'I've Lost My Brother Too'; Today's Iraq was hard won and costly

Wall Street Journal ^ | April 11, 2009 | Merrilee Carlson

[Sergeant Tim]

In February 2004, my son, Spc. Michael Carlson, arrived in the Diyala province of Iraq. During the next 11 months he and his team searched houses, hunted insurgents, and made a difference in the lives of the Iraqi people. I think about him today because I miss him very much. ... In America, we often think that this transformation happened solely by the work of our American heroes. But the Iraqi people have worked very hard to transform their country and to take back control. I remember meeting Brig. Gen. Ismael Alsodani, the Iraqi defense attaché, when he visited Arlington National Cemetery and Michael's grave last year. He leaned next to my older son, Dan, and said ...

[Sergeant Tim]

Mrs. Carlson is the president of Families United for Our Troops and Their Mission.

[don-o]

link misdirects

[don-o]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123940365478709703.html#mod=loomia?loomia_si=t0:a16:g2:r4:c0.22566:b23817100

[Sherman Logan]

But the Iraqi people have worked very hard to transform their country and to take back control.

More accurately, some, perhaps most, Iraqis worked for this goal. Some did their very best to derail progress. And a good number worked against us and then later for us.

Not an attack on Iraqis. The same is true of this country. A great many Americans did everything they could to sabotage the attempt to help Iraq become a more or less stable demodracy. Both countries were, and to a lesser extent are, divided.

[fso301]

I’d hate to know what Mrs. Carlson thoughts are for the remainder of her days as she considers her sons sacrifice and subsequent US withdrawal from Iraq.

[livius]

We lost 5 US soldiers yesterday in a suicide bombing...barely being reported in the New Improved Obama Media. The terrorists are getting emboldened, we’re going to lose more people, and the media will cover for Bambi. I’m so disgusted I don’t know what to do. I really feel bad for military families.

[phormer phrog phlyer]

You are correct, the Iraqi's have a long row to hoe and many challenges in front of them. When one looks at the time-line it is amazing to see how far they have come in such a short period of time. I left Baghdad a year ago and recently contacted one of the gents that I worked with in the VP’s office. He was very appreciative of all of the efforts from the U.S. to achieve success there. We must never forget the sacrifice of all those that did not come home to the waiting arms of their loved ones and the ones who did but are changed forever. It is most unfortunate that the average person does not remember them.

[Brad from Tennessee]

Once the violence began to subside in Iraq Democrats and the news media began the chant: “But there's been no political progress.” This when a suicide bomber caused 24 casualties inside the Iraq National Parliament whose members and their families were targeted for death by Al Qaeda, the Baath, and Shiite extremists. Most of the U.S. Congress wouldn't work a day under such conditions. They would resign and live the good life on their fat pensions.