From Middle East, Son Rises to Fight For Adopted Home

Washington Post ^ | 08/25/2002 | Donna St. George

[Pokey78]

Strangers' Insults Spur Syria Native to Join Marines

Only 10 years before, the Middle East was all he knew. Raif Zakhem remembers the narrow streets of Damascus, the stone buildings and small shops not far from his family's balcony apartment and the sweet smell of his grandmother's Arabic pastries. This was home. This was where he grew from baby to boy.

On a warm day in May, it became the land of his past. His mother had died, and his father was ill. The slight child with dark eyes boarded a plane, 9 years old and heavy-hearted, headed toward relatives in the United States. Looking out as the jet crossed continents, his stomach rumbled.

He was sick much of the way to America.

[What Is Ain't]

I'd like to welcome this new Marine to the fold.

[holyscroller]

Sounds like a fine young man. With those tatoos of a cross and the Marine logo, I sure hope the Arabs never get ahold of him overseas. They'd look on him like we look on Johnny Jihad.

[MoJo2001]

That is such a beautiful story!! God Bless this young man!! What a great American!!

[brat]

This young man makes me proud to be an American. Its sad that many immigrants have to take the rap for the low lifes and illegals.

[Octavius]

Now if we could get some of our own "little darlings" to join.

[Thumper1960]

"Don't feel sad," his aunt Hilda said.

Madlene looked like she would sob.

"It's his country," his aunt Hilda told her gently. "If he wants to do it, it's his country now."

BTTT