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 ------
> >
> >
>> >
> >
>