SwiftVets.com

[sdpatriot]

i've been reading at the three Iraqi brother's blog for a few
weeks now - a great antidote to Peter Jennings.
another great bit of information - i have a young friend in
the Army Reserves who just returned from a tour in Iraq.
She was telling me of the joy she witnessed first hand when
they rebuilt the irrigation systems on the Euphrates. she
said the farmers were so happy they would not stop hugging
anyone in a US uniform. the crops were coming up before
she even left. these farmers had grown children who had
never seen their fields irrigated before, only heard the stories.
Saddam had destroyed the irrigation gates for retribution to
one of his insane delusions.

sdpatriot
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"Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism."
George Washington, Farewell Address, September 19, 1796

[NYCnative]

Just wanted to share a letter I got from a relative working in Iraq for the Gov't. It was written just before the Berg beheading, so gas at the time was 20 cents, I think it's more like 10 or 5 cent now.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Everyday 98% of the Iraqis get up, have breakfast and go to work or school. It’s a new world for them and it is difficult. They are moving from a centrally controlled economy to a market economy and it is rough. You may remember the demonstrations in East Germany after the reunification. A centrally planned economy is easy, you get up in the morning and make believe you go to work and the government makes believe that they pay you.

Gas here is 20 cents a gallon and the “food baskets” were free. University education cost nothing in the past. If nobody is killing you family or putting you in prison, why complain? Things will be changing. There is a future ahead for the Iraqis but it won’t be easy and they are scared. With a liberal democracy it will be hard. They will be expected to compete with all of the others in the world. I can’t tell you how many Middle Eastern friends of mine came to the US expecting it would be easy when they got there Boy were they surprised. They never worked so hard in their lives.

The events in the prison were horrible for what they did for all the kids that are fighting here. There are real threats and dangers to them and they don’t need more. It is only an event though and it will pass. We intend to continue working here despite this. It was a public relations disaster; the Iraqis do expect more from us. The Middle East hates us and loves us at the same time. They all have family in the states that have done well and their families know this. We represent democracy and transparency but they feel we don’t show a balance when it comes to Israel and the Palestinians. In some ways though there may be more balance than you expect. I watch Al Jazeera and they also show the pain that the terrorists inflict on their own people. The bombing in the Kirkuk market were civilians were killed wasn’t blamed on the Americans.

We work from 7:30 in the morning until 9 or 10 pm every day. Friday mornings we lounge about a bit but the emails start around 10 am. I love it though. I’m responsible for the ****** outside of ***** and I’m located in a place called *******. I’m in the ***** area of the country who suffered a lot of atrocities under Saddam and they truly feel we have liberated them.

The Iraqis have very little respect for the UN, especially in the North.. The mandate of the UN is not to impress any changes, but to maintain the status quo. Which they did They maintained the systems but didn’t change them, and they needed changing. For many in the north they feel that they missed an opportunity under the UN.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

98% eat breakfast, go to work and school. In most parts of the country I'm sure this is true. Yet, we get no pats on the back from the "media". Good news stories don't make news.

I really appreciate this swiftvets forum. I am grateful for the webs posted, very informative. I was on a few others and it was like banging my head against the wall. The hatred for anything this Pres does. Nothing is ever good enough. We all agree, some thing just don't work out the way they're planned. But to take every move, every step and degrade it, while its going on, is NOT constructive. It is hurting our efforts and putting lives at risk. If we spoke with one voice it would make a huge difference.

We have so much more to do in the Mideast.. People are so wrapped up in Iraq. Too busy butting heads to pay attention to the threats of Iran and Syria. There's bigger news happening out there and because of their opposition to the Iraqi war, it's like they don't care about anything else the Pres has on the table. They will fight us the whole way! War at home as well as the rest of the world.

