Reply Wed 2 Jul, 2003 01:40 pm
This comes from an email message posted on another website.

Quote:
OPEN LETTER TO FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH OF RICHMOND BEACH

It has been a while since I have written to my friends at First Lutheran Church about what's really going on here in Iraq. The news you watch on TV is exaggerated, sensationalized and selective. Good news doesn't sell.

The stuff you don't hear about on CNN? Let's start with Electrical Power production in Iraq. The day after the war was declared over, there was nearly 0 power being generated in Iraq. 45 days later, in a partnership between the Army, the Iraqi people and some private companies, there are now 3200 mega watts (Mw) of power being produced daily, 1/3 of the total national potential of 8000 Mw. Downed power lines (big stuff, 400 Kilovolt (Kv) and 132 Kv) are being repaired and are about 70% complete.

Then there is water purification. In central Iraq between Baghdad and Mosul, home of the 4th Infantry Division, water treatment was spotty at best. The facilities existed, but the controls were never implemented. Simple chemicals like Chlorine for purification and Alum (Aluminum Sulfate) for sediment settling (the Tigris River is about as clear as the Mississippi River) were in very short supply or not used at all. When chlorine was used, it was metered by the scientific method of guessing.

So some people got pool water to drink and some people got water with lots of little things floating around in it. We are slowly but surely solving that. Contracts for repairs to facilities that are only 50% or less operational are being let, chemicals are being delivered, although we don't have the metering problem solved yet (...but again, it's only been 45 days).

How about oil and fuel? Well the war was all about oil wasn't it? You bet it was. It was all about oil for the Iraqi people! They have no other income, they produce nothing else. Oil is 95% of the Iraqi GNP. For this nation to survive, it MUST sell oil.

The Refinery at Bayji is at 75% of capacity producing gasoline. The crude pipeline between Kirkuk (Oil Central) and Bayji will be repaired by tomorrow (2 June). LPG, what all Iraqi's use to cook and heat with, is at 103% of normal production and WE, the US ARMY, are insuring it is being distributed FAIRLY to ALL Iraqi's.

You have to remember that only 3 months ago, ALL these things were used by the Sadam regime as weapons against the population to keep them in line. If your town misbehaved, gasoline shipments stopped, LPG pipelines and trucks stopped, Water was turned off, power was turned off.

Now, until exports start, every drop of gasoline produced goes to the Iraqi people. Crude oil is being stored and the country is at 75% capacity right now. They need to export or stop pumping soon, ...so thank the UN for the delay.

ALL LPG goes to the Iraqi people EVERYWHERE. Water is being purified as best it can be, but at least it's running all the time to everyone.

Are we still getting shot at? Yep

Are American Soldiers still dying? Yep, about 1 a day from my out fit, the 4th Infantry Division, most in accidents, but dead is dead.

If we are doing all this for the Iraqi's, why are they shooting at us?

The general Iraqi population isn't shooting at us. There are still bad guys, who won't let go of the old regime. They are Ba'ath party members (Read Nazi Party, but not as nice) who have known nothing but and supported nothing but the regime all of their lives. These are the thugs for the regime that caused many to disappear in the night. They have no other skills. At least the Nazis had jobs and a semblance of a national infrastructure that they could go back to after the war, ...as plumbers, managers, engineers, etc., ...these people have no skills but terror. They are simply applying their skills. ...and we are applying ours.

There is no Christian way to say this, ..but they must be eliminated and we are doing so with all the efficiency we can muster. Our troops are shot at literally everyday by small arms and Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs). We respond. 100% of the time, the Ba'ath party guys come out with the short end of the stick.

The most amazing thing to me is that they don't realize that if they stopped shooting at us, we would focus on fixing things more quickly and then leave back to the land of the Big PX. The more they shoot at us, the longer we will have to stay.

Lastly, all of you please realize that 90% of the damage you see on TV was caused by Iraqi's, NOT by us adn not by the war. Sure we took out a few bridges from military necessity, we took out a few power and phone lines to disrupt communications, sure we drilled a few palaces and government headquarters buildings with 2000 lb. laser guided bombs (I work 100 yards from where two hit the Tikrit Palace), he had plenty to spare. But, ANY damage you see to schools, hospitals, power generation facilities, refineries, pipelines, was ALL caused either by the Iraqi Army in its death throes or from much of the Iraqi civilians looting the places.

Could we have prevented it? Nope.

We can and do now, but 45 days ago the average soldier was fighting for his own survival and trying to get to his objectives as fast as possible. He was lucky to know what town he was in much less be informed enough to know who owned what or have the power to stop a 1,000 people from looting and burning a building by himself.

The United States and our allies, especially Great Britain, are doing a very noble thing here. We stuck our necks out on the world's chopping block to free an entire people from the grip of a horrible terror that was beyond belief.

