Some of us in America will be in observance of Memorial Day 2007. While some of us reflect on those who have died defending our country almost every day, some of us will take the opportunity to reflect because the holiday dictates such. There are also some who wish to use this day to continue their protest of the war while there are people in harm’s way.
In this case, I speak of New York Times writer Michael Kamber and the Times in general. While fewer and fewer people are reading the New York Times, one can only hope those trying to kill our soldiers aren’t reading the online version of Kamber’s latest….
May 27, 2007
Doubts Grow as G.I.’s in Iraq Find Allies in Enemy Ranks
By Michael Kamber“BAGHDAD  Staff Sgt. David Safstrom does not regret his previous tours in Iraq, not even a difficult second stint when two comrades were killed while trying to capture insurgents.
“In Mosul, in 2003, it felt like we were making the city a better place,†he said. “There was no sectarian violence, Saddam was gone, we were tracking down the bad guys. It felt awesome.â€ÂÂ
“But now on his third deployment in Iraq, he is no longer a believer in the mission. The pivotal moment came, he says, this past February when soldiers killed a man setting a roadside bomb. When they searched the bomber’s body, they found identification showing him to be a sergeant in the Iraqi Army.â€ÂÂ
“I thought, ‘What are we doing here? Why are we still here?’†said Sergeant Safstrom, a member of Delta Company of the First Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division. “We’re helping guys that are trying to kill us. We help them in the day. They turn around at night and try to kill us.â€ÂÂ
While I was in the service, we were told not to talk to the media without a briefing first. Some may think this was a First Amendment violation, but in retrospect I can understand the reasoning.
