Has anyone noticed that I attributed our winning the Revolution to GERMAN assistance when it should have been FRENCH assistance? I've been meaning to correct that for months.

Anyway, someone at work tried to ascribe their motivation to ideological similarities. Uh...hello? I suspect it had rather more to do with spitting in the eye of the Brits than overwhelming support for democratic ideology. France didn't manage a democracy until nearly the 20th century (you know-AFTER the people helping the USA were long dead) , and they ran about chopping peoples' heads off in the process. Ideology my ass. Go away. I have idealogical foundation for supporting military operations in Iraq. I don't think 5 year old girls should be married off. Nor do I think women should be put to death for trying to escape cruel and abusive relationships. And yes...I do like driving my car, and I do appreciate oil. I'm not an idiot, I'm sure that's a motive, too. Does it matter? Is not an act of evil perpetuated in God's name still inherently an evil act? And conversely, and act of good, no matter the motivation of those making the decisions is still inherently good.

Give them time. It took the fledgling US eight years to come up with a document they could all agree on, and the first thing they did is make 10 changes before they'd all ratify it. AND - recall...we've spent the last 200 years making more changes. Don't expect Iraqis to be able to adjust to democracy so quickly. They're coming off a reign of terror and oppression far heavier than the yoke against which we rebelled.

I miss my husband. I miss him fiercely. I haven't had a solid night's sleep in two months, and likely won't for another two at least. I ache knowing that he's so many thousands of miles away from me. Sometimes I feel like I am thisclose to breaking. And I don't. I don't break because that's not the American way. And I am a soldier's wife. And my soldier needs me. Needs me to support him, needs me to be there when he comes home, needs me ease the guilt that he feels for not being here supporting me.
And with all this, I would bear a separation 12 times longer if it means that we improve the quality of living over there and allow a government to grow that is for the benefit of the people, ALL THE PEOPLE.

My soldier needs my faith. And he has it. Always.