Replies

My thanks for your service. Pardon my understatement of the situation. I have 2 close friends who have been in Iraq, and one who has returned for a second tour of duty to lead his platoon in the fight for Falluja.

His interest in returning was to provide leadership where none in his platoon had ever been in hot combat before. He felt the sense of loyalty which you understand.

We recently did a huge neighborhood toy / money for shipping drive for him, so he and his buddies would have some really large packages of things to hand out to children. I was particularly partial to purchasing lots of miniature metal US fighting aircraft for the shipment.

My other buddy did 14 months of construction battalion work in the south and around Baghdad. He has stories of Iraqis trying to get back on their feet that bring tears to your eyes. From those two, I have a sense of what to believe and what is bogus.

If there is a God (and I believe there is) then among the prayers he is answering is the one from the Iraqis to finish the job begun with the ouster of Saddam. Kerry never could have. Bush for 4 more is really an answer to their prayer and the Afghani people.

I served in Vietnam, 2 tours of combat duty. Kerry down to defeat was really the end of the war for me. I was there when he was tossing medals over the white house wall. Hope you don't mind my prolonged essay, you are in my prayers and may God watch over you.