Ex-Iraqi says she felt called to serve the U.S.

The Dallas Morning News ^ | July 4, 2008 | ED HOUSEWRIGHT

[mdittmar]

Spc. Razan Saied seems like an unlikely soldier.

She once taught elementary school in her native Kurdistan, in northern Iraq. That was before she, her husband and their three children fled the Saddam Hussein regime a decade ago.

Later, as U.S. citizens, her husband and children supported her decision to enlist in the Army, even if they didn't fully understand it.

"I kind of thought she was joking," said her 10-year-old son, Alan.

"She's a soccer mom!" said daughter Sana, 14.

But Spc. Saied felt a calling to serve, which she did as a Kurdish translator for U.S. commanders. She feels it still now, as she struggles to recover from the traumatic head and hip injuries she suffered in Iraq, the result of a Humvee rollover.

"I'm a soldier," she said.

The Richardson resident will spend Independence Day at home with her family before returning to San Antonio for another round of grueling physical therapy. The three-bedroom home is the first they've owned since coming to the United States in 2000, a gift from a national charitable group.

Spc. Saied, 39, can walk only with crutches. But she has no regrets about enlisting.

"I wanted to do something for this country because I love this country," she said. "Here, you have freedom."

[mdittmar]

[goldstategop]

Foreign born Americans love this country a lot more than native Americans. The last thing they do is take her for granted. I just love that picture of Spc. Razan Saied smiling with all those little American flags. Happy July 4th!

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[Jet Jaguar]

BTTT

[A. Morgan]

God bless Razan.

[Keith Brown]

Hero Ping!!!

[rabidralph]

Now, you got me crying! Thank you, Spec. Saied, and all others who continue to serve and have served. I pray you’ll recover quickly.

[aposiopetic]

"When you go to war, maybe you come back, and maybe you don't," Spc. Saied said. "I'm proud of being in the Army. All the pain I went through, it was nothing. I did it for this country."

[no dems]

You won’t see this story on MSNBC, ABC, CBS OR CNN.

[goldstategop]

Contrast that with Cindy Sheehan who was born here. Its quite revealing. You don't have to have it explained to you to see who is the true patriot.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[rockinqsranch]

“Dems now have Oil Derangement Syndrome”

Love that tagline. Did you intentionally mean for the initials O.D.S. to sound out as the word O-D-I-O-U-S? If so, Congratulations it’s RIGHT ON!

[rabidralph]

I'm not that smart :-0
But thank you, anyway.

[RobinOfKingston]

"I wanted to do something for this country because I love this country," she said. "Here, you have freedom."

"God bless you, Razan, my sister", he wrote, looking at the screen with slightly blurry vision, "and, welcome to America."

[Kolokotronis]

My grandfather came here as a kid and was nearly killed three times in the trenches on the Western Front in WW1. He carried German shrapnel in him to the day he died. When he would tell me the story of coming to America (deck passenger, Ellis Island, the whole nine yards) and his life here, he always ended up declaring, with tears in his eyes, “God Bless America!” That had an effect on his grandson.

[SevenofNine]

OH SANDRAT

[SandRat]

Way too Cool.

[Marysecretary]

She’s a real hero in my eyes. Yes, I do agree that foreign born Americans DO have a special love for our country. Bless them.

[Marysecretary]

I’m sure it did. You were blessed.

[12Gauge687]

You can add all the morons from Code Pink, too!

[lowbridge]

bump

[shield]

She is a hero...God Bless her and her family.