! Surprise !

Washington Times ^ | 5.21.03 | John McCaslin

[rvoitier]

Few in the audience for Sunday's commencement at Mount St. Mary's College and Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md., recognized a man seated politely at the dais.

[rvoitier]

Inside the Beltway

By John McCaslin

    Surprise honors
    Few in the audience for Sunday's commencement at Mount St. Mary's College and Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md., recognized a man seated politely at the dais.
    His identity became clear only when outgoing college President George R. Houston Jr. diverted from the program to announce that he was awarding a presidential medal to Mohammed Odeh Al Rehaief, the Iraqi lawyer who risked his life by urging U.S. Special Forces teams to make a daring predawn rescue of captured and wounded Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch.
    "At first there was stunned silence — it was a complete surprise," Catherine Bartos, whose daughter received her diploma, tells Inside the Beltway. "Then this small man stood up and the place just exploded with applause — five minutes of sustained applause and tears — that went on and on and on and on. It was wonderful.
    "Finally, at least a part of the American public was able to thank him for what he did for one of our own."
    Duffy Ross, director of communications for the Mount, says due to security concerns, the presence of 33-year-old Mr. Al Rahaief wasn't announced. The Iraqi lawyer; his wife, Iman; and their 5-year-old daughter — recently granted asylum in the United States — had been staying with a family of the one of the Mount's graduates.
    "The president wove the presentation of the medal into his remarks, and the community was very much moved," says Mr. Ross. He described the lawyer as "genuinely honored and moved by the recognition."
    This newspaper reported yesterday that Mr. Al Rehaief has accepted a job with Washington lobbying firm the Livingston Group, founded by former Rep. Bob Livingston, Louisiana Republican.

John McCaslin, a nationally syndicated columnist, can be reached at 202/636-3284 or jmccaslin@washingtontimes.com.
    

[Arkie2]

Thanks for posting this. It makes my day!

[Publius6961]

BUMP

[SPRINK]

well, now any assasins will know where he works.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Good find.

[BigWaveBetty]

"Then this small man stood up and the place just exploded with applause, five minutes of sustained applause and tears that went on and on and on and on. It was wonderful.

Wonderful indeed! Thanks for the post!

[hapy]

nice story, we are winning, lets keep it up.

I am so proud of our young folks at rockford college and other colleges. They are standing right up to the "educated ones" and not only demanding to be heard, but insisting they, the liberals, respect their freedom of speech.

These college students are being chastized and spit on by these liberals who are not just their classmates but their professors also. So we must applaud their courage

[JustPiper]

Thanks for posting this. It makes my day!

Mine too! I've been involved in researching for an hour or two, radical rantings of extremist Muslims trying to figure out what they are saying in relation to the new alert and threats. Reading this was wonderful!

[Rebelbase]

Does anyone know who was behind the story last week that the rescue was staged?

[Consort]

The BBC, I think.

[rvoitier]

This has been known for over a month.

[rvoitier]

Yes, I believe you're right. Also advanced by Scheer of the L.A. Times.

[Consort]

O'Reilly says that Scheer's article is entirely basesd on the assumption that the BBC is correct.

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

This newspaper reported yesterday that Mr. Al Rehaief has accepted a job with Washington lobbying firm the Livingston Group, founded by former Rep. Bob Livingston, Louisiana Republican.

Ahhh, so quickly he has realized the American dream!