[Rhodes22-list] Political:Off to Iraq-reply to Bill E

[L. Sailor]

Bob, 
I for one would like to read this young man's letters.
He was quite well spoken  and I would like to read of
his impressions and experiences.

elle

--- Bob Keller <r22yankeeclipper at hotmail.com> wrote:

> Bill,
> I am probably wasting my time with this, but I
> started this string by 
> posting the
> letter home from that soldier (Matt) from Texas. 
> You told me to "cut the 
> crap" and said that it was a made-up political post.
>  So I checked on that 
> to be sure.  This is not a generic letter posted and
> circulated on the web.  
> It is an email to my brother from a colleague he
> knows and works with and 
> sees regularly.  Matt is this guy's son.
> 
> I have follow-up letters that you would probably
> believe because they're not 
> political (last one describes a sand storm).  I was
> going to post, but will 
> not bother.
> 
> Unbelievable.
> Bob
> 
> >
> >>Bob,
> >>
> >>Thanks for the post.  There are letters like this
> quite often on the
> >>milblogs I frequent.  Also, I have a co-worker
> with a Marine son in  Iraq 
> >>who
> >>forwards updates from time to time.  This may be a
> SHOCK to the  lefties 
> >>in
> >>the world but our military is all volunteer and
> for the most part very
> >>motivated.  The reaction you got on the list was
> predictable and  not  
> >>unlike
> >>the reactions from the usual suspects anytime
> something that doesn't  fit
> >>their perceptions gets published.  They get the
> New York times version  of
> >>reality everyday from someone who's never been out
> of the Green Zone  and
> >>believe that, but gawd forbid they listen to the
> wisdom of a common
> >>foot-soldier. No one likes this war, or any war
> for that matter, but  this
> >>kid in the letter pretty much nailed it.  We fight
> them there now or  here
> >>later.  Did you see on the news this evening that
> youths are burning  
> >>buses
> >>in France?  Nope?  What kind of youths?  Of course
> the French can't say
> >>it.  Radical Islamists!  Keep your head in the
> sand folks.  This ain't  
> >>goin'
> >>away anytime soon.  We can argue about the methods
> or the chosen  
> >>battlefield
> >>but the war declared by them a long time ago. 
> What was our first
> >>reaction?  Wear sweaters!
> >>
> >>Here's what really pisses me off.  Where are the
> new ideas?  All I  hear 
> >>this
> >>election cycle is let's tuck tail and run, then
> hope for the best.  Is  
> >>this
> >>a strategy? Criticism and disagreement is one
> thing - attempting  dialogue
> >>with, or worse, ignoring enemies who want to cut
> your head off is  stupid. 
> >>Oh
> >>I forget, cutting off heads is only for old time's
> sake, until they  can 
> >>get
> >>their WMD programs running again.
> >>
> >>
> >>Brad
> >>
> >>On 10/23/06, Bob Keller
> <r22yankeeclipper at hotmail.com> wrote:
> >>>Got this from my brother and wanted to pass it
> on.
> >>>Bob
> >>>
> >>>This is from a co-worker at HP who's son left for
> Iraq today. This  comes
> >>to
> >>>me directly from his Dad. I will be getting
> periodic updates from him  
> >>>and
> >>>will forward. I will take the last name off so as
> to protect his  
> >>>privacy,
> >>>but forward on, because these brave troops need
> our continued support  
> >>>and
> >>>prayers.
> >>>
> >>>Bill
> >>>
> >>>Everyone,
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>Well after months and months of yakking about it
> the day is finally
> >>>here
well almost here, just have to go to sleep
> tonight (we'll see  about
> >>>that) and it'll be here tomorrow.  I'm sure
> pretty much everyone is
> >>>wondering what I'm thinking right now, what are
> my feelings, and all  
> >>>that
> >>>other stuff
I guess I'm going to be super-cool
> and spill it for you,  
> >>>just
> >>>because I'm that awesome.  :c)
> >>>
> >>>I'm ready to get going, and I have been ready
> since my last visit to
> >>>Colorado
sitting around here this last week or so
> is just awful,  waiting
> >>is
> >>>never fun
gives you too much time to think, and a
> lot of the time  
> >>>thinking
> >>>gets you in trouble.  I am ready to wage this war
> against  
> >>>militant-Islam,
> >>>because it is something that absolutely has to be
> done.  Some look at  
> >>>Iraq
> >>>and just see Saddam and WMD and that MY BOSS was
> wrong to go in there  
> >>>(btw
> >>>we found enough WMD to kill everyone in Baghdad,
> but I guess you  didn't
> >>hear
> >>>or read about that anywhere, ask me if you really
> want details
oh, and
> >>>Saddam really was a horrible asshole
pardon my
> language to both my
> >>>grandmothers
), but it is well past that
> point
Iraq is the line in the
> >>sand
> >>>between civilized nations and Islamic fascism,
> because whether you  want 
> >>>to
> >>>believe it or not, there are a large group of
> people out there who  want
> >>you
> >>>and everyone else dead unless you convert to
> their way of thinking.   The
> >>>great thing about Iraq is that all these idiots
> have decided it is a  lot
> >>>easier to fight us there than it is to come to
> the United States and  
> >>>fight
> >>>you
which I am fine with, because I'm going to be
> so horribly well  armed
> >>and
> >>>armored that I welcome their best shot at
> destroying everything I have
> >>>dedicated my life to defend.
> >>>
> >>>While I'm gone I encourage all of you to live it
> up for me
I can't do  
> >>>it,
> >>so
> >>>you all should do it double for me
take those
> extra few days off of  
> >>>work,
> >>>take that trip, try for that double on your dirt
> bike, fish that run  one
> >>>more time, let your kid stay up that extra 15
> minutes, stay in the
> >>>duck-blind 15 more minutes after you think the
> birds have stopped  
> >>>flying,
> >>>drink that extra drink
I think you get the
> idea
everyone has that  area 
> >>>in
> >>>their life where they can indulge, so I encourage
> you all to do it  for 
> >>>me.
> >>>The only thing that I am worried about going into
> Iraq is letting my  
> >>>guys
> >>>down, letting all of you down, and letting my
> country down; and I can  
> >>>tell
> >>>you with all of my heart that it is NOT in my
> intention to do any of  
> >>>those
> >>>things.  I promise you all that I will be
> careful, 
=== message truncated ===


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