I personally know a bunch of people in Iraq. My Dad's former Guard unit (he was the full time Readiness NCO until 2001) from the town I was born and raised and lived 18 years in, is currently over there. I know quite a few members. About once every 6 weeks they will get to send e-mail back or phone someone. The company commander sends e-mail back on a 3-5 week basis as well with overviews and other information.
All of these e-mails indicate that the vast majority of the Iraqis are happy we are there, or else the vast majority of Iraqi's are very good actors. I've read stories of soldiers being invited into Iraqi's homes for discussions on the local situations or to just have a cup of tea.
I've read sad first hand tails from the early days of the war of little children selling the dinari's for suviniers, standing at crossroads with wads of the now worthless currency, more than they had probably ever seen by a long shot, and selling it for American dollars. That doesn't happen anymore, because things are more stable and in some cases those children come back and thank the soldiers they see because their family has money and running water and working electricity that the never had under Saddam. The US got blasted about some of those basic food and water necessities, but they are providing it to areas that never had it.
The unit is a CSE company, lots of scrapers, graders and dozers. They build roads, dig trenches, build housing, whatever. The Iraqi people are constantly thanking them and working with them to build better living conditions for thousands of people.
The point is I agree that there really is more support for us there than is portrayed in most sources.
However, I still disagree with the methods that were used to start the war. I am not comfortable with John Ashcroft either (I have lived in Missouri for the last 10 years now so I have lots of experience with him), and will vote against Bush to get rid of him if nothing else. I don't really hate Bush or a lot of the results that he has produced, but the methodology on much of it does bother me a lot. Some of his supporting cast bothers me as well. I still believe the administration handled 9-11 and some other issues better than a Gore administartion would have, but I don't want to leave him in there for another 4 years. The means have to be judged as well when you are looking at the kind of power that is being wielded. They are important, even if the ends are good. I'm scared by the move that seems mostly political to get the Iraqi government in place by a specific date, and not based on conditions and readiness for it. Sooner is better, but too soon is worse. I think Kerry's plans on getting Iraq running on it's own and getting our troops out of there is a decent one as well. But I still need to look at it harder. I don't like Bush in the White House anymore.
Edit: Maybe I just want it both ways. I like the dedication and lack of waffling, I hated that about Clinton. But I still feel you can stand strong and do what you feel is right (which is very required sometimes) but be more diplomatic about it, and follow some better procedures with less fabrication or stretching than has been done. But maybe you can't have it both ways.
All of these e-mails indicate that the vast majority of the Iraqis are happy we are there, or else the vast majority of Iraqi's are very good actors. I've read stories of soldiers being invited into Iraqi's homes for discussions on the local situations or to just have a cup of tea.
I've read sad first hand tails from the early days of the war of little children selling the dinari's for suviniers, standing at crossroads with wads of the now worthless currency, more than they had probably ever seen by a long shot, and selling it for American dollars. That doesn't happen anymore, because things are more stable and in some cases those children come back and thank the soldiers they see because their family has money and running water and working electricity that the never had under Saddam. The US got blasted about some of those basic food and water necessities, but they are providing it to areas that never had it.
The unit is a CSE company, lots of scrapers, graders and dozers. They build roads, dig trenches, build housing, whatever. The Iraqi people are constantly thanking them and working with them to build better living conditions for thousands of people.
The point is I agree that there really is more support for us there than is portrayed in most sources.
However, I still disagree with the methods that were used to start the war. I am not comfortable with John Ashcroft either (I have lived in Missouri for the last 10 years now so I have lots of experience with him), and will vote against Bush to get rid of him if nothing else. I don't really hate Bush or a lot of the results that he has produced, but the methodology on much of it does bother me a lot. Some of his supporting cast bothers me as well. I still believe the administration handled 9-11 and some other issues better than a Gore administartion would have, but I don't want to leave him in there for another 4 years. The means have to be judged as well when you are looking at the kind of power that is being wielded. They are important, even if the ends are good. I'm scared by the move that seems mostly political to get the Iraqi government in place by a specific date, and not based on conditions and readiness for it. Sooner is better, but too soon is worse. I think Kerry's plans on getting Iraq running on it's own and getting our troops out of there is a decent one as well. But I still need to look at it harder. I don't like Bush in the White House anymore.
Edit: Maybe I just want it both ways. I like the dedication and lack of waffling, I hated that about Clinton. But I still feel you can stand strong and do what you feel is right (which is very required sometimes) but be more diplomatic about it, and follow some better procedures with less fabrication or stretching than has been done. But maybe you can't have it both ways.
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It's all just zeroes and ones and duct tape in the end.
It's all just zeroes and ones and duct tape in the end.