letter to the editor, 10/04/07 about letter from Iraq
Posted: October 4th, 2007, 2:10 pm
Subject: A letter from the front in Baghdad 9/30/07
In the Sunday Perspective, September 30, 2007, a letter from Iraq, Army Lt Col. Jim Crider wrote, http://www.sptimes.com/2007/09/30/Opini ... _fro.shtml
"The 1-4 Cav's primary enemy is al-Qaida in Iraq. Nine soldiers have died." This may be true of the Al Rashid district in southeastern Baghdad, which is an area that did not have a Shiite or Sunni majority before the Americans came. The admirable dedication by this army unit in this area is indeed the kind of standard that the American people want and need. However, the devotion to duty that these Americans feel should always be tempered by rational and critical evaluation by military and especially civilian opinion.
There was no operational activity by al-Qaiida in Iraq before we Americans started this war. The perpetrators on September 11th, 2001, came from several Sunni Arabic nations, including an Islamic community in Hamburg, Germany, and from resident al-Qaiida in Florida. The majority of al-Qaiida had trained in Taliban controlled Afghanistan, the result of the Muhajadeen insurgents against the Soviet Army.
Why are we suddenly fighting the Shiites? There is no al-Qaida in Shiite areas; that includes Iran, a Shiite centered nation. The Rashid neighborhood of southeastern Baghdad is one small piece of a larger map. How can we withdraw from Iraq and honor our neighborhood commitments?
This seems to be an unforgiveable option, but America is going to have to leave there someday, somehow, and these Iraqi people in this neighborhood will have to find a way to carry on, perhaps with our continuing help, but without sacrificing more young Americans in a cause which is not directly connected to national security or international al-Qaida.
Americans are united in finding a way through this period of time, though we may differ in opinion, we all honor our soldiers.
J W
© Copyright 2007 St. Petersburg Times
In the Sunday Perspective, September 30, 2007, a letter from Iraq, Army Lt Col. Jim Crider wrote, http://www.sptimes.com/2007/09/30/Opini ... _fro.shtml
"The 1-4 Cav's primary enemy is al-Qaida in Iraq. Nine soldiers have died." This may be true of the Al Rashid district in southeastern Baghdad, which is an area that did not have a Shiite or Sunni majority before the Americans came. The admirable dedication by this army unit in this area is indeed the kind of standard that the American people want and need. However, the devotion to duty that these Americans feel should always be tempered by rational and critical evaluation by military and especially civilian opinion.
There was no operational activity by al-Qaiida in Iraq before we Americans started this war. The perpetrators on September 11th, 2001, came from several Sunni Arabic nations, including an Islamic community in Hamburg, Germany, and from resident al-Qaiida in Florida. The majority of al-Qaiida had trained in Taliban controlled Afghanistan, the result of the Muhajadeen insurgents against the Soviet Army.
Why are we suddenly fighting the Shiites? There is no al-Qaida in Shiite areas; that includes Iran, a Shiite centered nation. The Rashid neighborhood of southeastern Baghdad is one small piece of a larger map. How can we withdraw from Iraq and honor our neighborhood commitments?
This seems to be an unforgiveable option, but America is going to have to leave there someday, somehow, and these Iraqi people in this neighborhood will have to find a way to carry on, perhaps with our continuing help, but without sacrificing more young Americans in a cause which is not directly connected to national security or international al-Qaida.
Americans are united in finding a way through this period of time, though we may differ in opinion, we all honor our soldiers.
J W
© Copyright 2007 St. Petersburg Times