Nov 26, 2009 11:59 am US/Pacific
Governor Expresses Gratitude For The Troops
LOS ANGELES (CBS) ―
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California's Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger shares a light moment with US troops during his visit to Camp Victory on the outskirts of Baghdad on November 16, 2009.
Ali Al-Saadi/AFP/Getty Images
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger expressed his gratitude for American troops around the world this Thanksgiving, saying "no one appreciates that more than an immigrant like me."
Schwarzenegger, who recently returned from a visit with troops in Iraq, said he shared a meal with soldiers, "worked out together, talked and took a few thousand pictures.
"It was important for me to thank them, face to face, for their service and commitment to the protecting our freedom and safety. For hundreds of years, American troops have been putting their lives on the line to preserve out way of life. And no one appreciates that more than an immigrant like me."
The multimillionaire bodybuilder and movie star recalled arriving in the United States just before Thanksgiving "with nothing but a few dollars and a bag of gym clothes."ì "America offered me the gifts of opportunity and success and the blessings of freedom and democracy."
Despite the tough times and uncertainty, Schwarzenegger said he was optimistic.
"I believe in California and the I believe in the people of California," he said, and urged everyone to "do an act of kindness in your community."
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)
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