SwiftVets.com

[Guest]

Hi everyone,
Well strangely enough I have gotten many emails about my thoughts on the election. One more today from a friend that made me think, well maybe I should just put it out there. (Thanks Mull )I already know that some of you will not like what I have to say but I really don't care. I think I've earned the right to speak my mind.

I think most people know I voted for Bush in the 2000 election. So now i'm getting questions about whether or not he will have my vote again this year after being here in Iraq. I most definately WILL vote for President Bush. I have always supported the war effort here. I signed up to be in the Army a little over a month before September 11th and on that day I remember thinking it was only a matter of time. I knew I was going to be coming eventually. Then last November I got a call asking me to join another unit and serve my time. I was not going to say no. So here I am. I miss my home, my family, my friends, my life, but I'm making it through. My time is almost up here; at least this deployment. Who knows what the next few years will have for me. I still have a few years on my contract. But in those next few years if I have to come back, I'll do it.

Because here's the thing. Yes, over a thousand American lives have been lost over here (actually it's currently 1,064). Not one of them should be forgotten. However it frustrates me to no end that our country has forgotten about September 11th. About the 2,752 Americans that died that day. They weren't soldiers, therefore they didn't volunteer for that. They didn't go to work that day knowing they were going to be making a sacrifice. So in a matter of days, possibly hours, twice as many people died in one attack than in the last year and a half of war. And let's not forget, they came into OUR country, used OUR own planes, killed OUR citizens, and now is making OUR President look like the bad guy. Some of these people over here HATE Americans. I see evidence of that more often than I'd like. I'll tell you one thing though, I'd rather see it happen over here than in America. We don't want another attack on us and really it'd be inevitable. These people aren't look
ing
for peace. It's not a "you back off of us and we'll be nice," type of thing. We didn't start this war; they did, and we cannot let them make one strike after the other.

And of course there is the fact that we took out Saddam. From where I am living right now there are 3 palaces in a 5 mile radius; two of which were his, one his son's. In a five mile radius!!! Back in July I got to go into the projects of Abu Ghraib to do a med clinic with the 1st Cav Div. I saw people walking through their own sewage!!! I saw kids that were 8-9 years old that were so malnourished that they looked like they were 3! The buildings we live in on my base used to be for his air force. You know what's in the middle of the buildings... a torture chamber. You know what you are guarenteed to find by every one of his palaces (all 125 or whatever it is..)? Torture chambers and brothels. Yes, we really should've left that guy alone, right? Hell no. And don't think there aren't Iraqis that love us for taking him out. When I was at that med clinic tons of women and children were kissing me, hugging me. When some Iraqis come on post to work, they always pat

their chest for us (that is a huge sign of respect here). I believe in what we are doing over here. It's not always easy; it doesn't always work out how we want, but we are doing the best we can. And I feel good about it. Of course I don't want to die here; I want to come home. But if something does happen to me, I'll know I didn't die in vain. I also want to know that I'm going back to something good. I can tell you what I don't want though and that is a man without morals or ba**s (excuse my vulgarity) as my Commander-In-Chief. I want to know that my President is doing everything to protect me and my family. I could care less if the rest of the world likes us as long as I feel like we're going to go after anyone that messes with us.

I don't like to speak for people, but I can tell you that my opinion is shared with the majority of soldiers over here. I just wish that opinion was the majority among all Americans. It's funny that the ones who are doing the fighting are the ones believing in it the most. That's a good thing and all, but kind of sad... You'd think it'd be the people sitting in the comfort of their homes that would be talking big cause they know they don't have to put their life on the line.

Well there's my two cents. I'm sure a lot of you don't know why you just got that but like I said, I was asked my opinion. I can only gain by expressing it.

I've already sent in my absentee ballot for President Bush. I just hope that those of you planning to vote for Kerry will think twice.

Best,
Mandy


Spc Pagac, Amanda