"Given the Time and Support of the American People"

Gary Sinise, co-founder of Operation Iraqi Children, received this e-mail from a Lieutenant in Iraq. It paints a very different picture from the images that the lib media ram down the throats of Americans day in and day out.

Read on Dennis Miller's show:

Gary,

Apparently there is a shortage of supplies right now so we are waiting for more to arrive in country. Once they do, my Battalion is slated to receive school supplies for the children although I am not sure in what quantity yet.

As for how things are going, compared to what I saw the previous two years it is night and day. I was in Hit last October and daytime operations were limited to tanks driving around the outskirts of the city because to venture inside meant a certain attack by an IED, RPG, small arms, or all of the above. Today, I went on a 3 hour dismounted patrol through town in the middle of the afternoon and my biggest worry was having enough candy for all the children that came up to me to say hello and shake my hand. I stopped in stores and talked to the merchants to see how business is doing. Business is good and improving every day. I even went to a few shops to look for a carpet for my office and enjoyed myself as I tried to get the price lowered from "rich"

American prices to normal Iraqi prices. I wasn't successful today but will keep trying! I stopped in one of my police stations so I could make plans with the Station Chief to remove a number of the cement barriers on the street in order to open traffic back up. Those barriers were a must before as there was a constant threat of a suicide vehicle ramming into the station in an attempt to kill as many of the police officers as possible. While that threat still exists, the security provided by the police and my Marines has allowed us to take risks in certain areas as we try and balance security needs and normalcy. I am weighing issues and decisions like that every day.

I spend many hours working with and solving problems with the numerous city councils and Mayors in my AO. A year ago, the city councils would not show up to work because if they did, they were killed as they were seen as "agents" of the Americans by AQI. Now, they look forward to my arrival so issues like schools, rubble removal, water treatment plants, sewage repairs, repairs of the electrical grids, and an assortment of other issues can be worked out, prioritized, and assets allocated for them to begin. I also spend a great deal of time with the major Sheiks in my AO. They are some of the most gracious hosts you have ever met.

My Marines and I are treated like royalty every time we arrive.

Delicious lamb, goat, sheep, kabobs, fresh fruits and vegetables are served in amounts we could never finish and we always eat first and get the seats of honor closest to the Sheik. We then adjourn for Chi tea and discuss issues that require my attention such as security, economic stimulation, tribal reconciliation, local government issues, and of course stories of past battles and fights...all embellished but they make great stories anyway. In short order I have become "their"

Coalition Commander, "their" Marine LtCol whom they trust and confide in. One Sheik and his brother, who happens to be the Police Chief in the Baghdadi District and is known as the "Lion of Al Anbar" are particularly close to me as I knew them last year as well. The nights in their area are particularly enjoyable as we sit outside to eat and the children in the neighborhood run around, laughing, and sneaking up to listen to me talk or to try and get some more candy from me. They were some of the first to stand up against AQI and to stand with the Marines. The Police Chief, Colonel Shab'an has had no less than 7 direct assassination attempts against him. One of his brothers and brother-in-law were tortured and killed, and one of his younger brothers lost his legs. Yet, he remains committed to a free and independent Iraq.

His talks to me about freedom, democracy, and his loyalty to Iraq and not to tribes or religion are inspiring and I cannot imagine too different then ones that occurred in our own country some 231 years ago.

These are good people who want to raise their families, farm their land, and just have the ability to choose their own future for one of the few times in their country's history.

There is still much to do. While most of the terrorists have been forced from the population centers, there are still secret cells. We have found and been attacked by a number of IEDs already. We have found a good number of buried caches along the river banks that were planted there for future use against us. We have some police who are playing both sides. Iraq is far from a peaceful land; there are many political issues above my level that must be worked out. The rifts between the religious sects are as tough a problem to figure out as anything else ever has been.

But the bottom line is this...we are winning. We have put the enemy on his ass and we are not letting the pressure off. We continue to hunt him down and provide him no rest. My Marines are patrolling in the cities, in the desert, and on the river to find the enemy and destroy him. At the same time we continue to build our relationships with the local leaders, Sheiks, and most importantly the Iraq people.

I am optimistic Gary that if given the time and support of the American people, we can help create a country whose vast natural resources and potential will make it one of the strongest and most powerful nations in the eastern hemisphere and it will be our Ally as they will not forget the sacrifices the American people made on their behalf.

I hope this helps and gives you a bit of a different picture then what some in the mainstream media paint on a daily basis.

Thanks again for the help and concern with the school supplies.

Semper Fidelis,

JJ