<html><div style='background-color:'><DIV class=RTE>
<P>Carla</P>
<P>Thank you for this article. These last months have been really tough for us. It seems many who before supported the troops are now being very anti- about things over there, and, even the guys. It makes me feel better. Thank you again and God bless.</P>
<P>Frank<BR><BR></P></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>From: gcfl-discuss@gcfl.net
<DIV></DIV>To: Frank McMullin <fjm39@hotmail.com>
<DIV></DIV>CC: "Discussion of the Good, Clean Funnies List" <gcfl-discuss@gcfl.net>
<DIV></DIV>Subject: [GCFL-discuss] The Rest of the Story- Iraq
<DIV></DIV>Date: Tue, 27 Apr 2004 18:21:14 -0400
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>I just received this from a friend.... thought you all would be interested.
<DIV></DIV>Carla
<DIV></DIV>Subject: The Rest of the Story - Iraq
<DIV></DIV>This is a letter from Ray Reynolds, a medic in the Iowa Army National
<DIV></DIV>Guard, serving in Iraq:
<DIV></DIV> As I head off to Baghdad for the final weeks of my stay in Iraq,
<DIV></DIV>I wanted to say thanks to all of you who did not believe the media. They
<DIV></DIV> have
<DIV></DIV>done a very poor job of covering everything that has happened. I am
<DIV></DIV> sorry
<DIV></DIV>that I have not been able to visit all of you during my two week leave
<DIV></DIV> back
<DIV></DIV>home. And just so you can rest at night knowing something is happening
<DIV></DIV> in Iraq that is noteworthy, I thought I would pass this on to you This is
<DIV></DIV> the list of things that has happened in Iraq recently: (Please share it
<DIV></DIV>with
<DIV></DIV>your friends and compare it to the version that your paper is producing.)
<DIV></DIV> * Over 400,000 kids have up-to-date immunizations.
<DIV></DIV> * School attendance is up 80% from levels before the war.
<DIV></DIV> * Over 1,500 schools have been renovated and rid of the weapons stored
<DIV></DIV> there so education can occur.
<DIV></DIV> * The port of Uhm Qasar was renovated so grain can be off-loaded from
<DIV></DIV> ships faster.
<DIV></DIV> * The country had its first 2 billion barrel export of oil in August.
<DIV></DIV> * Over 4.5 million people have clean drinking water for the first time
<DIV></DIV> ever in Iraq.
<DIV></DIV>* The country now receives 2 times the electrical power it did before the
<DIV></DIV> war.
<DIV></DIV>* 100% of the hospitals are open and fully staffed, compared to 35%
<DIV></DIV> before the war.
<DIV></DIV>* Elections are taking place in every major city, and city councils are
<DIV></DIV> in place.
<DIV></DIV>* Sewer and water lines are installed in every major city.
<DIV></DIV>* Over 60,000 police are patrolling the streets.* Over 100,000 Iraqi
<DIV></DIV> civil defense police are securing the country.
<DIV></DIV>* Over 80,000 Iraqi soldiers are patrolling the streets side by side with
<DIV></DIV>US soldiers.
<DIV></DIV>* Over 400,000 people have telephones for the first time ever.
<DIV></DIV>* Students are taught field sanitation and hand washing techniques to
<DIV></DIV>prevent the spread of germs.
<DIV></DIV>* An interim constitution has been signed.
<DIV></DIV>* Girls are allowed to attend school.
<DIV></DIV>* Textbooks that don't mention Saddam are in the schools for the first
<DIV></DIV> time in 30 years.
<DIV></DIV> Don't believe for one second that these people do not want us
<DIV></DIV>there. I have met many, many people from Iraq that want us there, and in
<DIV></DIV> a bad way. They say they will never see the freedoms we talk about but they
<DIV></DIV>hope their children will. We are doing a good job in Iraq and I
<DIV></DIV> challenge anyone, anywhere to dispute me on these facts. So If you happen
<DIV></DIV>to run
<DIV></DIV>into John Kerry, be sure to give him my email address and send him to
<DIV></DIV>Denison, Iowa. This soldier will set him straight. If you are like me and
<DIV></DIV>very disgusted with how this period of rebuilding has been portrayed,
<DIV></DIV>email this to a friend and let them know there are good things happening.
<DIV></DIV> Ray Reynolds, SFC
<DIV></DIV> Iowa Army National Guard
<DIV></DIV> 234th Signal Battalion
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>_______________________________________________
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