The Real Iraq Situation

[Desperado]

This is an excerpt from a letter from a soldier on the ground in Iraq:

Quiz. What is the true status of electricity in Iraq? Did you
know there is more electricity now in Iraq than any time this
generation? Saddam used to allow only certain areas to receive
power. If you lived outside a major city you'd be lucky to
receive a trickle of energy. That changed when we got here. The
economy is gaining traction and new businesses are stressing the power grids expanding capacity. Demand exceeds supply so greatly that we still experience shortages and will for the foreseeable future. I have read that our efforts are failing because we aren't doing enough. If these journalists would dig with something other than a thimble they just might uncover the truth.

When we succeed we will have achieved one of the greatest feats in our history. Destroying the enemy is simple, the task of simultaneous rebuilding a nation that can be called at best "damaged goods" in the face of constant terrorist attacks is nothing short of awesome.

GREAT THINGS ARE HAPPENING! An entire country is being pulled
up from its bootstraps despite the best efforts of saboteurs and
power hungry Militias backed by the Syrian, Iranian and Kuwaiti
governments. We are winning, only our own naiveté regarding the situation can stop us. Pacification isn't easy, it's harder than
invading. The Iraqi army needs to see confident American
soldiers. We are the best and everyone knows this. Kerry's plan
to reduce troop strength and fill in with half-rate soldiers from
suspect allies gives our enemies hope and the new Iraqi armed
forces weak knees. Time is on our side, not the enemy's. There
is concern amongst the locals that Kerry will win. They know
enough about him to have the very real fear of being abandoned by America should he win. If we leave most of the people I know will be murdered, children included. That's the price of being on the wrong side over here.

It's harder for Americans to fight this war than Iraqi's. No
American lost a family member to Saddam, lived in daily fear or
suffered inhuman deprivations. We see the Iraqi people working
bravely for their country every day. Despite civilian casualties,
high by everyone's count, they turn out in droves to apply for
positions to defend their cities. Huge lines are preyed upon by
foreigner's suicide bombers and brave Iraqis die by the score.
You've heard I'm sure about the number of Iraqis killed while
standing in line to be a cop or soldier. Their determination and
resolve to make Iraq better has impressed me. The Iraqi Armed Forces have no shortage of recruits. In the last week of September 1,100 policemen graduated from the academy, by early spring 5,000 will graduate each month after their 8-week course. The porous boarder shared with six nations with six agendas for Iraq is guarded by just 16,000 Iraqis. Early next year it will be 32,000 and they will continue to receive better gear. Within 45 days 12 battalions of Iraqi Soldiers will be stood up and ready to engage the enemy.

The post 9/11 existence of al-Qaeda is nothing short of failure.
They have failed to meet objectives, lost their only sovereign
sanctuary in Afghanistan which now boasts a freely elected leader for the first time in its history, senior leadership continues to be hunted and they haven't been able to conduct even ankle biting attacks against America. Their setbacks heavily outweigh
victories. al-Qaeda has found a very effective weapon, the
American media. The fate of their organization rests on the
American voter more so than the American soldier.

Somehow this message doesn't seem to get to the media. Instead a constant message of hopelessness and fear is broadcast to Americans. It's as if the enemy has purchased our own media and is using it against us. Kerry's campaign has had a parasitical relationship with the press. Instead of sharing the real story of what's happening in Iraq he's happy to keep fear and distrust alive to serve his own ends. Kerry quipped that Bush doesn't understand the war because Bush's speeches don't match newspaper headlines. I can only hope that Americans are too smart for Kerry and won't fall for his scare tactics.

My relationships here are strongest with the kids. They are a
curious lot that view life in a context I'm still grappling with.
Once the kids know us the adults eventually come by to check us out to make sure there kids will be safe around us. One day a boy named Mohammed, a favorite among soldiers, was playing at the base of our tower and his grandmother (a very frail looking woman) came out of the tiny shack shared by six people from 3 generations. She hobbled slowly, a cane in hand and started yelling at me while pointing to the sky. I was totally caught off guard. In the past she blew me kisses. My thumb tensed on my rifle's safety switch as I immediately scanned surrounding rooftops and windows with concern. Naza, her son, saw my reaction and translated for me "Mother prays to Allah
for you".

I don't think you'll ever hear stories like this in the press.

********
My inept words are no match for the eloquence expressed above.

 

[remyandhollandsmommy]

Thank you for your post.

