Here are some of my thoughts about this war:

One of my relatives once told me that they've "hated Bush for six years because of this war," and this (me being deployed) "made them even more mad." When I sent out an email passed along from my father about people wearing Red on Fridays I got a few less than "positive" responses. Not that they were negative, per se, but neither one was encouraging and supportive - in my opinion - about the idea of wearing Red. Why not, I thought? One specifically said, "do you think that people back home don't support you?" I guess where I'm coming from is that I think we (the troops) all know that on an individual level, the people back home support us, yes. But the media does a pretty decent job of avoiding that subject. They want to turn public opinion against the war so much, and have succeeded to such an extent, that many people over here (in my opinion) don't feel that the Nation, as a whole, supports us. So, to answer that question, no, I guess not.

I don't particularly like the mentality that people have about "well, I support the troops, but I don't support this war." Well, I counter, these troops ARE this war. If you don't support what we're doing, and the sacrifices we're making, then you don't support this war and you don't support us. It's all one big package - rolled up nicely into one big tasty "shit sandwich." You don't have to sit down at the table and eat with us, but please don't take a bite and "PRETEND" you like it. We know you don't. Either you support us and you're behind this war, this effort and hope for the positive outcome, or you do not believe in this war, what we're doing and/or why we are doing it. But then you don't support US either. You can't have your cake and eat it too. Just a poop de jour - eat or don't, I don't really care.

Let me say this:

1) I am not a big fan of Bush, I did not vote for him - nor did I vote for Gore or Kerry. I thought they were all terrible. However, I do think that the media has completely and unfairly twisted things against this administration.

2) What we're doing in Afghanistan and Iraq is monumentally important and what I don't think people consider NOR does the media publish (of course) is that if we weren't fighting these insurgents over here, they'd be planning more attacks on our soil.

3) is it tragic that US sevicemembers are dying? Yes, but we volunteered for this and I think that is a hell of a lot better than innocent men, women and children dying back home, or even police, firemen, military and other civil servants dying back home.

4) I refuse to believe the one sided BS that the media prints. Bush's approval ratings are in the shitter, primarily because the media has been bashing him for years. The truth is, yes, we went into Iraq based on misinformation (provided for by the CIA - whether it was deliberate or not we'll never know and it's irrelevant anyway), and the military advisors said it would be a quick and easy event, also wrong. No one predicted radical suicidal lunatics from all over the world coming to "fight the infidels" and die for Allah. But I'd much rather be fighting them here, where we're prepared to do so... Have we made an amazing impact on the lives of millions, and are we helping to turn around a country that has been war-torn for basically most of it's existance? Absolutely.

5) Do I want to come home? Yes, of course. Would I feel horribly guilty if I did and we had to come back here in another 7 or 8 years because we didn't finish the job the first time, or if Al-Qaida drops Anthrax or Small-pox into NY, Boston and Chicago subways, or water systems and kills hundreds of thousands more Americans?

6) The media keeps going on and on and on about the 3000+ deaths in this war. Well, we've been over here for five years, in two countries. We lost more than that on D-Day, at Guadal Canal and Iwo Jima each. More than 10s of thousands died in the initial days of those three battles!! If this media had been around then, we'd be speaking German or Japanese... In 5 years, we've had 3000+ deaths, about 600 per year. In two countries - the state of NY from 02-04 averaged 900+ MURDERS each year. It is safer to be over here, where at least I have a gun, than it is in ONE single state in the US. NY had 2743 murders in just three years, that's almost as many deaths as Iraq and Afghanistan combined, over twice that amount of time! Don't believe it, check it out:(http://www.health.state.ny.us/statistics/chac/mortality/homici.htm)

Does the media talk about that, do they publish that, hell no. Do you realize that there were 8000 marines killed at Iwo Jima, that was three days. 3000+ dead Americans is a tragedy, but is it nearly as traumatic and horrific as the media portrays it to be? No, what if each one, or hell, all of those dead soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines each saves one american civilian's life, is it was worth it then? What if each death saves two, three, a hundred? How many innocent Americans died during 9/11? Weren't there close to 5000 at the towers alone? One day, almost twice as many dead as in five years of war.

7) What happened to our National pride? Where did all the flags and yellow ribbons go after the first Gulf War, after 9/11? I swear there were hundreds of them, for years. But, gee, it's been five years now. Americans have gone back to their own private lives. No one cares anymore... Sure, if you ask them they support the troops, some (although few) still fly their flags. After 9/11 Americans were PISSED. We wanted blood. Congress was nearly unanimous when they approved us going to war. They supported the war in Afghanistan, and initially, in Iraq as well. So soon we forget. Now it was all GW's fault. Not quite.

Not to mention, for us to just pull out now is absolutely wrong and is the worst thing that we could do. Afghansitan would likely fall right back into the hands of the Taliban, a lot of good Afghani people will be tortured and murdered for helping the US. Iraq will fall into a terrible civil war between the Shites and Sunni's, Iran will most likely be draw into it . Once that happens the entire middle-East is vulnerable to chaos and/or a catastrophic religious war. I don't know what you believe, or how you feel, maybe this will change some thoughts, give a different perspective, I don't know...

I do believe that all of you support the troops, and are probably against this war and maybe you've been brainwashed to think that it's just about money or oil, I certainly hope not. I'm sure, just like any normal Americans, you want our troops home, don't want anymore US deaths, etc. But are you willing to at least consider that we cannot walk away at this point? Will you at least agree that we have to stay and finish the job? And that the liberal media isn't fairly reporting the full and unbiased truth?

My point being, we're the one's that are suffering the conditions of this war, and I'd estimate about 85-90% (maybe more) believe in what we're doing and why we're doing it. The media should come over here and interview troops and get OUR opinions and find out what we're doing, why we're doing that and take that home to report. My team just built a $125,000 orphanage. I just paid a guy approx $4500 to build a wall and playground at a small school. We're building and furnishing schools. Providing desks, books, pens, pencils, etc. Hiring women teachers to teach little girls (both forbidden under Taliban control).

Don't get me wrong, I hate it here, but I'm willing to make the sacrifice. I haven't heard one instance of the media asking and reporting the opinions of those of us over here making the sacrifice. Why, cuz most of the people over here are fairly conservative, believe in the mission and support our government - whether it's Democrat or Republican...

That's just the way I feel about it. But hey, I've only been here six weeks... Ask me in another six months and I might have a different message... This and 50 cents might get ya a cup of coffee - it will be really crappy coffee, though.

"The soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war." --General of the Army, Douglas MacArthur