Why I volunteered

07AUG05
Dear Friends and Family,

Today is my second Sunday in Iraq, and noon is fast approaching. Normally I would be walking out of church with Rachelle and the boys.

Today, of course, is different. I did not wake up for church because I've not been to sleep yet. My breakfast came just after midnight, and then came my shift in the TOC (nerve center of all air, ground, and artillery operations for our neck of the desert). Work ranges from fixing those irritating computer bugs we all encounter (why did our keyboard stop working?), to clearing airspace for counter fire missions.

Following my TOC shift I grabbed my gear and joined my team as we headed to the firing range. We zeroed our weapons and practiced on line assaults. Good tight groupings leave everyone feeling confident. The sun has now crested in the east, and its time to leave as some Marines are taking their turn on the range training some of the Iraqi security forces.

Breakfast is pretty good--eggs, bacon, french toast, coffee, melon and grapes. Back "home" we clean our weapons and I grab one of our Humvees to go secure more ammo and pyro. Encounter typical red tape--"I have the ammo you requested but I did some digging and found out you Air Force guys are actually attached to the HHC unit." So even though I can see the box with our name on it, I need to start my search over. Of course the one I need to see now is out. But such is life no matter where you work, we always encounter what some call MODDs--those things that Make Our Day Difficult. No use getting upset, just push through and do a little extra walking and talking.

A few more errands to run and then it will be time to get a few hours of sleep before the next shift starts. Although busy, we much prefer the time we spend "inside the wire" to the time we spend patrolling or operating outside the wire. But I will write about working outside the base later.

I just finished reading a book about Genghis Kahn and how his grandson conquered Baghdad in the 1200's. Interestingly enough, since Khan, not a single non-muslim entity had ruled in Baghdad until the Americans. Most of us are aware that the earliest civilizations lived here in Mesopotamia.

Babylon is just south of us, along the Euphrates. The silk road and many paths connecting the east to the west crossed through these ancient towns. The Ottoman Turks and Persians battled in this area, and a truce between them established the eastern border of Iraq. Persia evolved into modern day Iran, and the Ottoman Empire was carved up following WWI.

After centuries of enjoying cultural dominance, the middle east failed to embrace revolutionary ideas in science, religion, technology, and governance that sparked a transformation in Europe. Eventually, Arab lands fell further and further behind the modern, industrialized states. Within the Muslim intellectual classes a debate raged as to why Muslim lands were not progressing. Two reasons emerged, and thus two new paths could be followed. Some claimed that Arab rejection of western developments led to decline, and, thus, embracing democracy and free market should be the goal. Others claimed that western influence caused decline, and, thus, closer adherence to Islam and the Quran would lead to Allah's blessing.

Thus emerged the radical religious teaching of the Wahhibi sect of Sunni Islam, and combined with oil's new found riches, radical sects formed to eradicate western influence and establish religious rule (e.g., Taliban). Groups like Al Qaida terrorize the nations supporting muslim states, hoping to weaken muslim governments so new, Wahhibi governments can rule.

If we allow this radical movement to grow, it will eat away at Muslim states, and, like a cancer, continue to spread beyond Arab lands. And just as cancer must be removed and destroyed, I firmly believe that these radical muslims must be removed and destroyed. As we remove more and more of the cancer, the healthy aspects of these muslim can emerge and thrive.
In essence, I volunteered to help remove a cancer from these lands, and, in doing so, give the people of these lands the same chance at freedom that our founding fathers gave us. America has much to lose if radicals control these lands. The freedoms and rights we enjoy are guaranteed by our Constitution, but a single match can destroy our constitution itself. It will take two enemies to light that match: one that weakens America from within our shores, and one that attacks America from beyond our shores. I am overseas fighting the terrorists that attacked us, and I hope that you will fight those trying to weaken America from within.