From Flo's Forum

Normally, when I find something that inspires me on another blog, I'll just post a link, or if they are on my links to the right, I'l refer y'all over there. But today I wanted to reprint wht Flo had posted y'day {Friday} to make it even easier for you to read it.
I have added a few thoughts at the end.



This is from a friend of ours who is based in Kuwait, but travels frequently to Afghanistan and Iraq. I thought my readers and their friends would appreciate hearing “straight from the horse’s mouth.”
It is another Christmas here in the sand; my third to be exact and I can tell you that Christmas just becomes another day to deployed Soldiers. Don’t get me wrong, we have celebrations’ to honor the birth of Jesus and the Holiday USO shows definitely helps with our morale. We also experience a special closeness with our fellow Soldiers since we all share the common bond of being away from our friends and loved ones back home. Simply put, we endure the situation because that is what Soldiers do.
I have experienced enough in this part of the world to state first and foremost that I pray for Peace everyday. I strongly believe in our cause and I have personally seen many examples of progress that are making a positive difference for the Global War on Terrorism. I will also share with you that every Soldier that I know is properly accepting the fact of being away from their loved ones during the Holidays. The reason is because we believe that the work that we are doing is worth the sacrifice. It is not just giving the opportunity of freedom to the oppressed people of Iraq and Afghanistan, but much more importantly we have brought the war to the Middle East, which is keeping it from being on the streets of America as it was five years ago.
My wish for this Christmas is a prayer that all of our families back home remain safe and that God blesses each and every Soldier, Airmen, Sailor, Marine, Coast Guardsmen and Department of Defense Civilian that are over here in harms way defending freedom and our way of life.
There are many soldiers that are giving much more than just being away from their families for the Holidays. Please join me in prayer for those soldiers that have made the ultimate sacrificed for our country and our way of life. They must never be forgotten. I would also like to ask you to join with me in helping lift the spirits of a Soldier who is recuperating. Just write and say thank you to:
A Recovering American Soldierc/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center6900 Georgia Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20307-5001
My Christmas present to you this year is the attached e-mail address. This address will connect you to a website where you can subscribe to the free weekly publication called, The Advisor www.mnstci.iraq.centcom.mil/advisor.htm. By subscribing you will receive the latest news on Iraqi Security Forces from the Multi-National Security Transition Command in Iraq. This publication will give you a true idea of the progress that we are making. Feel free to pass on “the rest of the story” to your family, friends and associates.
A final thought that I suggest you take a moment to ponder:
While you are reading these words somewhere there is a true believer, that has minimal food and water, is used to living in very austere conditions and he is training and planning every day and every night to kill you and kill your cherished loved ones. The only thing on him that is clean is his weapon. His web gear is home made. His ruck sack weighs what it weighs. He doesn’t worry about a daily workout to stay in shape because his physical training ends everyday when we stop chasing him. He is a True Believer in his cause and is not concerned about how hard he has it, how much it cost for a gallon of gas or the current value of his 401K. He doesn’t go home at 1700hrs, because in reality he doesn’t have a home to go back to. He knows that he will someday be caught and with it will probably cost him his life. He will be considered a martyr and with knowledge he is content join his brothers in the home of Allah. THIS IS THE ENEMY WE ARE FIGHTING.
If 65 years ago the Greatest Generation turned their backs to the Nazi’s in Europe and the Japanese in the South Pacific; I wonder how you would be celebrating this Christmas? How should your Grandchildren celebrate Christmas 65 years from now?
Do you really believe you are safer if we pull out of Iraq and Afghanistan?
Spread the word.Flo

I've been reading a book by Brigitte Gabriel titled Because They Hate.
I haven't blogged about it yet, because I can't figure out how to distill an entire book into one blog. But, Flo's posting of this letter is a good start and I will try to impart some of Ms. Gabriel's warnings tomorrow.