I've already talked the weapons of mass destruction thing to death, ...bottom line, who cares? This country was one big conventional weapons ammo dump anyway. We have probably destroyed more weapons and ammo in the last 30 days than the US Army has ever fired in the last 30 years (Remember, this is a country the size of Texas), so drop the WMD argument as the reason we came here, ....if we find it GREAT, if we don't, SO WHAT?

I'm living in a "guest palace" on a 500 acre palace compound with 20 palaces with like facilities built in half a dozen towns all over Iraq that were built for one man. Drive down the street and out into the countryside 5 miles away like I have and see all the families of 10 or more, all living in mud huts and herding the two dozen sheep on which their very existence depends, ...then tell me why you think we are here.

WMD? ...important, ..have to find 'em wherever they may be (...in Syria?), but not OUR real motivator. Don't let it be yours either.

Respectfully,

ERIC RYDBOM MAJOR, ENGINEER Deputy Division Engineer 4th Infantry Division
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Frank Apisa
 
  1  
Reply Wed 2 Jul, 2003 02:14 pm
Sounds like a bunch of bullshit to me, McG.

This guy seems to have an awful lot of time on his hands to be able to tell us what is and what is not being covered on CNN.

And he knows all this stuff about what those very, very few terrible Iraqis are doing -- and how nice and cooperative all the others are.

And the damage -- oh...he knows the terrible few Iraqis are doing it -- not the invaders.

What a crock of ****.

I'm surprised you bought into this nonsense -- but since you have, hey...if it makes you feel any better about this war and all the lies the American people were told -- go for it.

Hope all is well with you, McG. We've been having stupendous weather here in New Jersey -- and my game is really starting to come around.

Things are so lush, I gotta cut the lawn twice a week (it is a very large lawn) -- and I hate that, but all in all, life is good.
0 Replies
 
Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Wed 2 Jul, 2003 02:29 pm
Actually, it's on more than a dozen of websites, slightly altered sometimes.

I'd really wonder, if a staff officer would write an open letter and give the allowance to publish this with critics on what he is doing!
0 Replies
 
ehBeth
 
  1  
Reply Wed 2 Jul, 2003 02:31 pm
Wouldn't he get into an awful lot of trouble for writing a letter like that? I know that the mom of a young fellow in Iraq, on another website I frequent, would love to get a letter that had anything 'real' in it. Real, in the sense of news. Something other than thank your friends for the stuff they sent.
0 Replies
 
dyslexia
 
  1  
Reply Wed 2 Jul, 2003 02:35 pm
bogus IMO
0 Replies
 
Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Wed 2 Jul, 2003 02:41 pm
Quote:
The Refinery at Bayji is at 75% of capacity producing gasoline. The crude pipeline between Kirkuk (Oil Central) and Bayji will be repaired by tomorrow (2 June).


Quite funny to compare with what is said to be (one of?) the original email(s):
Code:
Posted Bycep3 on June 30, 2003 at 08:41:56:

06-23-2003
Sitrep: Iraq

Editor's Note: This is an open letter from U.S. Army Maj. Eric Rydbom in Iraq to the First Lutheran Church of Richmond Beach in Shoreline, Wash. Rydbom is Deputy Division Engineer of the 4th Infantry Division.
[...]
The Refinery at Bayji is [operating] at 75 percent of capacity producing gasoline. The crude pipeline between Kirkuk (Oil Central) and Bayji will be repaired by tomorrow (2 June). LPG, what all Iraqis use to cook and heat with, is at 103 percent of normal production and we, the U.S. Army, are ensuring it is being distributed fairly to all Iraqis.



How the hell did Major Rydborn know on 23rd of June that this email was posted on www on the 30th of June?
0 Replies
 
McGentrix
 
  1  
Reply Wed 2 Jul, 2003 02:42 pm
Frank, I am in desperate need of a new putter...Mine is apparently flawed as I couldn't one putt to save my life this past weekend...

You think it's bogus, but why? Because it doesn't speak to your own opinions? Because it shows america in a bright light instead of the dim back alley light you like to see the war effort in? Because we might actually be changing things for the better in Iraq?

If it is true, and I can't say if it is or not, wouldn't that be nice? Instead, you choose to think it's bullshit or bogus. Your choice i guess.
0 Replies
 
Lightwizard
 
  1  
Reply Wed 2 Jul, 2003 02:52 pm
"We stuck our necks out on the world's chopping block to free an entire people from the grip of a horrible terror that was beyond belief."

Oh, come on...
0 Replies
 
Frank Apisa
 
  1  
Reply Wed 2 Jul, 2003 02:56 pm
McGentrix wrote:
Frank, I am in desperate need of a new putter...Mine is apparently flawed as I couldn't one putt to save my life this past weekend...


