Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan

Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan (February 12, 1987 – August 6, 2007) was an American U.S. Army Specialist who died in Operation Iraqi Freedom.[1] He received the Bronze Star and a Purple Heart for his service.[1] He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.[1][2]

Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan
U.S Army photo
Born(1987-02-12)February 12, 1987
Neptune, New Jersey
DiedAugust 6, 2007(2007-08-06) (aged 20)
Baqouba, Iraq
Buried
Arlington National Cemetery,
with full Military Honors
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Army
Rank Corporal
Unit1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment
2nd Infantry Division
Battles/warsIraq War
Awards Bronze Star Medal
Purple Heart

The son of Feroze Khan of New Jersey and Elsheba Khan of Maryland, Khan was a 2005 graduate from Southern Regional High School in the Manahawkin section of Stafford Township, New Jersey. Khan was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), based in Fort Lewis, Washington. According to the Gannett News Service, he was "spurred by the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center [and] wanted to show that not all Muslims were fanatics and that many, like him, were willing to lay their lives down for their country, America. He enlisted immediately after graduation and was sent to Iraq in July 2006."[2] Khan and three other soldiers were killed when a bomb exploded while they were clearing a house. He was 20 years old. He was promoted posthumously to the rank of corporal.

His service was cited during an October 2008 interview on Meet the Press with General Colin Powell.[3][4] In particular, Powell referred to a photograph in The New Yorker which showed Khan's mother by his gravestone in Arlington National Cemetery.[1] Powell said Khan's example refutes the anti-Muslim sentiment present in the Republican campaign during the 2008 U.S. Presidential election (q.v.), namely that being Muslim disqualifies a person from being a genuine, patriotic American, or that a Muslim could not become President.[5][6]

See also
Grave at Arlington National Cemetery
  • Humayun Khan, another Muslim soldier of the US Army who died during Operation Iraqi Freedom whose service came up during the 2016 U.S. presidential election

References
  1. Platon (2008-09-29). "Service". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on 2008-09-30.
  2. Mathur, Shruti L. (2007-08-20). "Blast kills Jersey Shore GI". Gannett News Service.
  3. "Powell endorses Obama for president: Republican ex-secretary of state calls Democrat 'transformational figure'". NBC News. 2008-10-19. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
  4. "Meet the Press' transcript for October 19, 2008". NBC News. 2008-10-19. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
  5. Swerdlick, David (2008-10-20). "'I'll Be Voting for Sen. Barack Obama.' Powell's endorsement repudiates both Bush and McCain and could drive undecideds into the Obama column". TheRoot.com.
  6. Tumulty, Karen (2008-10-18). "Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan". Time Magazine (Swampland blog). Retrieved 2015-09-22.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.