 

[OceanAnnie]

Yes, thank you for your post. You don't hear any stories like this.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Wouldn't it be nice if the Press reported the real story for a change! Thanks!!

 

[Lucky4me]

I think I'd need more information before I could say, nice post. For example who wrote this letter? I see no name. Was it written to you?

The reason you won't read any stories like this in the press is because they need to verify the validity of the story.

It's also not exactly what I've been hearing from the few soldiers I know who've been to or who are now in Iraq.
One of them was killed last week. He was 22 years old and lived nearby. His funeral was saturday. His name was Brian. Same name and age as my son.

His obituary

"Schramm, Brian K. ""Pookie"""
Date published: 10/21/04
"Suddenly in Iraq, Friday, October 15, 2004 at age 22. He is survived by his parents, Keith and Mary Ellen; sister, Jennifer(fiance, Erik Hartwig); brothers, Kyle and Michael; aunts and uncles, Kurt and Wendy Schramm, Eric and Sandy Schramm, Tamra West and Greg West, Kathy Grunent, Bill McElveney, Richard and Ginger Bedoar and Robert Bedoar; cousins, Kristopher, Karlee, Justin, Jeffrey, Tiffany, Jessica, Melissa, Aaron, Doug and Marc; also many friends and family. Predeceased by his grandparents, Lois Bedoar; Helen and Herbert Schramm; cousin, Kory Schramm.No prior calling hours. Friends are invited to celebrate his Funeral Service, Saturday at 12 Noon at Greece Assembly of God Church, 750 Long Pond Road. Private interment.In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Brian Schramm Service Above Self Award Scholarship Fund, c/o Donna Murano, Greece Olympia High School, 1139 Maiden Ln., Roch., NY 14615 or Jammie's for GI's, c/o Cheryl Lepsch, 65 Harriet St., Tonawanda, NY 14150 in his memory. Ref: New Comer Family Funeral Home. "
-------------------------------------



Do I believe this boys life was worth Iraq getting electricity or even Democracy?

No, I do not.

 

[remyandhollandsmommy]

My DH can verify the validity of stories like this. He saw these things with his own two eyes. I would be heartbroken if DH was killed, but I am sure there are Iraqi women who feel the same about their families being killed under terrorism. Who's loss would be more more important? Mine for DH possibly getting killed because he went, or hers for simply being alive. My DH signed up, he was not drafted and he remains proud that he went to help these people. He would go again.
Lucky4Me: I am sorry for the loss of another brave soldier. My prays and thoughts go out to those left behind.

 

[Desperado]

Originally posted by Lucky4me
.....Same name and age as my son.

Is your son in the military?

I hope for his and all our troops safe return, and admire, respect and honor thier sacrifice for our country and their effort to provide for our children's safety. Almost 3000 people were killed in the first major battle of this war in New York on September 11th. 1000 men have given thier lives to help protect our future. May god and every american honor them all.

 

[decker96]

Thanks for sharing that. Great letter.

 

[Lucky4me]

Originally posted by Desperado
Is your son in the military?

I hope for his and all our troops safe return, and admire, respect and honor thier sacrifice for our country and their effort to provide for our children's safety. Almost 3000 people were killed in the first major battle of this war in New York on September 11th. 1000 men have given thier lives to help protect our future. May god and every american honor them all.

My son is not in the military.


I agree the war started on 9/11, but I do not agree that Iraq was the place to go to defend ourselves.

 

[disneycrazed139]

If these journalists would dig with something other than a thimble they just might uncover the truth.

Unfortunately, the situation in Iraq is not what you think. As for journalists, have you ever heard of Trudy Rubin? She has extensive experience in the middle east, including four long trips to Iraq, including her last in June, as well as very close friends and colleagues who have been educated at Iraq's academic centers. I heard her speak tonight, and she knows more about the situation that you can imagine. I think she (and probably several other journalists) have definitely dug with "more than just a thimble."

Essentially, Iraq needs to be stabilized, and, at the time, that goal has been made extremely difficult by actions that our own military performed because the plan going into it was not well thought out. Iraq is a diverse secular nation and extremely religious. This doesn't make unification easy.

It's as if the enemy has purchased our own media and is using it against us. Kerry's campaign has had a parasitical relationship with the press. Instead of sharing the real story of what's happening in Iraq he's happy to keep fear and distrust alive to serve his own ends.