I am delighted to share with you that my putter (and my chips) are awesome -- which is very, very good for me, because I am not a long hitter and my short game is damn near my entire game.



Quote:
You think it's bogus, but why? Because it doesn't speak to your own opinions? Because it shows america in a bright light instead of the dim back alley light you like to see the war effort in? Because we might actually be changing things for the better in Iraq?


No to all the things you suggested. I think it is bogus because it is too pat -- and too one sided.

Mind you, I am not saying some guy named Major Rydbom did not write this thing -- but I certainly question the guys objectivity. (I question my objectivity also -- and have determined that I am not objective.)


Quote:
If it is true, and I can't say if it is or not, wouldn't that be nice?


Actually, McG, I don't think it would be nice. I think it would be dangerous, because Bush's handlers would use it as part of their reasoning for attacking other countries they don't like.

But as you said -- you do not know if it is real or not -- and neither do I.

Quote:
Instead, you choose to think it's bullshit or bogus. Your choice i guess.


We agree there.

I must say there are lots of other reports coming out of Iraq that tend to contradict the rosy scenario Rydbom is trying to paint. One of them is wrong.
0 Replies
 
fealola
 
  1  
Reply Wed 2 Jul, 2003 03:00 pm
Yep. sounds like one of those made up e-mail dissertations from stupid mailing lists that I never read and immediately toss in the trash.
0 Replies
 
fealola
 
  1  
Reply Wed 2 Jul, 2003 03:06 pm
I googled the church.

http://members.aol.com/agentmess/#flrb

This guy claims to host the church's web site, but the link to it doesn't work.

I guess if anyone really cared they could check it out.
0 Replies
 
dyslexia
 
  1  
Reply Wed 2 Jul, 2003 03:09 pm
for what its worth, said letter is being distributed on the net by Soldiers for the Truth (sftt.org) a site of David Hackworth.
0 Replies
 
Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Wed 2 Jul, 2003 03:10 pm
Not only that link, any other related to that church (and by that guy) doesn't work.
0 Replies
 
Dartagnan
 
  1  
Reply Wed 2 Jul, 2003 03:15 pm
That letter reminds me of letters that Ann Landers (or was it Dear Abby) used to publish, the ones that somehow told people what they wanted to hear about this or that. Life after death, for example.

I guess some of us are just skeptical, McG, but by all means, believe in it if you want to!
0 Replies
 
Kathryn O Dunn
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 Jul, 2003 11:11 am
Need to follow up on this. Tried the Church connection, but there was nothing available. As a little ol' lady and retired librarian, I am new to the computer world, but old to the ways of propaganda. Where do I go from here to find the truth?
0 Replies
 
Sofia
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 Jul, 2003 11:22 am
There are 23 churches in my hometown and none of them are listed on the web.

I think it's ridiculous to disbelieve an actual soldier wrote the letter just because it is one-sided... I bet alot of soldiers share the view allegedly forwarded by this guy--and i bet you'd consider their actual views VERY one-sided. You're not going to find many soldiers with the liberal view.

And, it is entirely possible that Hack found a letter he wanted to give a wider viewership--and dispensed it. This is not so odd to me.

Welcome, Kathryn Very Happy -- I'm sorry to say you'll never find the truth.
0 Replies
 
Craven de Kere
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 Jul, 2003 11:49 am
Sofia,

This letter has been debunked as a fraud several times on several sites. I don't acre to look for it because those sites could have been wrong but there is a very good chance that this one is an intentional fake.

But point taken about soldiers, they are kinda dumb aren't they? ;-)
0 Replies
 
Acquiunk
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 Jul, 2003 12:19 pm
The Point of view. What bothers me about this letter is it's encyclopedic nature. When you are involved in an event, your understanding of that event depends on you position in the event. Military historians have been particularly aware of this when analyzing accounts of battles, for example see Keegan, The Face of Battle, or Anderson, A Peoples Army. This guy seems to have a very broad overview and must by either, as Walter suggests, a HQ staff officer or is spending an awful lot of time watching TV and reading US papers. Or possible, this is a letter written by the Army PR staff and circulated for soldiers to send home.
0 Replies
 
Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 Jul, 2003 12:27 pm
Acquiunk wrote:
Or possible, this is a letter written by the Army PR staff and circulated for soldiers to send home.



They wouldn't do that.
Never.

At least, they would give some hints to discover it very easy. :wink:
0 Replies
 
BillW
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 Jul, 2003 12:27 pm
http://members.aol.com/agentmess/#flrb - take off the last sub part to get:

http://members.aol.com/agentmess/ - now try this site; doesn't make it honest, just reachable.
0 Replies
 
 

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