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2003/12/31, 09:54 AM
Sometimes it's great to hear the rest of the story! Congratulations to our fine forces - for all they do!
>
> Forwarded by James H Booth/RWS/Raytheon/US on 12/17/2003 01:22 PM
> 12/16/2003 01:03
> Subject: Facts Rarely Reported About Progress in Iraq
>
> From the Commanding Officer at MWSS-171 to his Marines.
>
> Marines and Sailors,
>
> As we approach the end of the year I think it is important to share a few
> thoughts about what you've accomplished, directly in some cases, and
> indirectly in many others. I am speaking about what the Bush
Administration
> and each of you has contributed by wearing the uniform, because the fact
> that you wear the uniform contributes 100% to the capability of the nation
> to send a few onto the field to execute national policy. As you read about
> these achievements you are a part of I would call your attention to two
> things:
>
> 1. This is good news that hasn't been "judged" fit to print or report on
TV.
>
> 2. It is much easier to point out the errors a man makes when he makes the
> tough decisions, rarely is the positive as aggressively pursued.
>
> Since President Bush declared an end to major combat on May 1...
>
> ... the first battalion of the new Iraqi Army has graduated and is on
active
> duty.
>
> ... over 60,000 Iraqis now provide security to their fellow citizens.
>
> ... nearly all of Iraq's 400 courts are functioning.
>
> ... the Iraqi judiciary is fully independent.
>
> ... on Monday, October 6 power generation hit 4,518 megawatts-exceeding
the
> prewar average.
>
> ... all 22 universities and 43 technical institutes and colleges are open,
> as are nearly all primary and secondary schools.
>
> ... by October 1, Coalition forces had rehab-ed over 1,500 schools - 500
> more than scheduled.
>
> ... teachers earn from 12 to 25 times their former salaries.
>
> ... all 240 hospitals and more than 1200 clinics are open.
>
> ... doctors salaries are at least eight times what they were under Saddam.
>
> ... pharmaceutical distribution has gone from essentially nothing to 700
> tons in May to a current total of 12,000 tons.
>
> ... the Coalition has helped administer over 22 million vaccinations to
> Iraq's children.
>
> ... a Coalition program has cleared over 14,000 kilometers of Iraq's
27,000
> kilometers of weed-choked canals which now irrigate tens of thousands of
> farms. This project has created jobs for more than 100,000 Iraqi men and
> women.
>
> ... we have restored over three-quarters of prewar telephone services and
> over two-thirds of the potable water production.
>
> ... there are 4,900 full-service telephone connections. We expect 50,000
by
> year-end.
>
> ... the wheels of commerce are turning. From bicycles to satellite dishes
> to cars and trucks, businesses are coming to life in all major cities and
> towns.
>
> ... 95 percent of all prewar bank customers have service and first-time
> customers are opening accounts daily.
>
> ... Iraqi banks are making loans to finance businesses.
>
> ... the central bank is fully independent.
>
> ...Iraq has one of the worlds most growth-oriented investment and banking
> laws.
>
> ...Iraq has a single, unified currency for the first time in 15 years.
>
> ... satellite TV dishes are legal.
>
> ... foreign journalists aren't on 10-day visas paying mandatory and
> extortionate fees to the Ministry of Information for "minders" and other
> government spies.
>
> ... there IS no Ministry of Information.
>
> ... there are more than 170 newspapers.
>
> ... you can buy satellite dishes on what seems like every street corner.
>
> ... foreign journalists (and everyone else) are free to come and go.
>
> ... a nation that had not one single element - legislative, judicial or
> executive - of a representative government, now does.
>
> ... in Baghdad alone residents have selected 88 advisory councils.
Baghdad's
> first democratic transfer of power in 35 years happened when the city
> council elected its new chairman.
>
> ... today in Iraq chambers of commerce, business, school and professional
> organizations are electing their leaders all over the country.
>
> ... 25 ministers, selected by the most representative governing body in
> Iraq's history, run the day-to-day business of government.
>
> ... the Iraqi government regularly participates in international events.
> Since July the Iraqi government has been represented in over two dozen
> international meetings, including those of the UN General Assembly, the
Arab
> League, the World Bank and IMF and, today, the Islamic Conference Summit.
> The Ministry of Foreign Affairs today announced that it is reopening over
30
> Iraqi embassies around the world.
>
> ... Shia religious festivals that were all but banned, aren't.
>
> ... for the first time in 35 years, in Karbala thousands of Shiites
> celebrate the pilgrimage of the 12th Imam.
>
> ... the Coalition has completed over 13,000 reconstruction projects, large
> and small, as part of a strategic plan for the reconstruction of Iraq.
>
> ... Uday and Queasy are dead - and no longer feeding innocent Iraqis to
the
> zoo lions, raping the young daughters of local leaders to force
cooperation,
> torturing Iraq's soccer players for losing games, or murdering critics.
>
> ... children aren't imprisoned or murdered when their parents disagree
with
> the government.
>
> ... political opponents aren't imprisoned, tortured, executed, maimed, or
> are forced to watch their families die for disagreeing with Saddam.
>
> ... millions of longsuffering Iraqis no longer live in perpetual terror.
>
> ... Saudis will hold municipal elections.
>
> ...Qataris reforming education to give more choices to parents.
>
> ...Jordanis accelerating market economic reforms.
>
> ... the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded for the first time to an Iranian --
a
> Muslim woman who speaks out with courage for human rights, for democracy
and
> for peace.
>
> ... Saddam is gone.
>
> ...Iraqis free.
>
> ... President Bush has not faltered or failed.
>
> ... Yet, little or none of this information has been published by the
Press
> corps that prides itself on bringing you all the news that's important.
>
> Iraq under US lead control has come further in six months than Germany
did
> in seven years or Japan did in nine years following WWII. Military
deaths
> from fanatic Nazi's, and Japanese numbered in the thousands and continued
> for over three years after WWII victory was declared.
>
> It took the US over four months to clear away the twin tower debris, let
> alone attempt to build something else in its place.
>
> Now, take into account that Congress fought President Bush on every aspect
> of his handling of this country's war and the post-war reconstruction; and
> that they continue to claim on a daily basis on national TV that this
> conflict has been a failure.
>
> Taking everything into consideration, even the unfortunate loss of our
> brothers and sisters in this conflict, do you think anyone else in the
world
> could have accomplished as much as the United States and the Bush
> administration in so short a period of time?
>
> These are things worth writing about. Get the word out. Write to someone
you
> think may be able to influence our Congress or the press to tell the
story.
>
> Above all, be proud that you are a part of this historical precedent.
>
> God Bless you all. Have a great Holiday.
>
> Semper Fidelis,
>
> CO
>
>
>
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"Get everthing you want--just make a little change now"
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