Chikitita agreed to give Josh's web sites a little boost even though she wasn't particularly optimistic about what it would do. In fact she didn't think it would do any good at all, but Josh seemed like a nice guy so she gave him a break. She doesn't hold Americans responsible for "what the Bush administration has done in their name." In fact she claims many thoughtful American friends. Josh is one of them.
Though I said the former is a waste of time and the latter is a dating agency [and I’m SORRY FOR SAYING THAT] Josh’s sincerity to make a difference was the only reason for me to promote those two sites.
The web sites are http://www.iraqhasavoice.com/ and http://empathyunites.org/. There's not much there, and if I had to make a guess, what is there not what Josh expected. My shoot-from-the-hip sense is that he deplores the occupation and, like those who sport those "endless this war" bumper stickers, believes all we have to do is pack up our troops, bring them home, and peace will immediately prevail.
So what are his Iraqi letter writers writing to him? They write that the Americans should stay.
Well, I think the problem is not with the USA. In fact, if we rewind our memories back to the earliest days of Saddam's regime fall, the first bombing attack in Iraq was done by Al-Qaeda targeting the UN building in Baghdad.Believe me, friends! I don't support the occupation. But if the US armed forces have to leave Iraq in these critical moments, the situation will be more chaotic in Iraq. As soon as the US army leaves; Iran will hurry to support the Shiite and try to export thier Islamic revolution to Iraq, hence, KSA and other arab countries will intervene to help and support the Sunnis there in Iraq. In result, the civil war will become a bigger war and soon the whole middle east will be on fire! I want them to leave but not now!
During the early days, I was mad at the bombings and brutality my people faced on the hands of US soldiers. When the Abu Ghraib pictures were made public, I was not in the least shocked or surprised. To me it was a typical thing to do for any invader.
Yet, by the year 2004, something terrible rocked my family and myself. My only brother, who's loved and respected by the neighbours, cousins, friends, his classmates and teachers has become an official detainee under US custody. He was apprehended for mere suspicions based on hearsay evidence. To this day, the authorities could not come up with convincing charges that could justify his imprisonment.
Only then, I could sense the human side of American soldiers. Fellow Iraqis had beaten my dear brother almost to death. His life was spared in the nick of time by American soldiers, who had more mercy on him than his countrymen, who saw in him the other sect that deserves to burn in hell.
My cousin was one of Saddam's regimes victims. My cousin was executed for no reason other than one of the secret police wrote a false report against him. his family stayed waiting for 6 months having no clue where their son might be till the secret police bring his corpse. To be honest I was dying to see the end of Saddam not because I want to revenge my cousin death but because that monster did the most horrible crimes against the Iraqi people. I would say that the Iraqis would appreciate what the US did if it kept its promises of free democratic country. however the U.S. did not come with clear and well arranged plan. To be fair the Arab and neighboring countries did all their best to destroy Iraq and to halt this new era in Iraq. Leaving Iraq now as Democrats trying to do will be the most stupid idea. the want to fix the situation with worse mistakes without any care for the iraqis'. I also want to clarify that the other U.S. presidents were not angels nor Bush was the worse as it had been stated by Hilary Clinton whose her husband left Iraqis dying under the sanctions.
I am Iraqi, I don't want the American Army to leave my country now or very soon... I need their help to clean the country from the terrorism of Al Qaeda and Iranian militias... The easiest way stop the blood flooding is changing the current Iraqi government of that prime minster Al Malki... he is slave of Iran he is the head of Dawa part that part created in Iran... the Iranian Militias in ministry of defense and ministry of Interior of Iraq... they are kidnapping killing daily the good Iraqi people they grow the bombs in the sides of the way to explode and kill American soldiers and Iraqi... I know there are many æ many good ladies in America lost their dearest in this bloody crazy war.. I fell sorry for that I swear me as Iraqi admire her country and there are millions smellier to me we want America to be friend to us help us to educated our new generation assist in rebuild our country ... and we want in the same time clean smiley life to our children and want your American sons and daughters to return peace safety to their family....
Three out of five letter writers said they believe it would be better for American troops to stay and one was grateful for finding the human side of the American soldiers, even though she could not understand why they are there. Finally an Iraqi writing from Cairo, while making no mention of the Americans, ended his letter on a surprisingly optimistic note.
But I believe that what is happening now is to lead the Iraqi people into this situation and make the whole community and the socila life collapse to make the situation comfortable to those who want to have their own country to govern it as they want and to lead its people in the way that servse thierselves and in the opposite direction of their peoples sake, and this what explains the aims behind the explosions that take place everyday there. But though, it will not continue this way, there will be a day where all of us can go their and enjoy the life that we ever wanted to have in our country, and know the meaning of settling down and having a stable life.
That was it - five letters. Were they truly from Iraqis? Who can say. But the message they send doesn't give the anti-war crowd much in the way of ammunition, and probably isn't the message Josh had expected to hear.
My company recently produced a piece about a pen pal program to support the troops going overseas. After the video, there are several 3-5 minute interviews with individual soldiers about to be deployed to Afghanistan and their thoughts about the war.
I thought you might find it interesting.
http://www.scribemedia.org/2007/07/13/my-soldier/
Posted by: Jason | July 24, 2007 at 09:30 AM