Below is an email from a friend of mine, who forewarded it from one of her friends at UMD where she works. Her daughter is stationed in Iraq. I have removed the address information and a portion where she quotes Bush's speech, so that her words speak for themselves. I wrote her mother and said that she should send this to a newspaper or something, and that I'm prouder than hell to know her. ( I also completely regret everything I have ever said that was negative about women in the service). > > ----- Original Message ----- > > To: Sent: Friday, December 05, 2003 7:41 PM > Subject: Subject: Bush at Baghdad > > From: Simone L----n > > ========================== > > Yes, I was there. > > It was totally insane. Let me start from the > beginning in the hope that I > > can catch my breath. Several days ago I received an > All Hands email asking > > anyone who wanted to go to a 'Thanksgiving Dinner > with the Troops' to > > respond with ID number and some other information. > The email said there > > would be a lottery drawing for the few seats > available. This morning I > > received notice that I had won (!!) and to go to a > meeting point at 1500. > > Anyway long story short, I arrived at the airport > with about 15-20 others, > > and was escorted into the huge chow hall where > several hundred soldiers were > > sitting. I found an empty spot at one of the tables > and started chatting > > with the men and women in uniform. They were shy at > first, thinking I was > > some kind of VIP (hardly!). We talked about home and > what we are doing > > here- and slowly they relaxed. And so did I. Time > ticked on- and we were > > there over an hour, waiting for something.anything. > Bremer and Sanchez came > > in- still nothing. What were we waiting for, I > wondered? The guys were > > more patient than I- just shrugging their shoulders > and looking more and > > more unimpressed. > > > > After a while, an American General stood up and > introduced General Sanchez > > and Ambassador Bremer. They said they wanted to read > the President's > > Thanksgiving declaration, but wanted the most senior > person there to deliver > > it. Who is more senior than those two, we wondered > aloud.. > > > > Then pandemonium. Literally- screaming, jumping and > clapping. Who is it, I > > asked- The President!! Then I, too lept up from my > seat, not believing my > > ears. There he was- President Bush- standing on the > podium-smiling and > > fighting back tears. It was an extremely emotional > moment for everyone > > there. > > > > His speech was awesome- got everyone fired up and > motivated when people had > > been vaguely depressed before. > > > > > > > > There were a couple of standing ovations- again, very > emotional and deeply > > felt by all. After he finished his remarks, the > President stepped into the > > crowd, and greeted people for over an hour. Actually > more like two hours. > > He shook everyone's hand- and made a point of it. He > would see someone > > getting pushed aside and say 'Hey Sanchez, I'm headed > your way.' And the > > guys loved him. Adored him. Because they could see > he was their guy. > > > > He shook my hand, too! That was pretty exciting. I > was with another woman > > who was a lot more cool about the whole thing than I > was and she introduced > > me to him. Eyes met, hands shook and he moved on. > Wow! I'll tell you- > > meeting the President of the United States is > THRILLING. Especially when > > you are in Baghdad and totally not expecting it. > > > > One of the other CPA people there was retired General > Hugh Tant III. He is > > a legend to a lot of the guys in the 82nd Airborne, > and served in Gulf War > > I. Now he is over here, running the currency > exchange operation. Needless > > to say, great guy. When we found out we were both > selected, he asked me to > > be his 'date.' Anyway by the time the President > reached our table, General > > Tant was misty-eyed. If you can call Niagara Falls > misty. He reached into > > his pocket and took out a coin. He told the > President: 'I ate Thanksgiving > > dinner with your father in Kuwait 10 years ago right > before we jumped, and I > > gave him one of these. Now I want you to have this > one.' The President > > grabbed him and gave him a huge bear hug- flashbulbs > popped. So if you see > > a picture of the President hugging some random old > guy, that's General Tant. > > Have to find out more about the coin.there has to be > more of a story there.. > > > > Condi Rice and Andy Card were there, too. I met them > both- Condi Rice asked > > if we were really surprised- she was getting a kick > out of it. We all said > > 'Absolutely!' Andy Card repeated my name and said it > was nice to meet me. > > Forgive me, foreign friends who may not know these > names- just know that it > > really means a lot for these guys to have their > comander in chief come out > > and physically support them. His coming here was a > hugely important thing > > for our troops- all of them- whether or not they were > in the chow hall at > > the airport. > > > > Anyway after the hundreds of handshakes and > photographs (my battery died!!!! > > Can you BELIEVE IT??!!!), he was off. He said a > quick goodbye and Happy > > Thanksgiving and then no-one could leave the airport > for an hour until Air > > Force One was well on its way. I am still glowing. > > > > In other news, winter has officially arrived here. > The rain has started and > > all the sand and dust has turned to mud. My pants > are perpetually dirty- > > splattered with mud- and my boots are looking very > rough indeed! War is > > hell. > > > > In the dining hall in the CPA palace, one of the > kitchen staff painted a > > huge mural of the Twin Towers. > > > > I am pretty much used to the attacks at this point- > and not really scared of > > them anymore- at least the way I used to be. I > definitely get away from > > windows, etc. but it seems like the attacks on the > green zone at least are > > launched just for the sake of media attention rather > than to actually damage > > anything or anyone. I will of course continue to be > vigilant and safe, and > > I don't want to tempt fate by scoffing too much. > > > > Hillary Clinton is coming here tomorrow. For her > sake I hope I don't see > > her. I might do something crazy like spit in her > direction. Actually, > > General Tant, right before the President came onto > the podium, had a funny > > line. When Bremer said 'someone more senior,' Tant > turned to me and > > commented: 'If Hillary Clinton shows up I am > leaving.' I heard that tonight > > in Afghanistan, where she is making a stop, the > troops were more interested > > in the food than her. Go figure. > > > > Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I am so thankful for all > of you. Love ------ > > > > >> > > > >
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