Dear Gang,

After my last email my friend JA sent me an interesting and valid question. Basically he said that he is sick of the negativity the coverage of Iraq gets in the media and was wondering what progress or good stories I could relate from my experiences. During my guard shift I had time to consider this slippery slope. Well, the answer to this brief question is a both long and short. I'll start with the short.

In the area that we are assigned, I would say that the things I find encouraging are: kids are going to school and walk to and fro freely, the markets here are always busy - (they are outdoors type, kind of Oakbrook Mall meets Maxwell Street), the major roads that run through here are very busy - (they would give the Dan Ryan and Eisenhower a run for their money during rush hour) and lastly the Iraqi Police show up to work regularly - (how effectively to be determined). Now these things I would consider positive, yet sustains, not so much as progress. It might not seem much, but it is my understanding that when neighborhoods go south schools and markets become ghost towns quickly. People are literally scared to go outside. It will be a little time before we are able to develop a better understanding of the area in which we work to identify some of the issues that we can help with. This seemingly simple task can be easier said than done. So to make an evaluation on progress is premature of me at this time.

In a larger sense though, regardless of what happens on a grassroots level I will experience, the real progress of Iraq will be determined by its leaders and moreover its citizens. I use our own country as an example. We had to fight to establish our country. Less than 100 years later we had to fight to maintain our country. Less than 100 years after that we had to fight 2 wars to preserve both ours and others freedom. Yet 20 years after the end of WWII we were still figuring out how to give all of our citizens their freedom. And even today you can't get a Democrat and Republican to agree upon what time it is much less issues of importance. What does this have to do with the situation in Iraq?

If you consider the complicated nature of Iraqi culture and society, the problems and issues that have existed for hundreds and hundreds of years, the transition to a democratic government will not be without its own unique problems. This place will probably always have a violent nature to it, especially when it comes to solving problems amongst Sunni and Shia. I believe it naive to think that would change in our lifetime. The fact that the golden goose has been laid upon their table and what kind of country they want to have is entirely dependent upon the sacrifices the Iraqi people are willing to make.

The fact that a vast majority of people here live in third world conditions does not help matters much. Clean water, electricity, education and jobs are all rudiments that lack in the area that we are in. I would consider it a major success if any of these things improve over the time we are here. I consider myself a realist more than an optimist. I will keep an open mind to things I experience and see and relay both the good and the bad as best I can.

As always, live well and GO CUBS! - T