A medic from Iowa

This is a letter from Ray Reynolds, a medic in the Iowa Army National Guard, serving in Iraq:

As I head off to Baghdad for the final weeks of my stay in Iraq, I wanted to say thanks to all of you who did not believe the media. They have done a very poor job of covering everything that has happened. I am sorry that I have not been able to visit all of you during my two week leave back home. And just so you can rest at night knowing something is happening in Iraq that is noteworthy, I thought I would pass this on to you. This is the list of things that have happened in Iraq recently: (Please share it with your friends and compare it to the version that your paper is producing.)

* Over 400,000 kids have up-to-date immunizations. * School attendance is up 80% from levels before the war. * Over 1,500 schools have been renovated and rid of the weapons stored there so education can occur. * The port of Uhm Qasar was renovated so grain can be off-loaded from ships faster. * The country had its first 2 billion barrel export of oil in August. * Over 4.5 million people have clean drinking water for the first time ever in Iraq. * The country now receives 2 times the electrical power it did before the war. * 100% of the hospitals are open and fully staffed, compared to 35% before the war. * Elections are taking place in every major city, and city councils are in place. * Sewer and water lines are installed in every major city. * Over 60,000 police are patrolling the streets. * Over 100,000 Iraqi civil defense police are securing the country. * Over 80,000 Iraqi soldiers are patrolling the streets side by side with US soldiers. * Over 400,000 people have telephones for the first time ever. * Students are taught field sanitation and hand washing techniques to prevent the spread of germs. * An interim constitution has been signed. * Girls are allowed to attend school. * Textbooks that don't mention Saddam are in the schools for the first time in 30 years.

Don't believe for one second that these people do not want us there. I have met many, many people from Iraq that want us there, and in a bad way. They say they will never see the freedoms we talk about but they hope their children will. We are doing a good job in Iraq and I challenge anyone, anywhere to dispute me on these facts. So If you happen to run into John Kerry, be sure to give him my email address and send him to Denison, Iowa.

This soldier will set him straight. If you are like me and very disgusted with how this period of rebuilding has been portrayed, email this to a friend and let them know there are good things happening.

My brother is home now, no longer at the Pentagon as active duty, but now in the reserves.

God bless your brother, Lori! If he still has contact with the medic, please have your brother tell him that Freepers know what is going on, and we spread the word far and wide.

I am going to send this email to a friend of mine. He is a Vietnam Vet. No, he doesn't know JF'nK, but he is planning on voting for him. For the life of me, I cannot understand.

Becki

400,000 kids have up-to-date immunizations.

>>Are there doctors there to see there are no adverse reactions??? This is a very different culture, physically as well as ideaoligacally.And people HERE often have bad reactions School attendance is up 80% from levels before the war. * Over 1,500 schools have been renovated and rid of the weapons stored there so education can occur.

>>For what kind of education? Stuff they can use, or Western culture indoctrination?

The port of Uhm Qasar was renovated so grain can be off-loaded from ships faster.

>>Might work. But until the U.S. is out, who gets first dibs?

The country had its first 2 billion barrel export of oil in August.

>>I wonder where it was exported to. And if it was priced competitively, compared to other oil-producing nations.

Over 4.5 million people have clean drinking water for the first time ever in Iraq. The country now receives 2 times the electrical power it did before the war. * 100% of the hospitals are open and fully staffed, compared to 35% before the war.

>>Nothing too good for their (or is it our?) troops.

Elections are taking place in every major city, and city councils are in place. * Sewer and water lines are installed in every major city.

>>Can't really argue there. But how many choices are realy on those ballots, and will anyone really care/work for santation when our troops (see above) are gone.

Over 60,000 police are patrolling the streets. * Over 100,000 Iraqi civil defense police are securing the country. * Over 80,000 Iraqi soldiers are patrolling the streets side by side with US soldiers.

>>Just what everyone wants. A cop at every bathroom door.

. * Girls are allowed to attend school. * Textbooks that don't mention Saddam are in the schools for the first time in 30 years.

>>Oh, great. 50% or more young people to indoctrinate. Do you think mentions of Hitler should be cut out of German textbooks? Or the Civil War eliminated from American education? Kids need to learn from their country's mistakes, as well as their triumphs.

Don't believe for one second that these people do not want us there. I have met many, many people from Iraq that want us there, and in a bad way.

>>seems that's how we ARE there

hey say they will never see the freedoms we talk about but they hope their children will. We are doing a good job in Iraq and I challenge anyone, anywhere to dispute me on these facts. So If you happen to run into John Kerry, be sure to give him my email address and send him to Denison, Iowa.

>So where is this e-mail address? Mine is, legendaryrambler@msn.com. My homepage, complete with guestbook, where people are free to disagree with me, is at http://clik.to/legendaryrambler

I don't mean to put all soldiers in Iraq down. But everything you mention either clearly or in possibly has a benefit for us, as well. I hope to hear from you, specifically about other sides to this story.

I'm not for bashing the USA or it's troops. But we had better get out of Iraq as soon as we can. It's a whole different culture there. And they're showing how much they want us there by dropping bombs on our troops.(Which I definitely don't support).

Like I said, you're watching too much CNN. If you speak to folks who have actually BEEN there (many of our troops, for instance) you would know that it is a very small faction who are trying to get us out, and most of THEM are from other countries! They're not even Iraqis! John Kerry doesn't give a bleep about any of it. You are too funny.

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