This message is for all of the people who have faith in those fighting for the freedom of the Iraqi people. Many lives have been lost, but much has been gained.
Read on to hear it straight from the mouth of a US Soldier... Meredith
"Thanks for the email. The roadside bombs are probably the biggest worry we have. The terrorists want us to give up and give in. I think it will get better intime. The good side is the Iraqi people are scared to death of Marines. Somewhere along the first war, it was widely spread that you had to eat one of your parents to become a Marine. This bit of psychological warfare proved valuable today because the Iraqi people still believe it is true.
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 has happened in Iraq recently: (Please share it with your friends and compare it to the version that your paper is producing.)
Over 4.5 million people have clean drinking water for the first time ever in Iraq.
Over 400,000 kids have up-to-date immunizations.
Over 1500 schools have been renovated and ridded of the weapons that were stored there so education can occur.
The port of Uhm Qasar was renovated so grain can be off loaded from ships faster.
School attendance is up 80% from levels before the war.
The country had its first 2 billion barrel export of oil in August.
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 for the first time ever in Iraq.
Text books 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."
SFC Ray Reynolds
234th Signal Battalion
Iowa Army National Guard
Hey John Kerry!!
