Rusty,
Hello. It's Pat. I'm so sorry it's been such a long time since I've written. I don't have much Internet access and when I do, my time is limited. Today is a rare day when I get a day off. It's my second since July. But I certainly can't complain.
It seems like so much has happened since the last time I wrote to you. Things here are still going well. Albeit, long days filled with lots of hard work and not too much of anything else. But the mission here in Iraq continues to go forward with many unseen successes.
Rusty, I've been meaning to write for a long time now to tell you, first hand, that this war is going well, and that we are succeeding in many ways. The world media, and shamefully, the American media is doing a despicable job of accurately reporting the real situation. And they know it! But they can't have this war go well, because their liberal agenda and liberal candidate for President will fail. In essence, they have sold out our brave soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen for politics.
I can honestly say Rusty, that we have hundreds of daily successes over here. I'm in a position to see that, every day. We are killing insurgents in one area, and then rebuilding the neighborhoods right down the street. There are literally thousands of ongoing projects right now to rebuild this country from the poverty that Saddam Hussein sentenced them to. But the media fails to tell the story. The media will never tell you that the common Iraqi on the street HATES the insurgents. They are sick and tired of the violence that they bring to this country. But CNN won't tell you that.
Just several weeks ago, there was a huge project that 1st Cavalry Division completed in Sadr City. The locals were ecstatic to have their streets cleaned, electricity going, water running and sewage system functioning. It was a huge success that many contractors and military units accomplished. Keeping in mind, many of these projects are finished or ongoing when they get sabotaged (sp) by the insurgents. The military specifically asked a camera/writer crew from Reuters to cover the success story, and they refused. Instead, they reported on the insurgents fighting the Americans up the block. That really steamed a lot of people around here.
And the New York Times is among the worst, next to CNN. They refuse to tell the whole story. After the insurgents were basically obliterated and "thrown out" of An Najaf, some of them went to Sadr City and started more violence there. The fictitious "cease fire" by Sadr was only to, once again, buy time to recruit and rearm. So the New York Times takes a picture of one of the "insurgents" directing traffic in Sadr City, like the nice guy that he is. Yet in the same story, they tell of all the hardship that the people of Sadr City have to endure because of the fighting and collateral damage caused by the American soldiers. Basically, they side with the insurgents. The only reason there is violence in this country is because there is a group of people and foreign fighters that are very threatened by the notion of a free Iraq. It will keep them from power. So they only hope they have is to continue an insurgency. It's crystal clear to a third grader! They conduct operations out
of schools, hospitals, people's homes and mosques! Because of the simple fact that these vile pigs hide behind the innocent public, innocent people get killed. It's the insurgents that should be held responsible, not the American soldiers. We go to very extreme measures to prevent innocent deaths.
CNN will even stoop so low as to go to an area in which U.S. troops have just gotten out of a fire fight and find the "one soldier out of about a hundred" that just might be questioning the whole thing at that particular time. They sneakingly ask leading questions to the unknowing young troop, and get the answer they are looking for. Then they run a story that insinuates that the entire military is questioning this operation. Rusty, I'm hoping America is not that ignorant. And shame on CNN. Shame on Reuters, The Washington Post, The L.A. Times, CBS, NBC, ABC, Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings, Wolf Blitzer, Katie "fake tan" Couric, etc, etc, etc. They stab in the back, the very people that keep them free... the American soldiers!
And don't kid yourself Rusty, we know who are enemies are. And they are right there at home. And we won't forget. The media is loathed by most of our troops. We know what is happening over hear and simply look on in disgust when we see how the media portrays it. It's appalling. I cannot understand why no one is taking issue with some of these organizations in the courts. Their actions are down right seditious in nature.
The insurgents use the media like a pawn in their game. They are very much aware of how the media is anti-military and liberal in their politics. They know that if they can cause enough havoc over here, enough to get on the nightly news, then they will cause unrest at home amongst those who "can't handle the war." Imagine if they knew America was steeled in it's resolve. That there no way we'd ever shy away from this mission. The insurgents would know that there was no way they could win. I contend they would either go back where they came from, or quit all together. But they know they can sway the fickle public if they can paint this story as un-winnable. And this is our current fight. Sadly, it's the media from our own country that has become our biggest enemy.
