Vice President Biden Spends 4th Of July With American Troops In Iraq

Vice President Biden spent the 4th Of July holiday with American troops in Iraq, mocking Saddam Hussein's influence in the land, and attending a citizenship ceremony for immigrant soldiers who serve in the American military. 237 immigrant soldiers were sworn in as American citizens in a ceremony held in one of Saddam Hussein's palaces. The ceremony was the largest one ever held in Iraq to swear in new American citizens who were military members. And Biden was quick to praise the contributions of immigrants who volunteer for dangerous service such as combat duty in Iraq. It was a wonderful celebration of the contribution of so many immigrants to the rich history of the United States.

Yesterday, Vice president Biden was able to meet with his son, Army Captain Joeseph R. "Beau" Biden III, who serves in Iraq. Biden also received updates about the military and diplomatic issues involved in Iraq from the top military commander, General Ray Odeimo and U.S. Ambassador Christopher Hill.

Biden noted that he is "optimistic" about Iraq resolving important issues such as the friction between rival Sunni and Shiite sects. In previous years, Biden once advocated dividing Iraq up into separate Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish states as a possible solution to the sectarian problems in Iraq.