This is a letter from Ray Reynolds, a medic in the Iowa Army
National
> > > > >Guard, serving in Iraq:
> > > > >
> > > > > 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.
> I
> > > > >am sorry that I have not been able to visit all of you during my
two
> > > > >week leave back home. 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.)
> > > > >
> > > > >* Over 400,000 kids have up-to-date immunizations.
> > > > >* School attendance is up 80% from levels before the war.
> > > > >* Over 1,500 schools have been renovated and rid of the weapons
> stored
> > > > >there so education can occur.
> > > > >* The port of Uhm Qasar was renovated so grain can be off-loaded
from
> > > > >ships faster.
> > > > >* The country had its first 2 billion barrel export of oil in
August.
> > > > >* Over 4.5 million people have clean drinking water for the first
> time
> > > > >ever in Iraq.
> > > > >* The country now receives 2 times the electrical power it did
before
> > > > >the war.
> > > > >* 100% of the hospitals are open and fully staffed, compared to 35%
> > > > >before the war.
> > > > >* Elections are taking place in every major city, and city councils
> are
> > > > >in place.
> > > > >* Sewer and water lines are installed in every major city.
> > > > >* Over 60,000 police are patrolling the streets.
> > > > >* Over 100,000 Iraqi civil defense police are securing the country.
> > > > >* Over 80,000 Iraqi soldiers are patrolling the streets side by
side
> > > > >with US soldiers.
> > > > >* Over 400,000 people have telephones for the first time ever.
> > > > >* Students are taught field sanitation and hand washing techniques
to
> > > > >prevent the spread of germs.
> > > > >* An interim constitution has been signed.
> > > > >* Girls are allowed to attend school.
> > > > >* 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 Reynolds, SFC
> > > > >Iowa Army National Guard
> > > > >234th Signal Battalion
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