Several days ago, two car bombs simultaneously exploded at a ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening of a local water-pumping plant. The crowd was mostly innocent civilians that came to celebrate an improvement in their daily lives. Upwards of 35 children were ruthlessly blown up and killed that day Rusty. They love to get candy that American soldiers pass out to them. It was to be a wonderful day. But some vile and inhuman insurgents, decided to make a news story of it because they knew how the story would be written by the media. And that's exactly what happened. Chalk another one up for the insurgents. Their plan worked perfectly. The media spun it to be the American's fault for not being able to protect people! What about the vile people that did this? What about them, constantly targeting innocent civilians and children? Why doesn't CNN speak of that?
Where's the outcry from the UN? Where's the outcry from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, etc, etc, etc. Where's Jesse Jackson, Kofi Annan John Kerry and all of the other pseudo-compassionates? They remain silent, like the hypocrites they are. Who gets the blame? The American soldiers. Just so you know Rusty, car bombs are nearly impossible to prevent.
When will the silent majority sitting back home rise up and say: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!? We support our troops. The time for deliberations about the war is over. The decision was made and now is the time to support! We have our sons, daughters, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters in harms way. Whether you agreed on the decision or not, it is now a time for the country to come together and say we support our brothers and sisters in arms! To the weak hearted and pansy liberals: If you can't handle the war, shut up, put your head back in the sand and let US prosecute the war! But don't you dare speak out against it as you have no right! Come over here to "my war" and tell me it's not going well. I dare you!
Here's my challenge to Americans back home Rusty! As one person, I can do nothing on a large scale to show the world that our country is strongly rooted behind our troops. But as a whole, we can send a strong message to the naysayers and whimps!
I often get questions and offers from my friends and family back home as to "what can I do to help?" What can I send? What can I do?
Well, stop sending sunblock and chapstick. I have enough. They are greatly appreciated, but there's something bigger and much more important that you can do!
Rusty, if you happen to have the chance, challenge your listeners to this simple task or two.
Go to Home Depot and spend a meager $9.99 on an American Flag. Go home and put three screws in the front of your house and FLY IT EVERY DAY. Show your neighbors, your politicians and most importantly, your soldiers overseas that you are behind our troops and behind America! Tell your friends, family and coworkers about what you are doing to support the troops and why. Encourage everyone you know to do it as well. It's one simple thing everyone can do.
Take one hour out of your week and call, write or email your local newspaper, newschannel or politician and tell them that you are disgusted with the way the media and liberals are selling out our country. Tell them that you will no longer support their sponsors. Tell them that you are canceling your subscription or that you will no longer watch their channel. Or in the case of local politicians, that you will no longer vote for them or their liberal agenda.
Can you imagine the message that that would send to the enemies of our country Rusty? Our troops are working 12-20hr days over here. Most don't get days off and the conditions are rough. What else can you expect in a war zone? So to everyone back home ... you "have" the time to buy a flag and fly it every day. You "have" the time to make a phone call, write a letter, or send an email. It's a little thing that everyone can do. And what a message it would send.
With each day that passes over here, I am so much more appreciative of what I have in America. I left a brand new home of 3100 sq/ft, a wonderful family, career and friends to come serve with the First Cavalry Division in Baghdad. I did it because I feel that I ran out of excuses as to why I "couldn't." I have come to love the things we have back home: our freedoms, our blessings, our way of life. The more I'm gone, the more I love our country and what it stands for. Sometimes when I'm run down and tired, I question my decision to volunteer for a tour. So I hung an American flag in my room. When I begin to question, I look at the flag and it reminds me of what I'm here for and of the sacrifices of those who came before me. Such as your Dad. Maybe when Americans start flying the flags at their houses back home again, we will all be reminded of how lucky and truly blessed we are to be living in America!
Well, I've got to go for now Rusty. Sorry to send such a long email as I know you probably get hundreds each day. I hope this one makes it to you and that you have a moment to read it. I hope you, your wife, Katelynn and little Karaline, are doing well and are in good health. I really miss listening to you each day back in Phoenix but will hopefully come home to you being on the radio again.
Godspeed my "brother from another mother"!
