INTERVIEW WITH LIZ B.

Liz� son, �ob,�24, is with the 1^st Infantry Division deployed March 4, 2004, from his base in Germany to Tikrit, Iraq.

Liz: I last saw Bob over Christmas (2003). Prior to this deployment to Iraq he served two years in Bosnia and Kosovo.

Bob and his NCO were separated from their regular group and, due to their specific expertise, were placed with another group. I think he was little worried, after all, the guys he came with have been training together anywhere from 1 to 3 years, but he says the group he is with now are all great guys.

The unit spent a week in Kuwait and then convoyed up to Tikrit. Bob drove for nineteen straight hours. I� not sure exactly what his title is but one of his jobs is to clear damaged military vehicles from the roads using a huge piece of equipment.

I suppose it was wishful thinking, but I thought that since it was close to one year since the war begin, that it would be much more peaceful. Unfortunately, over the weekend, (week of April 1, 2004) six soldiers were killed: two from Tikrik. 

There was little, if any information relating to the incidents through TV, newspaper or any other media and that made me worry that much more. It just made the situation worst that Bob had not e-mailed or called me in two days (he has e-mailed or called me everyday since his arrival in Iraq). Finally, he e-mailed and phoned me to say he is doing well physically, but he experienced his first view of death.

Within two weeks of his arrival in Tikrit, he was awoken at 4 a.m. to help carry two severely wounded soldiers to medical care. Both died of their wounds shortly after.

One of those men was an officer and a friend of my son� who left a wife and two small children in Germany. Bob described the other man as a �reat officer�who was a close friend of a friend. Apparently, they were patrolling in a jeep when an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) exploded right under them. My son was badly shaken and very upset. He emailed me that the experience was not at all like one sees in the movies. I could tell he� traumatized but still focusing on the mission and keeping a clear mind for the sake of all. In his own words, "I felt like crying but we don't even have time to morn, we still have a mission".

My heart goes out to him and any other soldier experiencing the horrors of war.

I pray for my son and the rest of our military men and women and I will continue to support them, but I am not in support of the war! I� from the Vietnam era and, from the beginning, I�e been against this war.

We were given several reasons to fight this war and none have proven accurate:

* to fight terrorism: we have terrorists training in the U.S. yet we don� bomb them

* to rid the Middle East of terrorists: terrorism doesn� come from just these countries. I believe that, wherever there is a huge difference in power, there�l be terrorism. The US doesn� know poverty; we�e really spoiled and protected over here and we have very little idea of what life is like outside this country.

* Weapons of Mass Destruction: these are poor countriesfighting them is like a 500 pound adult beating up an infant

* Depose Saddam: well, that� done yet we�e still there.

* bring democracy to Iraq: the people of Iraq don� seem to want our version of democracy.

Why are we still there?

My son is there to protect his friends. I believe a soldier� mind-set is to protect his friends rather than to protect his country.

I� executive director of a small business that receives some Federal money. I have about twenty employees and I compare how my work and that of my employees is so different from my son� work. I feel we in the U.S. are incredibly spoiled. We get to go home after eight hours or so and we are paid well. On the other hand, soldiers are on duty 24/7 �and they�e paid really minimally when you work out what that comes to per hour of duty.

Recently, I quietly asked around to get a range of opinions on how others feel about the war. One of the powerful politicians in my state mentioned to me that, since I receive Federal dollars for my program, I should play it safe and not share my opinions. I understood what he was getting at, that speaking up about the war in any way that questioned what we are doing in Iraq might cost me my livelihood.

I am not a military expert but I would assume with all the technology and political warfare experts we have, that we could have addressed this in a different manner.

I don� want to second-guess this administration but if we�e still there for the reasons the President stated in the beginning, then we need to get out. Those reasons have proven false. Terrorism is worse. Our relationship with other countries is worse. As for bringing democracy, well, we have no right to force democracy on other countries. Democracy is not enforceable, it grows from within a culture. No, we�e in a bigger mess now than before we went to Iraq and our military doesn� have processes to clean it up.

Our leaders should get together and agree to let the Iraqi people decide how they want it. Halliburton, Bechtel, and all those corporations lined up and making so much money should get out. If we are to show support, we should give them the money �or allow their oil revenues �to do the job.