I’m just one American, but I’m on record as fully supporting you, and your mission (with some reservations). I realize that freedom isn’t, and never has been, free.

If you read this, and can respond…

About the campaign in Iraq… I’ve got mixed feelings (as do most thinking citizens, I would guess). When we went into this war, President Bush declared it wouldn’t be easy, nor would it be over quickly. (Despite the “mission accomplished” banner that so much has been made of.) We over here, 7000 miles away, are growing impatient. We want it to be over, and for our soldiers to return to us.

Is progress being made? (We’re bombarded with mixed signals from the media. Some say we’re winning the people over; some say it’s an eternal quagmire with no end.)

When the Iraqi people kill each other over “religious” issues, I tend to get cynical and say, what’s the point? Let’s turn Saddam loose with an apology, bring our boys home and those wacky Iraqis can all kill each other!

But then I think of American soldiers who have already given their lives, or spilled their blood, on behalf of the effort, and feel like we owe it to them to finish the job. (My definition of “finishing the job” would be to continue supporting the fragile new representative government, while drawing down our forces, until it has a good chance of standing on its own.)

What do you and your colleagues think? Pull out tomorrow… or finish the job that’s been started? I’d sure be curious to know.

In any case, may God bless you and keep you safe, and watch over your loved ones until you’re back with them.