A Brigade Commander's perspective of the situation in Baghdad

brigade commander

[xzins]

I found this interesting. It was forwarded by an old Army buddy.

I've edited out names. My 20 years taught me not to unnecessarily bring the hammer down on the innocent.

The most fascinating part for me is how much is being accomplished that isn't being reported by the media.....even Fox.

Can you believe it: a city council, advisory councils, functioning utilities, etc.

The sniper line. Spy versus Spy. Sniper versus Sniper.

[Support Free Republic]

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[xzins]

ping

[SLB]

I received this same letter by email a few days ago with some changes. Makes me wonder how authentic it is. This one is a little more embellished with him traveling with escorts and some other tidbits.

[hoot33]

Great post. Thank you Sir.

[Russell Scott]

Tell our government to get a media center set up in Baghdad like they had during the war, and give us live, daily press briefings like they did before. Then we can hear of all the progress being made over there on C-Span, and hopefully, Fox and CNN, so the American people can get a overall picture of day to day activities. They did such a great job during the war, I don't see why they stopped doing it. It's good to remind Americans that liberated Iraqis appreciate our efforts in helping them build a free and prosperous Iraq.

[xzins]

The comment about "cigars...and GO #1" won me over.

It's exactly what a soldier (and an officer) would say.

[aBootes]

I'm not so sure. The bit about "using every bit of the strategy education earned at the War College" is not. This might have started out as an authentic letter from a sergeant but it's been the recipient of some significant redactional activity since then.

[E.Allen]

Says it's from a Brigade Commander, I believe War College is for officers. I'm Ex-USAF, and this is Army, but I'm sure a Brigade Commander is WAY ABOVE a Sergeant's rank.

[Coop]

Tell our government to get a media center set up in Baghdad like they had during the war, and give us live, daily press briefings like they did before. Then we can hear of all the progress being made over there on C-Span, and hopefully, Fox and CNN, so the American people can get a overall picture of day to day activities. They did such a great job during the war, I don't see why they stopped doing it. It's good to remind Americans that liberated Iraqis appreciate our efforts in helping them build a free and prosperous Iraq.

I bet it was that the reporters all wanted to go home, rather than the Govt wanted to end that successful program. But you're right. Whether the initiative belongs to the Gov or the news agencies, I'd love to see some embedded reporting on the humanitarian work going on in Iraq.

Here's a link to a wonderful letter detailing some of that good work going on right now.

[ladtx]

My son an NCO in a Civil Affairs Bn in northern Iraq. I recently got this email from him. It gives another view of what is really going on over there.

hey Dad...it's me again...

well, things are really busy up here in the north...we have a newly(well, 5-6 wks ago)elected mayor of Mosul...we are working closely with him and his administration to help rebuild this city and the surrounding province...

the health system is coming along pretty well, we still have a lot to do but the basic infrastructure of the health care system is closing in on pre-war standards...the school system is doing very well also as well as the public safety areas....

I don't have much info on some of the other areas, but I can say that they too are up to pre-war standards, which is not bad work for only being 10 weeks after the war....these people here are slowly seeing the fruits of OUR labor in helping them out....within the coming months it should be very noticeable what we have done here...

the way I understand it, we(all the units along with the 101st working in this area) are further ahead then anyone else in Iraq....not to toot our own horn, but we're doing really well here....it has come with a lot of blood, sweat, and tears though....the dangers here are not as bad as in Baghdad or other areas, but nonetheless it is very dangerous here...we have attacks against us almost every other day, as opposed to everyday like in the Baghdad area....

it's too bad all the media can focus on back home is all the negativity of us being here....we have come a long way in a very short amount of time...it almost seems as though the people back home are more impatient then the Iraqi people, who by the way are living in this shit everyday....why can't the damn media focus on the great things we are doing over here as opposed to why they still think we don't need to be here....

these people can now live a life without the threat of being raped or killed....trust me, they are very happy that we have given them hope again....Dad, I hope this helps a little....I will try to explain in more detail later on.....sorry this was so short, please let me know if I need to go into more detail....

> Later....take care... > Love ya'll

[habs4ever]

It's not suprising what is left out by the press, as it isn't glamourous doing mundane, everyday things that make life possible which the press take for granted going to work in DC or NYC, while those in Baghdad don't.

[aBootes]

Yes, a brigade commander is a colonel. And that message doesn't sound like a colonel. I'm a retired Army officer myself and I just can't quite see it.

[xzins]

Not telling the story of the individual soldiers and their successes is "anti-soldier."

We need a "We Support the Troops in Reconstruction" campaign.

[ladtx]

Some of the reporting a opinions expressed on TV are getting out of hand. Bill Schneider of CNN 2 nights ago compared present day Iraq and the comments of guerilla warfare and what is going there to Vietnam, complete with pictures of Vietnam era footage of helicopters in landing zones shown with his voice over. Blatantly trying to stir up visions of another Vietnam. CNN gets worse with every passing day.

[xzins]

Even on Fox News all they want to focus on is the daily death of a soldier. They don't want to tell the story of what's being accomplished.

Gotta get the story out.

[Travis McGee]

Hey, they even renamed EOD.

;^)

[Squantos]

It's little mistakes like that which bring doubt about the validity of all these "letters from the front".

Stay Safe !

[Travis McGee]

Especially when the origin is "an email from a friend of a friend," and people report several versions.

[Stultis]

I'd love to see some embedded reporting on the humanitarian work going on in Iraq.

C-SPAN followed USAID director Andrew Natsios on a recent tour:

Rebuilding Iraq C-SPAN Washington Journal 7/3/03 (USAID Director Andrew Natsios was EXCELLENT!)