I thought I would share with you guys, received today - I dont know if it is true or not but thought Id share
AN EMAIL FROM IRAQ May 2004
>>>
>>> As I head off to Baghdad for the final weeks
>>> of my stay in Iraq, I wanted to say thanks to all of
>>> you who did not believe the media. They have done a
>>> very poor job of covering everything that has
>>> happened. And just so you can rest at night knowing
>>> something is happening in Iraq that is noteworthy, I
>>> thought I would pass this on to you. This is the
>>> list of things that has happened in Iraq recently:
>>> (Please share it with your friends and compare it to
>>> the version that your paper is producing.)
>>>
>>> a.. Over 400,000 kids have up-to-date
>>> immunizations.
>>> b.. School attendance is up 80% from levels
>>> before the war.
>>> c.. Over 1,500 schools have been renovated
>>> and rid of the weapons stored there so education can
>>> occur.
>>> d.. The port of Uhm Qasar was renovated so
>>> grain can be off-loaded from ships faster.
>>> e.. The country had its first 2 billion
>>> barrel export of oil in August.
>>> f.. Over 4.5 million people have clean
>>> drinking water for the first time ever in Iraq.
>>> g.. The country now receives 2 times the
>>> electrical power it did before the war.
>>> h.. 100% of the hospitals are open and fully
>>> staffed, compared to 35% before the war.
>>> i.. Elections are taking place in every
>>> major city, and city councils are in place.
>>> j.. Sewer and water lines are installed in
>>> every major city.
>>> k.. Over 60,000 police are patrolling the
>>> streets.
>>> l.. Over 100,000 Iraqi civil defense police
>>> are securing the country.
>>> m.. Over 80,000 Iraqi soldiers are
>>> patrolling the streets side by side with US
>>> soldiers.
>>> n.. Over 400,000 people have telephones for
>>> the first time ever.
>>> o.. Students are taught field sanitation and
>>> hand washing techniques to prevent the spread of
>>> germs.
>>> p.. An interim constitution has been signed.
>>>
>>> q.. Girls are allowed to attend school.
>>> r.. Textbooks that don't mention Saddam are
>>> in the schools for the first time in 30 years.
>>> Don't believe for one second that these people
>>> do not want us there. I have met many, many people
>>> from Iraq that want us there, and in a bad way. They
>>> say they will never see the freedoms we talk about
>>> but they hope their children will. We are doing a
>>> good job in Iraq and I challenge anyone, anywhere to
>>> dispute me on these facts.
>>>
>>> If you are like me and very disgusted with how
>>> this period of rebuilding has been portrayed, email
>>> this to a friend and let them know there are good
>>> things happening.
>>>
>>> Ray, SFC
>>> Iowa Army National Guard
>>> 234th Signal Battalion
>>>
>>>
>>>
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
>>> Ray asks that this email be passed along and I
>>> thought I could do him one better by putting it
>>> online for millions to read. Some content was
>>> removed to protect his privacy. >>
>>>
>>> As I head off to Baghdad for the final weeks
>>> of my stay in Iraq, I wanted to say thanks to all of
>>> you who did not believe the media. They have done a
>>> very poor job of covering everything that has
>>> happened. And just so you can rest at night knowing
>>> something is happening in Iraq that is noteworthy, I
>>> thought I would pass this on to you. This is the
>>> list of things that has happened in Iraq recently:
>>> (Please share it with your friends and compare it to
>>> the version that your paper is producing.)
>>>
>>> a.. Over 400,000 kids have up-to-date
>>> immunizations.
>>> b.. School attendance is up 80% from levels
>>> before the war.
>>> c.. Over 1,500 schools have been renovated
>>> and rid of the weapons stored there so education can
>>> occur.
>>> d.. The port of Uhm Qasar was renovated so
>>> grain can be off-loaded from ships faster.
>>> e.. The country had its first 2 billion
>>> barrel export of oil in August.
>>> f.. Over 4.5 million people have clean
>>> drinking water for the first time ever in Iraq.
>>> g.. The country now receives 2 times the
>>> electrical power it did before the war.
>>> h.. 100% of the hospitals are open and fully
>>> staffed, compared to 35% before the war.
>>> i.. Elections are taking place in every
>>> major city, and city councils are in place.
>>> j.. Sewer and water lines are installed in
>>> every major city.
>>> k.. Over 60,000 police are patrolling the
>>> streets.
>>> l.. Over 100,000 Iraqi civil defense police
>>> are securing the country.
>>> m.. Over 80,000 Iraqi soldiers are
>>> patrolling the streets side by side with US
>>> soldiers.
>>> n.. Over 400,000 people have telephones for
>>> the first time ever.
>>> o.. Students are taught field sanitation and
>>> hand washing techniques to prevent the spread of
>>> germs.
>>> p.. An interim constitution has been signed.
>>>
>>> q.. Girls are allowed to attend school.
>>> r.. Textbooks that don't mention Saddam are
>>> in the schools for the first time in 30 years.
>>> Don't believe for one second that these people
>>> do not want us there. I have met many, many people
>>> from Iraq that want us there, and in a bad way. They
>>> say they will never see the freedoms we talk about
>>> but they hope their children will. We are doing a
>>> good job in Iraq and I challenge anyone, anywhere to
>>> dispute me on these facts.
>>>
>>> If you are like me and very disgusted with how
>>> this period of rebuilding has been portrayed, email
>>> this to a friend and let them know there are good
>>> things happening.
>>>
>>> Ray, SFC
>>> Iowa Army National Guard
>>> 234th Signal Battalion
>>>
>>>
>>>
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
>>> Ray asks that this email be passed along and I
>>> thought I could do him one better by putting it
>>> online for millions to read. Some content was
>>> removed to protect his privacy. >>
