Keep the Faith: A Letter from Iraq

National policy analysis ^ | April 2004 | by Joe Roche

[Joe Hadenuf]

I read this letter on an earlier thread and sent it out. Others on that thread had their doubts about it

How ironic, I just read this "letter" and came across your post, and I am here to tell you, I have serious doubts about it too.

For the record, I support our guys, but this letter has a real bad ring to it.

[radu]

I went to the link at the top of the page and came to this by following a link at the bottom of the linked page:

http://www.nationalcenter.org/2004_04_01_BlogArchive.html#108134824118333461

It bumps up the credibility a bit, for me anyway.

[AmericanMade1776]

From that site, this info

Joe Roche's essay giving us a soldier's view of what is going on in Iraq has now been run by several newspapers, cited on the RushLimbaugh.com main page (listed as "Great Letter to the Editor" in the "stack of stuff"), on the front page of Lucianne.com yesterday, on some blogs (for example, Blackfive), and elsewhere.

There's also an amusing discussion on Free Republic as to whether Joe is real and if he has a Master's Degree. I told Joe via e-mail about the Free Republic debate and he managed to see it (it is not easy for him to view things online because he has to rely on a weak satellite connection for his Internet access). He got quite a kick out of the thread there and has a message for the Freepers: yes, he is real, and no, he does not have a Master's Degree.


To all freepers, I did not see the earlier post in Freerepublic

http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1112226/posts

I read the letter, originally on the Stryker news site. I went there for information On my sister in law's brother who is commander of the 1/23 there. He is real.

[radu]

Like I said, I was glad to find out my gut-feeling about the letter was right. :-)

It gee-haws with other things I've read from folks who are or were there.

Don't worry about posting this a second time. There are more than likely folks who didn't see it the first time. This should be seen by all.
I e-mailed it out to several folks I know, folks who don't check out FR often, if at all. A firm believer in spreading the word. :-)

[Allegra]

"Maybe you need to buy Joe a lunch" ping

Or at least give him a oreo cookie.

Yep. And he's absolutely right.

What we see in real life and what we catch in snippets on CNN during mealtimes are so vastly different from each other, it is truly pathetic.

CNN is promoting fiction, pure and simple. Sensastionalism at its peak.

[blackie]

We are winning ~ the bad guys are losing ~ trolls, terrorists, democrats and the mainstream media are sad ~ very sad!

~~ Bush/Cheney 2004 ~~

[harpu]

bttt for those who missed it.

[ProudFatherInLaw]

I am the father in law of the young man, 1LT Doyle Hufstedler, mentioned in this post. My daughter Leslie moved in with us when Doyle departed for Iraq and one week after they found out she was pregnant. As our families flounder in search of a reason for this tragic event, I can't tell you how this kind of conversation does my heart good. Doyle was an honorable man. He believed in what he was doing. He made personal sacrifices throughout his young life to be able to serve this proud country and now he's dead. His daughter, Grace Ashley - due 5/11/04, will never know anything more about the man who is her father other than what we can tell her and what those who knew Doyle have recorded for her.

I know that others have and will suffer the same loss that we have undergone. I pray that their numbers will be few and that those that have sacrificed will be remembered.

[texgal]

God Bless you and your family as you all go through what is I am sure a most difficult time. I have a daughter named Leslie who is also an Aggie. I pray that your Leslie will deliver a fine healthy daughter to carry on the memory of her father. I hope knowing Doyle will be remembered as the fine young man you know him to be will give you all some comfort in these difficult times. The Aggie Moms here in Friendswood are praying for you all.

Blessings for Grace Ashley and her mom, Leslie.

[shield]

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