A Refreshing Perspective on Iraq

Some of you may be aware that I spend a fair amount of time over at NoEndButVictory.com. In my role there I am truly blessed to have met and built friendships with many US Military personnel at CentCom, and with Iraqis and US Citizens who originally came from Iraq. With all we hear in the US media about All-Things-Bad-in-Iraq™ I am constantly energized by the news and information coming from them; my faith and hope are regularly renewed and refreshed.

What follows is a letter from a new friend we recently made by the name of Lawk Salih, who has his own very well assembled website lawksalih, and has asked that I get a message from him out to as many Americans as I can...His letter below:

Greetings,

I have written the following piece on Iraq and would like it
published on your website. I am originally from Iraq and would
like my opinion heard by the U.S. public.

Thank you,

Lawk Salih

The Liberation of Iraq
Analysis and solutions

By Lawk Salih
April 4, 2006
www.lawksalih.com

On April 8th, 2003 the U.S. and Coalition forces entered Iraq to in
order to overthrow Saddam Hussein's tyrannical regime. The decision
was made by the U.S. government after the terrorist attacks
occurred in the United States that damaged the Pentagon and brought
down the Twin Towers in New York City. Three thousand innocent
lives were taken by extremist Muslims originating from the UAE and
Saudi Arabia in corporation with the Al-Qaeda Network based in
Afghanistan.

With the support of the American public, President Bush made the
decision, along with the British Government, to destroy all
terrorist training camps in Afghanistan and Iraq. The decision
also freed the people of Iraq and Afghanistan. It helped them
freely elect their own government, ministries, and to run their own
affairs without interference from any brutal dictators such as
Saddam in Iraq and the Taliban in Afghanistan.

This invasion caused a harsh reaction by terrorist organizations
around the world, primarily the Al-Qaeda group in Afghanistan. It
allowed them to recruit weak-minded individuals and they managed to
brain wash and prepare them for suicidal attacks against Iraqis and
U.S. forces. These merciless groups attack innocents without any
hesitation and their tactics are despicable. They behead them and
kill powerless children and women in order to promote a disgusting
ideology within the region and to create hatred towards western
democracy. Video tapes have shown their attacks on government
institutions, educational facilities, and supermarkets that
outraged millions of people around the world. Their attacks have
led to the murder of tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians and
innocent people.

We marked the third year of the invasion this year and it seems
like the U.S. government has done its job removing Saddam Hussein
but still has trouble securing a government body in Iraq that will
defend itself and help fight terrorism. The U.S. government is
currently training the Iraqi army and security forces to defend its
citizens and help draw down the number of U.S. troop in Iraq. The
media in the U.S. and throughout the world has criticized the way
the U.S. is handling the war in Iraq. They have published numerous
articles that have heavily criticized US actions. However, they
fail to communicate the "good things" that are happening in Iraq.
Nearly 2,000 educational institutions have been rehabilitated with
USAID funding, unemployment has dropped considerably, and more
hospitals are being built in the rural areas.

In order for the U.S. to decrease its death toll in Iraq will have
to train the Iraqi forces as soon as possible to do the actual
fighting against these filthy jihads individuals who are willing to
take innocent live out and create chaos to create an anti-U.S.
alliance within Iraq. The training of Iraqi forces is vital to the
withdrawal of U.S. forces. They need to be well trained to take on
the security responsibilities of Iraq as a whole and to secure its
borders from foreign fighters. The U.S. needs to empower non-
religious groups to promote a modern society in Iraq and to respect
self-determination and basic human rights. By supporting a Shia-
led government, this will help create another Iran in the region
and it will be difficult for us to fight terrorism in the region.
They promote a secular government based on religious laws (Sharia)
to limit freedom of speech, media, and self determination. We need
a government that will promote a free democratic Iraq with
prosperity and equal rights for all including women and children.
The new government will need to recognize women's role in the
society and a government that will not deprive women from getting
education and the right to choose their own destination. Iraqis
need a government that is not based on a religious constitution.
Rather, they need a constitution that will serve the country as a
whole without any religious interference.

The Kurds have done a tremendous job promoting democracy,
individual's rights and free media. They have been busy
reconstructing the northern part of Iraq (Kurdistan) with new
schools, hospitals and government institutions. The region is safer
then most places in the middle-east; they're fighting terrorism
along side of the United States and the Coalition forces to free
all Iraq from extremist Muslims. They have given the right to women
to run in the governing council. There are currently two
ministries running by women from the region. It is quite an
improvement for a region that was deprived and oppressed by the
previous tyranny of Saddam Hussein.