Captain Pat in Iraq
Hello. It's Pat. I'm so sorry it's been such a long time since I've written. I don't have much Internet access and when I do, my time is limited. Today is a rare day when I get a day off. It's my second since July. But I certainly can't complain.
It seems like so much has happened since the last time I wrote to you. Things here are still going well. Albeit, long days filled with lots of hard work and not too much of anything else. But the mission here in Iraq continues to go forward with many unseen successes.
Rusty, I've been meaning to write for a long time now to tell you, first hand, that this war is going well, and that we are succeeding in many ways. The world media, and shamefully, the American media is doing a despicable job of accurately reporting the real situation. And they know it! But they can't have this war go well, because their liberal agenda and liberal candidate for President will fail. In essence, they have sold out our brave soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen for politics.
I can honestly say Rusty, that we have hundreds of daily successes over here. I'm in a position to see that, every day. We are killing insurgents in one area, and then rebuilding the neighborhoods right down the street. There are literally thousands of ongoing projects right now to rebuild this country from the poverty that Saddam Hussein sentenced them to. But the media fails to tell the story. The media will never tell you that the common Iraqi on the street HATES the insurgents. They are sick and tired of the violence that they bring to this country. But CNN won't tell you that.
Just several weeks ago, there was a huge project that 1st Cavalry Division completed in Sadr City. The locals were ecstatic to have their streets cleaned, electricity going, water running and sewage system functioning. It was a huge success that many contractors and military units accomplished. Keeping in mind, many of these projects are finished or ongoing when they get sabotaged (sp) by the insurgents. The military specifically asked a camera/writer crew from Reuters to cover the success story, and they refused. Instead, they reported on the insurgents fighting the Americans up the block. That really steamed a lot of people around here.
And the New York Times is among the worst, next to CNN. They refuse to tell the whole story. After the insurgents were basically obliterated and "thrown out" of An Najaf, some of them went to Sadr City and started more violence there. The fictitious "cease fire" by Sadr was only to, once again, buy time to recruit and rearm. So the New York Times takes a picture of one of the "insurgents" directing traffic in Sadr City, like the nice guy that he is. Yet in the same story, they tell of all the hardship that the people of Sadr City have to endure because of the fighting and collateral damage caused by the American soldiers. Basically, they side with the insurgents. The only reason there is violence in this country is because there is a group of people and foreign fighters that are very threatened by the notion of a free Iraq. It will keep them from power. So they only hope they have is to continue an insurgency. It's crystal clear to a third grader! They conduct operations out
of schools, hospitals, people's homes and mosques! Because of the simple fact that these vile pigs hide behind the innocent public, innocent people get killed. It's the insurgents that should be held responsible, not the American soldiers. We go to very extreme measures to prevent innocent deaths.
CNN will even stoop so low as to go to an area in which U.S. troops have just gotten out of a fire fight and find the "one soldier out of about a hundred" that just might be questioning the whole thing at that particular time. They sneakingly ask leading questions to the unknowing young troop, and get the answer they are looking for. Then they run a story that insinuates that the entire military is questioning this operation. Rusty, I'm hoping America is not that ignorant. And shame on CNN. Shame on Reuters, The Washington Post, The L.A. Times, CBS, NBC, ABC, Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings, Wolf Blitzer, Katie "fake tan" Couric, etc, etc, etc. They stab in the back, the very people that keep them free... the American soldiers!
And don't kid yourself Rusty, we know who are enemies are. And they are right there at home. And we won't forget. The media is loathed by most of our troops. We know what is happening over hear and simply look on in disgust when we see how the media portrays it. It's appalling. I cannot understand why no one is taking issue with some of these organizations in the courts. Their actions are down right seditious in nature.
The insurgents use the media like a pawn in their game. They are very much aware of how the media is anti-military and liberal in their politics. They know that if they can cause enough havoc over here, enough to get on the nightly news, then they will cause unrest at home amongst those who "can't handle the war." Imagine if they knew America was steeled in it's resolve. That there no way we'd ever shy away from this mission. The insurgents would know that there was no way they could win. I contend they would either go back where they came from, or quit all together. But they know they can sway the fickle public if they can paint this story as un-winnable. And this is our current fight. Sadly, it's the media from our own country that has become our biggest enemy.
