07 Jul 2003 An E-Mail from Iraq
One of the many admirable individuals associated with the African-American leadership group Project 21 (which we sponsor) sent this e-mail from Iraq to our David Almasi on Independence Day. Clearly, morale among American troops in Iraq is not universally low.
“Thank you for all your well wishes during this war. Your emails mean more
to me than I could possibly express. This 4th of July is very significant
for me, because of all that I have seen over the past 6 months. It is
incredible to me how little some Americans know about the freedoms which
they enjoy. That good people fought and died for such freedoms, and all of
the liberties that we take forgranted back home. Many question this war,
but the fact is America was founded out of taking a stand for what we
believe in. At home and abroad.
WE were attacked on Sept. 11th. The freedom which we enjoy was challanged.
We are meeting that challenge today, and will continue to do so for quite
some time. But the end result will be a preservation of that which we hold
so dear.
As I sit here in the desert, enduring a sand storm, on the 4th of July. I
do miss my family, friends, and all the celebrations, but I am where I am
supposed to be right now. I am here for everyone back home. I fought the
war in Iraq for everyone back home, and for those reasons, I will stay for
as long as it takes.
Thank you and others like you, who are fighting the ‘good fight’ at home.
Great Americans!
God Bless America
[Name Withheld],
Major, US Army”