HOUSTON, Texas (AP) -- This time the tears streaming down Laith Aqar's face weren't the result of fear and loss, but of hope and a sense of rebirth.

In 1995, Aqar was one of a group of Iraqi men who had their right hands amputated by Saddam Hussein's government for alleged trading in foreign currency.

Nearly 10 years later, Aqar sat in a Houston hospital bed Monday after doctors had operated on his right arm to prepare it for a technologically advanced prosthetic he will soon receive.

"The first time was hard. We were crying because we knew we were going to lose our hands," Aqar, 42, said through an interpreter. "It's a big difference from then.

"The first surgery was from criminal people. Now it's from people wanting to help us," said the jeweler turned shop owner.

Aqar and six other men from Baghdad are spending several weeks in Houston to receive robotic arms and learn to use them. The prosthetics will fit over their existing arms, and they must train existing muscles to manipulate the new hands. Then the men should be able to curl their fingers, make a fist and perform other tasks.

During operations that lasted from 11/2 hours to 21/2 hours, Aqar and the others had small portions of bone removed around where their hands were amputated. The surgeries, done at Methodist Hospital, were needed so that nothing protrudes or rubs against the robotic arms, said Dr. Joseph Agris, one of the surgeons.

Agris also removed untreated bundles of nerve endings.

"I can understand now why they had so much pain," he said.

Agris also removed from two men cross-like tattoos placed on their foreheads as punishment for allegedly dealing in foreign currency, which was against Iraqi law in 1995. The others are expected to have their tattoos removed later in the week.

The arms, each valued at $50,000, as well as all services, are being donated.