Guest Editorial: A Soldier's Simple Letter Home

At times, others are wise too

From a Wise Soldier Who Knows More Than Any of Us

The sort of thing we’ll never see in The Old Media. A soldier’s letter says more than all the prose the NY TIMES will churn out in a year.

Date: Sun, 7 Nov 2004 23:39:27 -0000

Dad/Mom/Rebekah-

I was honored to fly the Iraqi VP (Dr. Ibrahim al-Jaffari --
heavily favored to be elected in January) from Baghdad to
Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. yesterday. He sat up on the flight deck,
and I invited him to get up on headset to visit with us for
a little bit. Talk about an intelligent man. He is a
medical doctor that could easily pass as a history professor
in any university in America. He no doubt knew more about
our own campaigns for freedom than most Americans do. He
named places, dates, anecdotes, etc. about US history and
compared them to the struggle underway for Iraq today.

I pointed out that our own Revolutionary War took years to
end, even against the will of some, or at least the apathy
of many of the American colonists. He agreed and continued
with the histories of many of the world's democracies. Our
press seems to forget that building a true democratic nation
cannot be accomplished over night. Our own country went
through, and continues to go through growing pains. Nearly
100 years after the Declaration, our country went to war
with itself. It should be no surprise that violence is
occurring here...and for many of the same reasons: Fear of
government, struggle for power, fear of liberty, repression
of weaker peoples, religious fervor, etc.

The conversation turned to Iraq under Saddam. He described
the mass graves. Told of his own family members being
killed under the regime. I said it seems like every family
can point to some relative who was persecuted under the
Hussein family's terror. He agreed, and then again pointed
out why the people in the Sunni-triangle region are
resisting. Most of the resistance is not Iraqi. Afghanis,
Jordanians, Iranians...the terrorist melting pot has
gathered and now hold the people captive with fear and lies.

He admitted that the terrorists have left no option but
violence to end this. It is regrettable, but the
reality...something most of us have known since September 11th.

Dr. al-Jaffari then told me of his family, all intelligent,
successful people and then asked about my own family. I
told him of my five beautiful girls and showed him a picture
of them all. We talked about families, and the perceptions
of the Iraqi people. He was shocked to see four children in
an American family...he said he thought most American
families had two, maybe three. He himself is the youngest
of twelve boys, and I think three girls. He has five
children of his own. We talked about the birthplace of
civilization, of Abraham and the foundation of Christianity
and Islam. His English is decent, and he was an easy
conversationalist. I have no concept of his political
leanings, or his intent for Iraq other than security and
freedom. But as a person, he strikes me as decent and
steadfast. He said he was excited about President Bush's
re-election...which immediately gained favor with me.

He then said a curious thing. He said he viewed the
soldiers in Iraq as his own children. He called me his son,
and my co-pilot his daughter and struggled to find the right
words to explain what he meant. I do not know if this is a
common thing in this culture; regardless, it struck me as
intimate. Despite his struggle with words, his point was
made clear. He was implying that it pains him to see the
sacrifices here, but is made proud by the courage and
commitment of the American Soldier...the same feelings we
would experience when our own children suffer, or succeed.

He was so grateful. It was really humbling for him to say
such wonderful things to us personally, and the US military
on the whole. And I wish those things could be heard by
everyone in America. The people at home just don't get it.
One day...one day, they might. Freedom is the goal, and as
Dr. al-! Jaffari noted...forgetting your past will certainly
lose your future.

I think Iraq is in good hands.

May God's will be done here...

Love, Nate


PS My crew was selected as the top C-130 crew for October...