Additionally and unfortunately, the reasons why there is such negativity is that the Iraqi people have no free press and receive their news from neighboring Middle East nations and the Al-Jazeera. What do you think they are hearing? They don't know why we are there, and we haven't established the presence necessary to make them feel secure. There has been destruction and looting of financial centers, hospitals, and the country's best academic centers. What would you think if you were experiencing this? The real story of what's happening in Iraq is probably beyond your imagination.

It was nice to hear the facts tonight from someone who has been there and from someone who has done extensive research on the region.

If you are interested in learning more about the events leading up to entry into Iraq, as well as what needs to be done now to assure stability in the Middle East, as well as its impact on the world, I would highly recommend the book "Willful Blindness"

Don't forget Iraq wasn't the enemy. Saddam was. Now that we have invaded, we need to do our best to restore stability to the country....not further destroy them.

And I might add that I am teribbly sorry for the loss of life over there, and anyone that has friends or family that gave the gift of their loved ones. May God bless you.

 

[Desperado]

Originally posted by Lucky4me
My son is not in the military.


I agree the war started on 9/11, but I do not agree that Iraq was the place to go to defend ourselves.

It's wonderful to live in a country where we can disagree without being beheaded. Hope your son is always safe.

 

[Lucky4me]

Still waiting for your source, Desparado.

 

[Disney Doll]

Freedom isn't free. Those who enlisted in the miltary did so, one would assume, with a full understanding of what the possibilities were. Of course, the death of any young person is sad, and my heart goes out to this young man's family, but he died for many more reasons other than to give Iraqis electricity.

I think there is a lack of understanding about what a crossroads we are at right now. This may be one of the most, if not the most, significant periods in the history of the modern world.



I agree that the environmaent, domestic issues etc are important, but if we lose our country to terrorism, if we succumb to them, then all the other issues will pale in comparison because we will no longer be in control.

.

 

[Desperado]

Originally posted by Lucky4me
Still waiting for your source, Desparado.

I will not be sharing my source with you for this letter, it was from a soldier in Iraq who shall remain anonymous. If that's not enough for you, so be it.

 

[ripleysmom]

Here is some more real situation in Iraq.....



U.N.: 400 Tons of Iraq Explosives Missing

26 minutes ago Middle East - AP

By WILLIAM J. KOLE, Associated Press Writer

VIENNA, Austria - The U.N. nuclear agency warned Monday that insurgents in Iraq (news - web sites) may have obtained nearly 400 tons of missing explosives that can be used in the kind of car bomb attacks that have targeted U.S.-led coalition forces for months.

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei reported the disappearance to the U.N. Security Council on Monday, two weeks after he said Iraq told the nuclear agency that the explosives had vanished from the former Iraqi military installation as a result of "theft and looting ... due to lack of security."

The disappearance raised questions about why the United States didn't do more to secure the Al-Qaqaa facility 30 miles south of Baghdad and failed to allow full international inspections to resume after the March 2003 invasion.

The White House played down the significance of the missing weapons, but Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry (news - web sites) accused President Bush (news - web sites) of "incredible incompetence" and his campaign said the administration "must answer for what may be the most grave and catastrophic mistake in a tragic series of blunders in Iraq."

Al-Qaqaa is near Youssifiyah, an area rife with ambush attacks. An Associated Press Television News crew that drove past the compound Monday saw no visible security at the gates of the site, a jumble of low-slung, yellow-colored storage buildings that appeared deserted.

"The most immediate concern here is that these explosives could have fallen into the wrong hands," IAEA spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said.

The agency first placed a seal over Al-Qaqaa storage bunkers holding the explosives in 1991 as part of U.N. sanctions that ordered the dismantlement of Iraq's nuclear program after the Gulf War (news - web sites).

IAEA inspectors last saw the explosives in January 2003 when they took an inventory and placed fresh seals on the bunkers, Fleming said. Inspectors visited the site again in March 2003, but didn't view the explosives because the seals were not broken, she said.

Nuclear agency experts pulled out of Iraq just before the U.S.-led invasion later that month, and have not yet been able to return for general inspections despite ElBaradei's repeated urging that they be allowed to finish their work. Although IAEA inspectors have made two trips to Iraq since the war at U.S. requests, Russia and other Security Council members have pressed for their full-time return — so far unsuccessfully.

Pentagon (news - web sites) spokesman Bryan Whitman said U.S.-led forces searched the Al-Qaqaa facility after the invasion.

