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Defiant Youssif scales new heights (burned Iraqi boy)
CNN ^ | November 22, 207 | Arwa Damon and Atia Abawi

Posted on 11/22/2007 3:37:47 PM PST by Romneyfor President2008

Editor's note: CNN agreed not to use the full names of the family members in this article due to concern for their safety. CNN and CNN.com will continue to follow Youssif's journey in the months ahead as he faces more surgeries.

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Burned Iraqi boy Youssif shows no fear as he stares up at the rock-climbing wall. "I can do it fast and then I am going to stand on top."

It's a declaration of defiance and strength from the 5-year-old who will need plenty of both as he continues his long recovery from horrific burns suffered when masked men set him on fire.

In the eight weeks since his last surgery, the doctors' predictions are coming true and Youssif's face actually looks worse even as it gets better.

The skin graft on his nose is still healing and balloons placed under the skin of his right cheek and on his neck are almost fully inflated. Extra skin will grow over these tissue expanders and will then be stretched over Youssif's scars.

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: burnvictim; iraq; terrorism; wot
If you click on the video tab, there's a list of the old videos of Yousif when he came to America.

Nice to see this boy celebrate here Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Happy Thanksgiving!

1 posted on 11/22/2007 3:37:49 PM PST by Romneyfor President2008
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To: Romneyfor President2008

Happy Thanksgiving to you.

It is good to see Youssif’s continued progress.


2 posted on 11/22/2007 3:39:48 PM PST by Bahbah
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To: Romneyfor President2008

What kind of animals would set a child on fire? I am amazed at the evil.


3 posted on 11/22/2007 3:47:57 PM PST by Just Lori (There is nothing democrat-"ic" about democrats.)
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To: Just Lori

Not animals, demons!


4 posted on 11/22/2007 4:36:22 PM PST by SWAMPSNIPER (THE SECOND AMENDMENT, A MATTER OF FACT, NOT A MATTER OF OPINION)
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To: Romneyfor President2008
As I read this young man's story, I had an idea:

I pulled up YouTube and played a clip of the training scenes from Rocky IV set to a song called "Hearts on Fire" by Survivor. Then I reread the story as the music played.

Case in point, this lil' guy is a ROCKY: he's absorbing the punches, coming out swinging, he's getting up, coming back off the ropes and yelling *"Osam-AAAAAAAAAA!!!!"

*At the end of the training scenes of ROCKY IV, Stallone yells out "Drag-ooooooohhhh!!!!!", the Russian opponent he'd be fighting.

5 posted on 11/22/2007 5:04:50 PM PST by ExcursionGuy84 ("Jesus, Your Love takes my breath away.")
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To: Just Lori

Al Queda and their sympathizers do that type of thing to “teach people a lesson and to terrorize them into submission. The only thing it would teach me is that I would do anything to kill every single one of them.


6 posted on 11/22/2007 5:19:33 PM PST by Blood of Tyrants (G-d is not a Republican. But Satan is definitely a Democrat.)
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