so my cousin is in Iraq building relationships

[medeak]

was a manager of a Walmart and called back...has daughter who is nationally rated chess champion...

spent a year learning the language and customs...is now on mission by military and state dept to build relationships and provincial govts in villages. He and two young men...all alone traveling in military garb..am so worried but so proud..as only way to win is politically.

We've been sending so many soccer balls as only thing he's asking for....

received photos today of his two boys talking with young Iraqi men...so heartwarming...wish I was more tech savy to post.

Just wanted to make this post as there ARE great people making sacrifices in so many ways besides killing Iraqis..to build a new Iraq.

[medeak]

1. silence is deafening

wow..can't support dept of defense and state dept doing something good eh?

[nuxvomica]

3. Give folks some time

The brevity of your writing style is a little confusing, at least to me, so it may be a little while before you get some responses. I'm not clear on what exactly your cousin is doing but I get the gist and I think it's about time we started building bridges instead of blowing them up. Please tell more about this mission. :)

[medeak]

7. thanks...am guilty of brevity

here is what he's doing:

http://iraq.usembassy.gov/iraq/20060223_prt_fact_sheet.html

have 7 llc's ... used to brevity to get things done...am sorry!

hope am not flamed here...Brett was named by me at age 3 as "Bullet"...a force of nature and he's proved it to be true.

[seabeyond]

15. wow. are you looking for a fight here? i have been refreshing du

for the last two hours and have about all the threads read. going after new threads. i just saw it, i just post and then i see i am getting ass chewed out by you and insulted in the bargain, after posting.

[donsu]

16. the current dept. of defense and state dept are suspect

are we so arrogant that we think these villages and towns had no kind of governing before we arrived?

[Pavulon]

2. Got my thumbs up

Hope he has a quick and safe tour.

[GregD]

4. Let's hope he stays safe.

[bemildred]

5. What wonderful young man.

I hope he stays safe and does a lot of good work.

[uppityperson]

6. There are people making lots of sacrifices. Too bad the thing is FUBAR

Best to your cousin.

[medeak]

8. thank you everyone..

Just wish I could post the photos...these young people deserve better than for us to desert them after the horror we've done.

I don't want to stay there...but after receiving photos today from cousin my heart is torn...seeing the earnestness in their eyes...

[seabeyond]

17. i would love to see the photos

bummer that you cant get them on. i have a passion to see with my own eyes thru photos. they tell such a story.

i would love to clean up the mess too

i dont think we can

i dont like leaving them to the mess and death, but i dont know there is a good answer.

[medeak]

9. one photo has red headed pale faced Iraqi boy

beaming at cousin...wonder what freepers would think...yes..there ARE red headed pale faced Iraqi's

[Kerrytravelers]

10. It's a shame those doing good have their deeds overshadowed by *'s cabal of evil.

[annabanana]

11. Your cousin is a remarkable, courageous guy...

I wish him the best and hope he comes home safe.

[tabasco]

12. The vast majority of our troops are trying to do the right things over there.

They are in a hopeless quagmire, but most of our military people are doing the best they can and have no desire to hurt anyone.

Godspeed to your cousin and all of our troops in the field. :patriot:

[seemunkee]

13. Hope he continues to make friends and stays safe

[seabeyond]

14. thank you for your post. the issue, lack of integrity from those in power

over in iraq overshadows what your cousin is doing 100 x's over. and yes, that is very sad. but thank you for what your cousin is doing.