"Coalition forces were present in the vicinity at various times during and after major combat operations," he said. "The forces searched 32 bunkers and 87 other buildings at the facility, but found no indicators of WMD (weapons of mass destruction)."

Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s regime used Al-Qaqaa as a key part of its effort to build a nuclear bomb. Although the missing materials are conventional explosives known as HMX and RDX, the Vienna-based IAEA became involved because HMX is a "dual use" substance powerful enough to ignite the fissile material in an atomic bomb and set off a nuclear chain reaction.

Both are key components in plastic explosives such as C-4 and Semtex, which are so powerful that Libyan terrorists needed just a pound to blow up Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988, killing 170 people.

Insurgents targeting coalition forces in Iraq have made widespread use of plastic explosives in a bloody spate of car bomb attacks. Officials were unable to link the missing explosives directly to the recent car bombings, but the revelations that they could have fallen into enemy hands caused a stir in the last week of the U.S. presidential campaign.

"These explosives can be used to blow up airplanes, level buildings, attack our troops and detonate nuclear weapons," senior Kerry adviser Joe Lockhart said in a statement. "The Bush administration knew where this stockpile was, but took no action to secure the site."

White House press secretary Scott McClellan said the administration's first concern was whether the disappearance constituted a nuclear proliferation threat. He said it did not.

"We have destroyed more than 243,000 munitions" in Iraq, he said. "We've secured another nearly 163,000 that will be destroyed."

McClellan said the IAEA informed U.S. mission in Vienna on Oct. 15 about the missing explosives at Al-Qaqaa. He said national security adviser Condoleeza Rice was notified "days after that," and she then informed President Bush.

ElBaradei told the council the agency had been trying to give the U.S.-led multinational force and Iraq's interim government "an opportunity to attempt to recover the explosives before this matter was put into the public domain."

But since the disappearance was reported Monday in The New York Times, ElBaradei said he wanted the Security Council to have the letter dated Oct. 10 that he received from Mohammed J. Abbas, a senior official at Iraq's Ministry of Science and Technology, reporting the theft of 377 tons of explosives.

The letter from Abbas informed the IAEA that since April 9, 2003, looting at the Al-Qaqaa installation had resulted in the loss of 215 tons of HMX, 156 tons of RDX and six tons of PETN explosives.

Diplomats said there was nothing to suggest that ElBaradei, who had irritated the Bush administration before the war by insisting there was no evidence that Saddam had revived his nuclear program, had intended to keep the report a secret until after the Nov. 2 election.

 

[bsnyder]

Originally posted by ripleysmom
Here is some more real situation in Iraq.....



U.N.: 400 Tons of Iraq Explosives Missing

26 minutes ago Middle East - AP

By WILLIAM J. KOLE, Associated Press Writer

VIENNA, Austria - The U.N. nuclear agency warned Monday that insurgents in Iraq (news - web sites) may have obtained nearly 400 tons of missing explosives that can be used in the kind of car bomb attacks that have targeted U.S.-led coalition forces for months.

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei reported the disappearance to the U.N. Security Council on Monday, two weeks after he said Iraq told the nuclear agency that the explosives had vanished from the former Iraqi military installation as a result of "theft and looting ... due to lack of security."

The disappearance raised questions about why the United States didn't do more to secure the Al-Qaqaa facility 30 miles south of Baghdad and failed to allow full international inspections to resume after the March 2003 invasion.

The White House played down the significance of the missing weapons, but Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry (news - web sites) accused President Bush (news - web sites) of "incredible incompetence" and his campaign said the administration "must answer for what may be the most grave and catastrophic mistake in a tragic series of blunders in Iraq."

Al-Qaqaa is near Youssifiyah, an area rife with ambush attacks. An Associated Press Television News crew that drove past the compound Monday saw no visible security at the gates of the site, a jumble of low-slung, yellow-colored storage buildings that appeared deserted.

"The most immediate concern here is that these explosives could have fallen into the wrong hands," IAEA spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said.

The agency first placed a seal over Al-Qaqaa storage bunkers holding the explosives in 1991 as part of U.N. sanctions that ordered the dismantlement of Iraq's nuclear program after the Gulf War (news - web sites).

IAEA inspectors last saw the explosives in January 2003 when they took an inventory and placed fresh seals on the bunkers, Fleming said. Inspectors visited the site again in March 2003, but didn't view the explosives because the seals were not broken, she said.

