Letter from US soldier in Iraq

[jilln]

One of my best friends' husband was in Iraq for a year, just got back a few days ago. I sent him homemade baked goods once a month or so, and right before he came back he sent me a letter. I know this guy to be intelligent and level-headed. Probably more on the conservative side, but not far-right by any means. He was not in combat, but an engineer. His letter really surprised me. Here's some of the things he had to say:


1. The US Embassy includes government employees from the Commerce Department, FBI, Customs Service, and FAA. There is also a lady representing Fulbright Scholarships, and she says the most difficult part of her job is convincing Iraqis to apply.

2. General Motors is setting up a factory in Iraq (surprise, surprise)

3. "The junk you night hear from international charitable organizations about 'humanitarian crisis' in Fallujah is non-sense; the Iraqi government in Baghdad and US military had tons and tons of food and medical aid prepared long before any fighting started. Outside aid just wasn't needed."

4. "There probably has never been a military operation of that scale conduced with such care to the limiting of collateral damage and focus on immediate assistance to the civilian population." (I have to say here, the fact that they are shooting stray dogs eating the dead bodies in the streets would seem to contradict this to me ... jilln)

5. Keeping in mind points number 3&4, he then goes on to say: "If you are looking for places to extend your holiday generosity... send general welfare items to the main US hospital in Baghdad. It was formerly an Iraqi hospital but the US army runs it for now. This hospital has the highest level of care for the troops in Iraq and is the place of treatment for the most severaly sick or injured. The hospital has a continuous need for clothes, toiletries and welfare items... T-shirts and underwear, shower shoes, soap, shampoo, shaving cream, disposable razors, towels, bath robes, socks... tooth paste and tooth brushes..." (The highest level of care and the main US hospital taking care of our troops doesn't have tooth paste??? - jilln)