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.
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