On July 4th, 588 soldiers, mostly on their 2nd and 3rd tours, reenlisted in a Multi-National Force-Iraq Reenlistment, Naturalization and Independence Day Ceremony held at Camp Victory in Baghdad. Additionally, 161 soldiers were sworn in as American citizens. Sadly, two soldiers, Sgt. Kimel Watt and Spc. Farid Elazzouzi were killed in combat action just days before they were to be naturalized as citizens. General Petraeus had the following to say, "“Sgt. Kimel Watt and Spc. Farid Elazzouzi, who would have been in your ranks here this morning, were lost in recent combat action, giving the last full measure of devotion for a country that would have become fully theirs today”, “words can not express the admiration I feel for these two men or the sadness I feel for our nation’s loss and their families’ sacrifice”.
In this time of trial, it is so re-assuring to know that these soldiers know what they are fighting for...for you and me. Even more so, the soldiers who were naturalized, did so only after they have made a solemn pledge to defend America against it's enemies. For those two soldiers who gave their life for America when not even citizens yet, speaks to the kind of people who founded America and made it great. God bless them all.
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