Let's Support American Troops

Over the past months we have continually been bombarded with negative reports concerning the war in Iraq and what is taking place among our men and women there. Recently, I had the privilege of hearing a quite different perspective from a Major in the Marine Corps. It was encouraging to hear of the progress his men were making before their tour was ended. At the same time it was very frustrating to know that most Americans would not have the privilege of hearing him speak of this progress.

The stories shared included many accounts of bravery on the part of our men. In several incidences women, children and babies were saved when Marines jumped into unarmored vehicles in order administer CPR, protection and care to the civilians whose community had been bombed. After several incidents like this these Iraqi men and women learned to trust the Marines and began to share information with them that enabled them to make great progress in finding and gathering the terrorists. Once trust was established, efforts were successful. This major also shared many stories of how discouraging it is to know that we, at home are not hearing about the positive work they are doing. The encouragement that they did receive from family and friends who continually sent them reminders of love, pride and faith in their work kept them going on many a long night!

How many times over the past several years have you and I read the paper, watched the news and wondered what is really going on? Even the most patriotic, supportive of us has been bombarded with the negatives. It affects our thinking, our clarity when all we are subjected to are words of men attacking one another, their beliefs and their efforts. We must dig deeper, study history more thoroughly, understand what our forefathers fought for, what they felt was worth the sacrifice and allow ourselves to mature to the point that we can, like our ancestors, be willing to face the truth; bravely.

While listening to this Major address his audience I was brought back to the fact that this war is and always has been about protecting America. It is about routing out the terrorists. It is about no longer allowing the evil in this world to prevail! Our greatest threat to victory in this war is the politics and negativity that men and women are spewing forth. We are in this war for freedom, both in America and for the Iraqi people. :Let us remember what we felt like on September 11 when our innocent citizens were attacked by men who had been planning this plot for years. Let us shun this type of hatred and the spread of it among our young. Let us support our troops and the brave who do understand that freedom is never free!