still an unknown the iraqi refugee is one of millions waiting for the Fri to Clear his name a Neces sary step for Hes turning to the Federal courts for Hes one of dozens around the United states suing the government be cause the Fri has yet to Complete a pro Cess called a name i came to this country because i want to live i work hard i love this coun said who Learned English and passed the prerequisite citizenship Hes even passed a background Check by immigration and customs enforce both the Fri and the citizenship and immigration services acknowledge the delays Are a about citizenship applications nationwide currently have a wait time longer than six said Maria Elena a spokes woman for the citizenship immigration service in Matt in late May in Ali and Ahmed Almahdi display some of the certificates of achievements they have received while working for the the pair have been teaching soldiers iraqi telling them about the different cultures of their country and offering advice on How to Deal with extreme weather in both men have been waiting years for citizenship and have turned to the Federal courts for its to have to ironically names Are entered into a data wait this the Agency understands base to see if the Fri has gathered any in said who said the formation on them in the Agency is trying to find ways to expedite but even information on similar names the but you have to understand yield or and each hit has to that us is receives millions of applicable investigated so that information can be tons a one percent get Hung up on additional name the Fri completes about name checks every with close to new requests coming from us is alone on a weekly said Trent a spokesman with the bureaus Salt Lake City the initial name checks Are done elec forwarded on to the wait May get worse before it gets bet warns Audrey an immigration fellow with the Brookings As Law makers grapple Over the Best ways to ensure a secure nation creating stricter Laws on everything from Green cards to passports to citizenship applications agencies such As the Fri and department of Homeland Security Are bound to get More bogged she lawsuits Are becoming More and would be citizens in several states including Oklahoma and Idaho have sued in the Hope of speeding up the a Lati filed his lawsuit in after waiting nearly five years for his name Check to be we dont know Why its taking so a Lati i did i do something wrong to make you hold my Case they say i get depressed every time i am thinking about a Lati frequently stops by the local us is office to Check on his application he Hopes that once he becomes a Cit he can find work on a military base in interpreting for the govern ment and serving his new in a Lati said he risked execution at the age of he refused to join Saddam Hussein army and invade Kun within months he was captured by the Republican guard and shot in the leg Dur ing his he but the judge in his Case was sentencing him to 10 years in prison instead of six months after his the first Gulf War began and coalition forces began bombing the military base that contained Allais in the a guard took pity on the unlocking the prison doors and telling them to after taking part in an unsuccessful uprising against a Lati ended up in an american refugee Camp where he lived for six years before coming to the United beginning his Odyssey with american Ive waited until when i am 35 years a Lati am i going to have to wait for citizenship when i am 60 years old i went to the courts because this is the Only Way to do Gore glad son under treatment the associated press new York former vice president Al Gore said thursday Hes glad his son is Safe and get Ting treatment a Day after the 24yearold was arrested in Cali fornia on suspicion of illegally pos Sessing Maruyana and prescription we love him very Gore told abcs today we Are going to leave it As a private who appeared on Abc to publicize this weekends live Earth also briefly Dis cussed he called presi Dent Bush decision to commute the perjury and obstruction of jus Tice sentence of former White House aide Lewis Scooter Libby disappointing and Reiter ated that he has no plans to run for saying i dont expect to be a candidate again Ive kind of fallen out of love with Gore he said the Best use of his exp my the arrest Early wednesday Kevork former vice president Al second from wife son Albert Gore Iii and daughter Karenina Gore Schiff attend the 79th acad Emy awards in los Al Gores son was arrested Early wednes Day on suspicion of possessing marijuana and prescription drugs after deputies pulled him Over for authorities of Gores son overshadowed Gores work on the live Earth the former democratic presidential candidate and Star of an inconvenient truth has been planning the world wide event to raise awareness about the environment and fund ing for Alliance for climate pro a nonprofit organization he pm Gore Iii was driving about acid deputies Fuad a Small amount of marijuana plus Vico in and which is used for Atten Tion deficit Orange county sheriffs spokesman Jim Amormino the younger Gore did not have a prescription for any of the Amormino he was re leased from jail wednesday after noon on we Are glad he and that he is getting his father said Young diplomats work to Clear up passport backlog by Matthew Lee the associated press Washington the state department has ordered about 350 Young diplomats and recently employed civil servants to help Clear a crushing backlog of passport the backlog has led to major processing delays and disrupted thousands of americans summer travel three groups of Iso employees have been removed from their current posts in Washington and told tuesday to report for two months of duty at passport facilities in Louisiana and new Hamp Shire As the department struggles to Cope with overwhelming de officials those with pressing family commitments in the Washington area will be allowed to work at the passport production Agency Secretary of state con Dole Ezza Rice and her John ordered the step because already drastic Steps taken to reduce the backlog of millions of applications were not working fast said Patrick the depart ments management policy the Secretary and Deputy Secretary asked us to mobilize enough people to meet the de Mand and this is what we he those chosen for the duty Al ready have the necessary Security clearances to process the applications but will undergo a week Long refresher course beginning Many will arrive in new and a week later for the stints that end in the mobilization is just the latest in a series of measures the state department has taken to Deal with the which has prompted millions of furious com plaints from citizens and Calls for investigations from irate last the department is sued an urgent Al Points global Appeal for volunteers from embassies and consulates abroad to return to the United states for the summer to Clear the backlog of almost 3 million