LETTERS FROM BAGHDAD

february26,2004
a message from the fiance:
thanks faithful readers... m. needs some time to come down, still stressing,
coming down from a year of war will take time...stressing some
waiting for me... i get back to the states march 11th, a long strange trip to say the least.
hes got pics galore, a shutterbug extraordinaire. definitely seems to want to
blog his story to the people. keeps telling me the pen is mightier than the sword.
stay tuned, we will get him straightened out in a few weeks. i will feed him well...
he has been getting most of his nutrition from coffee and cigarettes...
he is getting a gourmet cook for a wife, and a gourmet of love!!!!
stay tuned...

february20,2004
hi again babe!almost forgot.wanted to send you something positive for our
blog before you hit the road.i think the blogging is a good idea as it is an
excellent way to vent some frustration as well as reminding people that we
are here without violating any security measures communicating with other
people.i guess infantry people like to gripe and i'm one(when the mood
strikesLOL)well,all in all the whole de-mobe thing went real well and
everyone was very nice to us from the start.no pressures,no problems,worth
complaining about.anyway,i wanted to thank all the hard working people at
camp
wolf and here at atterbury for their hard and endless work.i think they will
hate their jobs this summer when the days are long and hot.one day left
here!we're done hon,thanks for always being there through endless hard
times.well,just thought youd have some thing positive to post because i
dont
think a lot of the people who supported us get the credit they deserve for
a job well done.well,love you babe!cant get you off my mind!now i just wait
for you,counting the days!LOL...your husband...m

february10,2004
hi babe!im still here.no lockdown but we depart for the airport tonight to
catch a flight tomorrow.should arrive in *** about 3am ***
morning.just wanted to get an e-mail out to you in case i cant reach you
through yahoo.i love you so much babe,my angel always there for me through
thick and thin.i still feel stressed out even though i know this is my last
night here.ill feel better when i lie down on my own futon in the confines
of my own space(ill really feel better when you are safe by my side).oh
well,better run.ill try yahoo before i go...love...your
husband..m...ps...please tell c. ive found a ride home .

february3,2004
hi babe!just checking my mail and caught your e-mail.c’s mom does not hear
well sometimes but check the news anyway,see if you can find out more about
that.there are a lot of rumours floating around but i havent heard that one
yet.some reserve units have been deployed back to back but none of ours have
been deployed twice yet(that ive heard of).i wouldnt come back(no matter what)
and niether would half the guys in the company.we’d head to canada if we had to
(i have a couple of freinds planning just thatLOL).anyway,dont worry.ill try
to yahoo everyday and we'll cross our fingers thet they get us out of here.i
dont understand why they wont let us leave but im hoping our time will
come.just remember i love you more than anyone in the world and we will be
together,someday.im sooo in love with you!i just hope the stress of waiting
on you does not make me too sick(a little i can handle)but the past year has
been hell on both of us.well,ill try to catch you on yahoo today(somedays i
wont be able to make it)love...your husband...m...

february1,2004
hi babe!im glad you found your passport.i do the same thing however.i lost my
fake fake rolex today after our"contraband search". its silly really,the
search.no one is going to have anything they dont want others to see with
them.porno is illegal but alot of the guys have it.in mags,on
disk,dvd,etc.cant find that stuff.anyway,they are getting real anal about
having things here.im glad i mailed ***months ago before
the rules came down.i did have to throw away a ***.they
said i couldnt take that stuff but i know i can, i just didnt feel like an
argument with anyone.anyway,its getting real crowded here.people are flooding
in from everywhere.its going to be harder to talk to you.the lines for
everything are getting worse. some more bad news,looks like they are going to
keep us longer than i thought.they already sent some guys from one co. back
out on missions.remember,our new orders last until ***.it makes me angry
but there is little i can do about it except never have anything to do with
the military again after this.they've screwed me for the last time.i'm not
going back.well,i hope they don't screw w/our departure date.were supposed to
be out of here in *** so i hope that does not change,just wanted to warn
you about the possibilty of us being here longer in case it does happen.ill try
yahoo but it is to crowded to get a pc w/a cam today.like i said,it is going
to get so crowded here soon i wont be able to get to the pc very often.you
have to wait in line for everything here(even to take a shit)and it is going
to get much worse.even as i get closer to coming home i'm hating the army more
and more.they dont care,they dont do the right things and its not a healthy
way to live.if you complain they tell you its "war".bullshit.they say things
like"how would you have liked iwo jima?"i bet they told the guys at iwo-
jima"how would you have liked to cross the delaware w/george
washington?"LOL.first of all,its not war.im not stupid,i know we are not at
war.second,they invaded the wrong country!we should have gone into iran.ive
told people from the start those people are crazy nuts.ive hated iran since
they took our embassy over back in the early 80s.i have iranian friends,in iraq
and at home so i know whats going on there.we are going to buddy up to a
nation who needs to be bombed.the govt. is falling apart because of the
religious nuts.we should consider any nation that does not accept seperation
of church and state an enemy.oh well,enough ranting.i get angry but there is
little i can do.i just pray for the day we can be home,safe together.other
units,who have less time incountry, are getting home to the states and
germany much earlier than we are.i'm keeping track and i will do some
bitching when i get home.the way they have done us is just plain mean.they've
taken advantage of the guard and reserves and i hope people get out in
droves.ill never forget and ill never forgive"them"for messing up my life.so
much for that.i so love you now that i could never risk another
deployment.they're offering people more rank and this or that to stay in but
a lot of the guys are a lot more pissed than i am.imagine having kids to deal
with?or a job you will lose because the"idiots"upstairs dont know how to run
a real war.well babe,i pledge never to leave your side and thats just what i
mean.when this hell ends i only want to be with you.that is our focus.you're
all that matters to me now.i will resist politics and war getting in the way
of our life.its to short(life)and you are to precious.well, i better send,i've
lost to many long letters.i never did get ahold of c.her phone only rings
(or is busy)and she hasnt returned any e-mail.she may not be at work(thats
where she has e-mail)i love you babe,better go(ill try yahoo next)love...your
husband...m...