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Serving As Citizens

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 5, 2008

BAGHDAD - Almost 200 U.S. soldiers serving in Iraq celebrated Tuesday's elections in a special way, being sworn in as U.S. citizens.

But the 186 men and women - who hail from 60 different countries - won't get to cast that first ballot for Democrat Barack Obama or Republican John McCain, at least not this year. They became citizens too late to vote in Tuesday's presidential election.

Dressed in fatigues and standing under a giant U.S. flag, the troops took their citizenship oath at a ceremony in a domed marble hall at Saddam's old Al Faw Palace on Camp Victory near the Baghdad airport.

"Diverse as your backgrounds may be, you all now have one thing in common: you are all Americans," the top U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. Ray Odierno, said. "You represent the very best of all that our nation stands for: freedom, opportunity, equality and service."

Each of the soldiers received a citizenship certificate and a folded U.S. flag.

The Associated Press

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