Sara Saleem’s story begins not in tragedy but in ambition. A Kurdish American businesswoman and engineer, Saleem was at the height of her career in Iraq when she was pulled into a devastating chain of events that would test the strength of any individual. In 2014, she was kidnapped and held for 43 days. Today, she continues to operate under threat—while still growing her company and pursuing justice through U.S. and Iraqi legal systems.
Saleem had entered a multimillion-dollar partnership with three businessmen in Iraq—an agreement intended to finance and expand a large housing project near Basra. She says she secured a $100 million loan and transferred it in good faith. What followed, she says, was betrayal.
“I had to walk back into the fire,” she told me. “Not by choice. By necessity. Because if I didn’t, they’d take everything.”
According to Saleem, her business partners—Nizar, Namir, and Ramez Hanna Nasri—used deceptive tactics to extract the loan and gain control over a portion of her company. Later, she believes, they played a role in her abduction. Though these individuals faced charges in Iraq, they were later released under circumstances she describes as politically influenced.
Throughout our interview, Saleem was calm but direct. Her son translated most of her words, often pausing to ensure the gravity of her statements came through.
“They kidnapped many. They raped many. They tortured many. They killed many,” she said. “These people should be six feet under. Instead, they’re walking free and embezzling. And our institutions are silent.”
Saleem’s case was reported to U.S. authorities. She says she endured nine FBI interviews—eight hours each. “They said they’d take action. They never did. My case has been sleeping for 11 years,” she said. “Not one arrest warrant. Not one move.”
Her frustration isn’t isolated. A 2021 GAO report found that U.S. agencies lacked comprehensive systems to track citizens detained or harmed abroad, creating major gaps in response. Though the “Freeing Americans Detained Abroad Act” was introduced in 2023 to address some of these concerns, advocates warn that progress has been slow.
Saleem has also voiced concern over the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, alleging that it failed to protect her as a citizen and may have shared confidential court materials with Iraqi officials. “They’re not supposed to be mailmen for corrupt officials,” she said. “When Iraqi contacts tell me that our embassy works for them, not for us, I feel powerless.”
She’s not alone in this sentiment. Her claims sync with broader concerns voiced by former diplomats and watchdog organizations over how U.S. embassies operate in politically sensitive regions. While these institutions are meant to protect U.S. citizens, critics argue that staffing shortages, lack of oversight, and overlapping interests sometimes compromise those obligations.
Saleem’s current lawsuit is filed in the Eastern District of Virginia. It names individuals and outlines events tied to her kidnapping, financial loss, and alleged legal manipulation. She hopes the case will move forward and bring renewed scrutiny to how Americans are protected abroad.
“I want the U.S. government to understand—every drop of American blood matters,” she said. “Citizenship must mean something.”
Despite the pain, she continues to lead her business. “I’ve spent countless nights working without sleep,” she said. “I built Iraq’s largest real estate firm led by a woman, from the north to the south. No one gave me that. I earned it.”
When asked about healing, she doesn’t speak in clichés. “It’s not healing—it’s survival,” she said. “If I hadn’t returned, they would’ve destroyed everything I’ve built.”
Though she hasn’t yet received support from international human rights organizations, she recently visited the U.S. State Department. “We met with the human rights desk. Four months later—still nothing,” she said. “If my own government won’t act, who will?”
She believes legislative reforms like the “Free Iraq from Iranian Influence Act” offer hope—but only if enforced. “Too many good ideas become ink on paper,” she said. “I want to see real action.”
Her demands are not unreasonable. She calls for U.S. embassies to limit staff terms, enforce transparency, and ensure citizen protection remains a top priority.
“There’s a line in the Constitution,” she said, “that says our government is supposed to protect us by land, air, and sea. That’s not a metaphor. That’s a responsibility.”
Saleem’s voice may be one among many, but it carries weight— she continues to build, advocate, and survive under pressure that would silence most.
###
Referenced Sources:
- U.S. Constitution – Protection of Citizens Abroad
U.S. Constitution Full Text
See Article IV, Section 4 and relevant interpretations around government protection responsibilities. - GAO Report on U.S. Citizens Detained or Abducted Overseas
GAO Report: Actions Needed to Strengthen Oversight of Cases Involving U.S. Citizens Detained Abroad (GAO-23-106241) - “Free Iraq from Iran” Bill (Introduced 2023, U.S. House of Representatives)
Text of the Free Iraq from Iranian Influence Act (H.R.6089)
RealClearPolitics Article on Sara Saleem’s Ordeal
RealClearPolitics Coverage: “Sara Saleem’s Ordeal Calls Iraq’s Future Into Question”
#Justice #HumanRights #Resilience
