Soldiers from Bloomington unit save Iraqi boy

About a month after arriving in Iraq in October, the U.S. soldiers arranged for the boy to be transported to Kuwait where doctors performed an operation to remove the large tumor.

The growth had stunted his growth. He appeared to be just age 6 or 7 and was barely conscious when the boy’s father, Mussa Abbud of northern Rumailah, carried Sattar to the gates of the base located in south Iraq near the city of Um Qasr, said Master Sgt. Matt Feit of Normal in an email to the Pantagraph from Iraq.

Abdel Ouldmamady, a linguist from New York who was outside the World Trade Center having a smoke when terrorists crashed two jetliners into the structure on Sept. 11, 2001, translated as Sattar’s father described how the boy suffered with the growth for about 10 years. Iraqi doctors had operated in 2004, but were unable to remove the tumor, his father said.

“The health care system in Iraq is still recovering from decades of sanctions and the lack of qualified personnel,” Feit said. “That is why there are many cases that can not be handled properly in the local Iraqi medical facilities.”

Part of the American mission in the region is to rebuild and equip the local hospital in Um Qasr in cooperation with British forces, Feit added. In the meantime, many of the most severe cases wind up on the doorstep of the American forces serving there.

“The families simply end up taking their patients out of the Iraqi facility and bringing them to our gate,” Feit said.

First stop for Sattar was an evaluation by Lt. Col. James Liffrig, a base doctor who has a reputation for helping Iraqi civilians with severe health issues, Feit said.

In Sattar’s case, Liffrig determined the tumor was beyond the ability of the American facilities to handle. That’s when Feit and Capt. Kent Ketter, Staff Sgt. Dan Hinds and Sgt. Lucas Jockisch, all of Springfield, came up with the idea to seek help from Kuwait Leaders, a contracting firm doing work at the base.

Company officials contacted Lilas Ouissi of UNICEF, who told government health administrators in Kuwait about the boy’s plight. Dr. Abbas Ramadhan agreed to oversee the operation free of charge, and Kuwaiti government officials helped clear red tape and issue necessary visas.

“He is doing great and is scheduled to go home around Jan. 8,” Feit said. “He has a great sense of humor and has a lot more energy.”

Reaching out to help Iraqi families wins victories that battles cannot, Feit said. “With Sattar, we accomplished something that can never be taken away,” he said.

“These projects benefit every citizen and put a positive face on the U.S. soldiers in the area.” Hinds added.

Capt. Kent Ketter, left, Staff Sgt. Dan Hinds and Master Sgt. Matt Feit kneel next to Sattar. The boy’s father, Mussad Abbud, is in the background. (For the Pantagraph).

1 posted on 12/29/2006 7:54:22 AM PST by mystery-ak

HOO'AH to the 33rd MP BN....this is my son Jonathan's unit at Camp Bucca....

2 posted on 12/29/2006 7:55:38 AM PST by mystery-ak (My Son, My Soldier, My Hero........God Speed Jonathan......)

Don't expect to see this in the MSM.....it might muddy the picture.

Meadow Muffin

3 posted on 12/29/2006 7:56:56 AM PST by rwgal

4 posted on 12/29/2006 7:58:25 AM PST by mystery-ak (My Son, My Soldier, My Hero........God Speed Jonathan......)

"The boy’s father, Mussad Abbud, is in the background. "

He looks thrilled. ?

5 posted on 12/29/2006 8:00:43 AM PST by sageb1 (This is the Final Crusade. There are only 2 sides. Pick one.)

Talk about contrasts! This is about as far from forcing a man to watch as his wife and daughters are raped, then feeding him feet first into a shredding machine as I can imagine.

Even with all that has not gone right in our efforts to save these people from Saddam, not to mention from themselves, cases like this show the true difference between "us" and "them". While they are concentrating on teaching children this age to hate enough to strap on a bomb and kill as many of "us" as possible, we are seeing to it that he can lead as nearly normal life as possible.

6 posted on 12/29/2006 8:01:28 AM PST by jwparkerjr

To: ohioWfan; DrDeb; EmilyGeiger; silent_jonny; 4integrity

7 posted on 12/29/2006 8:01:40 AM PST by mystery-ak (My Son, My Soldier, My Hero........God Speed Jonathan......)

Of course the MSM media will never report this and will continue to portray US troops in Iraq as bullies, rapists and murderers.

8 posted on 12/29/2006 8:02:08 AM PST by The Great RJ ("Mir we bleiwen wat mir sin" or "We want to remain what we are." ..Luxembourg motto)

To: The Great RJ

I know, but we will see it and we will know.

9 posted on 12/29/2006 8:03:55 AM PST by mystery-ak (My Son, My Soldier, My Hero........God Speed Jonathan......)

To: Brad's Gramma; Jewels1091; Just A Nobody; kitkat; daisyscarlett

10 posted on 12/29/2006 8:05:03 AM PST by mystery-ak (My Son, My Soldier, My Hero........God Speed Jonathan......)

He looks thrilled. ?

LOL...I know...but he has probably never seen compassion.

11 posted on 12/29/2006 8:06:10 AM PST by mystery-ak (My Son, My Soldier, My Hero........God Speed Jonathan......)

true difference between "us" and "them".

Isn't that the truth!

12 posted on 12/29/2006 8:07:02 AM PST by mystery-ak (My Son, My Soldier, My Hero........God Speed Jonathan......)

13 posted on 12/29/2006 8:11:08 AM PST by mystery-ak (My Son, My Soldier, My Hero........God Speed Jonathan......)

14 posted on 12/29/2006 8:11:45 AM PST by mystery-ak (My Son, My Soldier, My Hero........God Speed Jonathan......)

could use your ping list for more good news

15 posted on 12/29/2006 8:13:18 AM PST by mystery-ak (My Son, My Soldier, My Hero........God Speed Jonathan......)

“These projects benefit every citizen and put a positive face on the U.S. soldiers in the area.”

Thanks for the ping and thanks to our troops.

16 posted on 12/29/2006 8:24:19 AM PST by daisyscarlett

A big THANK YOU to Jon, and many prayers for his safety. You have given a huge amount of yourself to this war mystery. God bless you and your family.

17 posted on 12/29/2006 8:26:43 AM PST by WVNan

To: daisyscarlett

Hi DS! I haven't "seen" you in ages. Miss you. Is all well in your neck of the woods?

18 posted on 12/29/2006 8:27:56 AM PST by WVNan

Thank you.....hubby and son have done the hard part....

19 posted on 12/29/2006 8:28:44 AM PST by mystery-ak (My Son, My Soldier, My Hero........God Speed Jonathan......)

Have they? I'm not so sure that staying behind is the "easy" part.

20 posted on 12/29/2006 8:29:27 AM PST by WVNan

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794