9/11 — 25 years later. Twenty-five years ago, I was 14 years old, sitting at Al-Mansoor Zoo in Baghdad, Iraq, with my friends. We had very limited information. Saddam Hussein’s regime tightly controlled what the Iraqi public could see and hear through state media. Then we heard the news: the Twin Towers in New York had been attacked. Even at 14, I knew one thing: ordinary Iraqis had nothing to do with it. We didn't know who was responsible. Most of us had never even heard the name Osama bin Laden. And Saddam Hussein didn't operate that way. I left my friends, went back to my father's shop, and told him what had happened. Then I said something that made him laugh: “America is going to invade Iraq and get rid of Saddam once and for all.” My father looked at me and said: “Son, Saddam isn't going anywhere. And if he dies, his son Qusay will take over.” I didn't argue with him. Two years later, Saddam Hussein was gone. For me, September 11 ultimately changed the direction of my entire life. At 17 years old. I went on to begin a career as a combat linguist supporting the U.S. military. I served, deployed, and experienced things I never could have imagined as that 14-year-old kid in Baghdad. Four IEDs. A kidnapping. A bullet to my elbow. The assassination of my father because of my service to the United States. And the assassination of my fiancée. Eventually, I became a U.S. citizen. And after everything I've experienced, I can say this without hesitation: I am proud of the choices I made. I am proud of my service to the United States. And I would do it all over again. September 11 also taught me something that Americans should never forget: Freedom cannot be taken for granted, and security requires vigilance. We must protect our borders, enforce our immigration laws, thoroughly vet applicants, and make sure programs designed to help our allies are not exploited by those who seek to harm the United States. Also, I have Exposed IOM Immigration process last year. Twenty-five years later, I remember the innocent people who were murdered that day. I remember the families who never got to say goodbye. And I remember exactly where I was when the world changed. Never forget. 🇺🇸