Nuclear agency experts pulled out of Iraq just before the U.S.-led invasion later that month, and have not yet been able to return for general inspections despite ElBaradei's repeated urging that they be allowed to finish their work. Although IAEA inspectors have made two trips to Iraq since the war at U.S. requests, Russia and other Security Council members have pressed for their full-time return — so far unsuccessfully.

Pentagon (news - web sites) spokesman Bryan Whitman said U.S.-led forces searched the Al-Qaqaa facility after the invasion.

"Coalition forces were present in the vicinity at various times during and after major combat operations," he said. "The forces searched 32 bunkers and 87 other buildings at the facility, but found no indicators of WMD (weapons of mass destruction)."

Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s regime used Al-Qaqaa as a key part of its effort to build a nuclear bomb. Although the missing materials are conventional explosives known as HMX and RDX, the Vienna-based IAEA became involved because HMX is a "dual use" substance powerful enough to ignite the fissile material in an atomic bomb and set off a nuclear chain reaction.

Both are key components in plastic explosives such as C-4 and Semtex, which are so powerful that Libyan terrorists needed just a pound to blow up Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988, killing 170 people.

Insurgents targeting coalition forces in Iraq have made widespread use of plastic explosives in a bloody spate of car bomb attacks. Officials were unable to link the missing explosives directly to the recent car bombings, but the revelations that they could have fallen into enemy hands caused a stir in the last week of the U.S. presidential campaign.

"These explosives can be used to blow up airplanes, level buildings, attack our troops and detonate nuclear weapons," senior Kerry adviser Joe Lockhart said in a statement. "The Bush administration knew where this stockpile was, but took no action to secure the site."

White House press secretary Scott McClellan said the administration's first concern was whether the disappearance constituted a nuclear proliferation threat. He said it did not.

"We have destroyed more than 243,000 munitions" in Iraq, he said. "We've secured another nearly 163,000 that will be destroyed."

McClellan said the IAEA informed U.S. mission in Vienna on Oct. 15 about the missing explosives at Al-Qaqaa. He said national security adviser Condoleeza Rice was notified "days after that," and she then informed President Bush.

ElBaradei told the council the agency had been trying to give the U.S.-led multinational force and Iraq's interim government "an opportunity to attempt to recover the explosives before this matter was put into the public domain."

But since the disappearance was reported Monday in The New York Times, ElBaradei said he wanted the Security Council to have the letter dated Oct. 10 that he received from Mohammed J. Abbas, a senior official at Iraq's Ministry of Science and Technology, reporting the theft of 377 tons of explosives.

The letter from Abbas informed the IAEA that since April 9, 2003, looting at the Al-Qaqaa installation had resulted in the loss of 215 tons of HMX, 156 tons of RDX and six tons of PETN explosives.

Diplomats said there was nothing to suggest that ElBaradei, who had irritated the Bush administration before the war by insisting there was no evidence that Saddam had revived his nuclear program, had intended to keep the report a secret until after the Nov. 2 election.

NBC News discredited this story on their broadcast tonight.

The HMX and RDX were already gone when U.S. troops got to the facility on April 10th, 2003 - one day after the fall of Baghdad.

An NBCNEWS crew was embedded with those troops.

 

[superbird1]

Sorry to disappoint so many of you Kerry supporters. There are plenty of those letters coming home everyday and it is more than just electricity we are fighting for. You need to see the truth not that John Kerry has met with the leaders of the security council the week before the vote on Iraq. Now the truth comes out that he never met with anyone. The bottom line is there is more support for the brave men and women of our armed forces than you can imagine. The majority of Americans know you are doing a great and noble job day after day and may God Bless each and everyone of you. Finish your mission and return home safely. Just look at Germany and Japan. We are still there how many years after WWII ended preserving their freedom everyday.

Always support our troops. God Bless

 

[chadfromdallas]

Originally posted by bsnyder
NBC News discredited this story on their broadcast tonight.

The HMX and RDX were already gone when U.S. troops got to the facility on April 10th, 2003 - one day after the fall of Baghdad.

An NBCNEWS crew was embedded with those troops.

Yet they continue to talk about it on msnbc?

The coalition didn't secure the site and they came up missing afterwards.

 

[cati]

xx

 

[dmadman43]

Originally posted by chadfromdallas
Yet they continue to talk about it on msnbc?

The coalition didn't secure the site and they came up missing afterwards.

You wanted them to secure a site that already had weapons missing? What would be the point?

Where is your source that they came up missing after we got there?