Letter to the American people from a soldier in Iraq,

In response to the 1st Presidential debate!

The 1st debate in the campaign for presidency of the United States raised
some crucial issues that are still a cause for confusion to the American
people.  I decided it's time for a viewpoint from someone who is in the
middle of this war and has no room for debating this issue.

I have been in Iraq almost 9 months and I have seen the good and the bad of
this war.  Terrorists from other regions have been "pouring over the
borders", but certainly not for the first time. They are making contact
with other members of Al Qaeda and other terrorist supporters on the inside
of Iraq.

There are many tribes in the Sunni Triangle that openly invite foreign
terrorists and provide refuge to those who join and help them.  Tribes that
are so dedicated to their cause of preventing a free Iraq, a Middle Eastern
US ally, that even amid extreme impoverished living conditions, they will
not respond to rewards offered for key Al Qaeda leaders.

25 million US dollars for Zarqawi should be enough to influence someone to
provide information on his whereabouts, but apparently it's not.   The
roots of terrorism run deep with some tribes in the Sunni triangle in
Iraq.   Terrorism was not born when the US rolled in on March 19th,
2003!   Terrorism has been networked across the globe, and Iraq has been a
major hub for terrorist activity long before we arrived.

The 1st debate between Bush and Kerry has highlighted a chasm between the
two campaigns, more importantly, the two men regarding the question of Iraq
and its role in terrorism.  This is a split that is impossible to
comprehend from where I stand!

Of course the war in Iraq is part of the war on terror!  When Senator John
Kerry said "the president made a colossal error of judgment by diverting
attention from the war on terrorism and the hunt for terrorist leader Osama
Bin Laden", he could not be more wrong.

When Senator Kerry said that "Mr. Bush was not candid with the public about
his reasons for invading Iraq or the difficult fight ahead", besides
exhibiting a poor memory, he showed an incredible lack of ability to see
that no mission will ever go exactly as you plan it.

A candidate for the US presidency ought to know that your enemy is going to
have something to say about how the fight is fought.  The enemy is going to
do the unexpected, and plans will change.  I am sorry that it's not an
ideal scenario for Senator Kerry, but no war is.

I am repeatedly asked what the soldiers feel about the war in
Iraq.  Soldiers in the US armed forces come in all shapes and sizes. and
viewpoints.  I don't pretend to speak for all soldiers, but I do believe
that most men and women in today's military share something very close to
these same beliefs.

Most soldiers here believe in the mission in Iraq.  They know, like I do,
that the former regime in Iraq was an important component in the war on
Terror.   There is no doubt that terrorist cells have been allowed to
operate within these borders for some time, and that Hussein's regime most
likely provided financial support as well!

Do the soldiers want to be here?  I have not met a soldier yet that does
not want to come home, who wouldn't? But they do believe in this
mission.  Most soldiers believe that it is imperative to keep the mission
going at least until security is established in Iraq.

There is no greater dishonor to the 1350 plus coalition and contractor
deaths, and over 7,000 wounded men and women, than to plan a retreat before
a reasonable assurance for the success of the new Iraqi government can be
attained.

I don't know where this concept of get in and get out was started, but
sometimes wars are not accommodating to that theory.  The United States has
earned a poor reputation for resolve to finish the job, and it's time the
proponents of that trend, like Senator Kerry, realize it and correct it by
stopping their efforts to politicize our mission.

Kerry's message to the troops was, "Help is on the way!" In what form
Senator Kerry?

You have alienated the coalition countries that we fight beside every
day.  You cannot articulate a plan for success, and you have no grasp that
this war was even necessary.  Thanks, but no thanks!

"Wrong War, Wrong Place, Wrong Time?" You tell that story to the millions
of impoverished, and persecuted Iraqi people who for the past generation
have lived with the fear of being marched out into the desert and shot for
their beliefs.

You tell that story to the families of those bodies recovered from the
dozens of mass graves throughout Iraq.  Try to sell that load of bull to
the little kids who were denied access to their water in the Marshlands of
Iraq and left to starve to death.  Sell it to someone else, but not me!

Senator Kerry sent a message to the American people in his closing remarks
that said that he will "get your kids home and get the job done and win the
peace".

I am a 38 year old man who joined the military 18 years ago, and I have yet
to find a "kid" in Uniform from the United States.  I have however found
many good young men and women who are proudly serving their country.

Men and Women from all over the United States have joined the military of
their own free will, knowing that one day they may be asked to put their
lives in harms way.  Very few of these men and women want to be here, it's
just a commitment that we made, and one that we intend to honor.

I sincerely hope that you enjoy your moment in the spotlight Senator
Kerry!  I know that in the end, the bull that you have been selling to the
American people will be recognized and that the voters will let you know
what they think of it come November.

American's need a president who will make sound decisions, and not be
afraid of what the global community thinks.  That man is already in office,
and will remain in office for four more years!

Captain Ron Hayes

US Army, Iraq

Very nicely written!

But skerry of course will ignore it.

Very nicely written!!

Good read.

Thanks for posting this FREEFALLE6!  I still have issues with refering to a Sergeant First Class as "E6"...

God bless our warriors.  Godspeed to Captain Ron Hayes, United States Army.

This is the second letter I've seen from this guy. The first was after the RNC and was written just as well as this one.

Assuming that Ron is his first name, he really exists according to the Army White Pages.

good reading but isn't it best if officers just stay out of politics?

  Thanks FreefallE6.

  I just e-mailed that to my Liberal ass brother. His wife tells him how to breath. So that is the way he is today.

  I wish he would divorce that bitch!

I am the administrator of  the website S76 - Summer of '76 , soon to be just www.summerof76.com. I was wondering if I could have your  permissions, that is the permission of Cpt. Ron Hayes, to put this on a page of my website? I would very much appreciate your cooperation.

Good find, FreeFall E6.  Tell the Capt. we all wish for his safe return!

Good read. Thank you. SSG Billy Tharpe.

I seriously doubt that Captain Ron Hayes wrote this as a "letter to the American people from a soldier in Iraq" and signed with his rank and service affiliation.

If he exists and is in Iraq, I hope for his sake that he didn't use that salutation and signature. If he exists and is in Iraq and someone used his name to write this, they did him a great disservice.

If he did write it and "sign" it with his rank and service affiliation, he should probably expect some questions about possible violation of DoD Directive 1344.10, "Political Activities by Members of the Armed Forces on Active Duty" www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/html2/d134410x.htm

But, again, I seriously doubt that this was written as a "letter to the American people from a soldier in Iraq" by Captain Ron Hayes in Iraq. It'll probably be shown to be bogus sooner or later.

Regards,
Land