I saw a piece on the news and they listed all the things done in just one year. Currency, schools, water, sewage, growing economy, newly elected officials, a new dam built pumping out a greater amount of electricity than they had ever seen, is nothing to sneeze at! Yet, we get no pats on the backs from anyone here or abroad.
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"From time to time, the tree of liberty must be watered with the blood of tyrants and patriots." -- Thomas Jefferson

"Proclaim Liberty throughout All the land unto All the Inhabitants Thereof." -Inscription on the Liberty Bell

[ASPB]

I'm rejuvenating this thread because I'm sick of the mainsewer media's negativity on the FREEDOM IN IRAQ!

Let's read a little, just a little, about what the Iraqis have to say and not what the internationalists in the media tell us.

If this is indicative of the view of the majority of Iraqis, every drop of blood and every measure of national treasure spent...is well spent.

The Democrats: the party of Slavery in 1860, the Party of Segregation in 1960, and the Party of hate today truly needs a lesson in liberty, a lesson in freedom, and a lesson in justice. Maybe those that cry for these truths will be taught by the Iraqi people that they are self evident only as a result of their pursuit through the offering of blood and treasure.

[NYCnative]

Thanks for that. I'm going to post it on another political site..
This needs to be said! Since it isn't getting the media play it should, we have to pass it on to other internet forums so more people are able to see it.

And YES, the world is a safer place with the beginning of a new future for the Mideast. Irans young people are not happy with the Mullahs. With Iraq now sovereign, maybe change could happen from within Iran.
_________________
"From time to time, the tree of liberty must be watered with the blood of tyrants and patriots." -- Thomas Jefferson

"Proclaim Liberty throughout All the land unto All the Inhabitants Thereof." -Inscription on the Liberty Bell

[stop kerry]

Since Mikest has a list of the negative blogs against the US and the new Iraq government etc. maybe he can supply us with the list of blogs that were IN IRAQ while Saddam was in POWER so we can check those out for comments. I'll guarantee you that if there were any blogs they were secret and if found the authors and their entire family would have been murdered. But mikest won't even acknowledge that there is a 'freedom' NOW to openly write whatever they want without fear of the secret police
killing them. Mikest doen't see progress he only see negative things.

[Scott]

[fortdixlover]

[mikest]

Deleted by Admin

Admin note:
Please cease the personal attacks and deal with content or the thread will be locked.

Thank you,

Admin

[Scott]

[mikest]

Are you prepared to go to Sudan?

[mikest]

I also noticed that you left out the far more dangerous point of my now deleted post. Does it worry you that Faluga is now falling under Sharia?

[Scott]

[ASPB]

Sharia in Iraq? In Falluja? Of course it worries me as it should worry you! Sharia however is only an expression of fundamentalist Islam, whether Wahabism among the Sunnis or the Shi'a form native to Iran and Lebanon.

If is the often unstated "true" target of the War on Islamic Fundamentalism. We are not in a war in terrorism. Terrorism is only a tactic and anyone with a wiff of intelligence understands that.

Unfortunately, geopolitices being what they are, it's impossible for any western politician to state openly what this conflict is about without drawing more of the 1.3 Billion Muslims in the world to the battle.

This is a war against the extremist arm of an unreformed 7th Century Religion.

But my question for you is this! With 1 city of 250,000 out of a population of 25 million that wants peace and democracy, what are the odds of 1% controlling the other 99%?
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On Sale! Order in lots of 100 now at velero@rcn.com Free for the cost of shipping All profits (if any, especially now) go to Swiftvets. The author of "Sink Kerry Swiftly" ---ASPB

[mikest]

ASPB

I hope you are right but, and I have nothing to back this up, I think the majority of Afghanistan and Iran are against extremist Islamic government as well. Until our guys went in and kicked some serious ass in Afg. the people were unable to get themselves out from under it.

[War Dog]

Darn Mikest, I think that is about the best statement you've ever said.

Woof!
_________________
"When people are in trouble, they call the cops.

When cops need help, they call the K-9 unit."