Several days ago, two car bombs simultaneously exploded at a ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening of a local water-pumping plant. The crowd was mostly innocent civilians that came to celebrate an improvement in their daily lives. Upwards of 35 children were ruthlessly blown up and killed that day Rusty. They love to get candy that American soldiers pass out to them. It was to be a wonderful day. But some vile and inhuman insurgents, decided to make a news story of it because they knew how the story would be written by the media. And that's exactly what happened. Chalk another one up for the insurgents. Their plan worked perfectly. The media spun it to be the American's fault for not being able to protect people! What about the vile people that did this? What about them, constantly targeting innocent civilians and children? Why doesn't CNN speak of that?
Where's the outcry from the UN? Where's the outcry from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, etc, etc, etc. Where's Jesse Jackson, Kofi Annan John Kerry and all of the other pseudo-compassionates? They remain silent, like the hypocrites they are. Who gets the blame? The American soldiers. Just so you know Rusty, car bombs are nearly impossible to prevent.
When will the silent majority sitting back home rise up and say: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!? We support our troops. The time for deliberations about the war is over. The decision was made and now is the time to support! We have our sons, daughters, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters in harms way. Whether you agreed on the decision or not, it is now a time for the country to come together and say we support our brothers and sisters in arms! To the weak hearted and pansy liberals: If you can't handle the war, shut up, put your head back in the sand and let US prosecute the war! But don't you dare speak out against it as you have no right! Come over here to "my war" and tell me it's not going well. I dare you!
Here's my challenge to Americans back home Rusty! As one person, I can do nothing on a large scale to show the world that our country is strongly rooted behind our troops. But as a whole, we can send a strong message to the naysayers and whimps!
I often get questions and offers from my friends and family back home as to "what can I do to help?" What can I send? What can I do?
Well, stop sending sunblock and chapstick. I have enough. They are greatly appreciated, but there's something bigger and much more important that you can do!
Rusty, if you happen to have the chance, challenge your listeners to this simple task or two.
Go to Home Depot and spend a meager $9.99 on an American Flag. Go home and put three screws in the front of your house and FLY IT EVERY DAY. Show your neighbors, your politicians and most importantly, your soldiers overseas that you are behind our troops and behind America! Tell your friends, family and coworkers about what you are doing to support the troops and why. Encourage everyone you know to do it as well. It's one simple thing everyone can do.
Take one hour out of your week and call, write or email your local newspaper, newschannel or politician and tell them that you are disgusted with the way the media and liberals are selling out our country. Tell them that you will no longer support their sponsors. Tell them that you are canceling your subscription or that you will no longer watch their channel. Or in the case of local politicians, that you will no longer vote for them or their liberal agenda.
Can you imagine the message that that would send to the enemies of our country Rusty? Our troops are working 12-20hr days over here. Most don't get days off and the conditions are rough. What else can you expect in a war zone? So to everyone back home ... you "have" the time to buy a flag and fly it every day. You "have" the time to make a phone call, write a letter, or send an email. It's a little thing that everyone can do. And what a message it would send.
With each day that passes over here, I am so much more appreciative of what I have in America. I left a brand new home of 3100 sq/ft, a wonderful family, career and friends to come serve with the First Cavalry Division in Baghdad. I did it because I feel that I ran out of excuses as to why I "couldn't." I have come to love the things we have back home: our freedoms, our blessings, our way of life. The more I'm gone, the more I love our country and what it stands for. Sometimes when I'm run down and tired, I question my decision to volunteer for a tour. So I hung an American flag in my room. When I begin to question, I look at the flag and it reminds me of what I'm here for and of the sacrifices of those who came before me. Such as your Dad. Maybe when Americans start flying the flags at their houses back home again, we will all be reminded of how lucky and truly blessed we are to be living in America!
Well, I've got to go for now Rusty. Sorry to send such a long email as I know you probably get hundreds each day. I hope this one makes it to you and that you have a moment to read it. I hope you, your wife, Katelynn and little Karaline, are doing well and are in good health. I really miss listening to you each day back in Phoenix but will hopefully come home to you being on the radio again.
Godspeed my "brother from another mother"!
Captain Pat in Iraq
