I wanted to share this with all of you. I'm leaving out full names since I don't have permission to distribute it. As Ive mentioned before....in my neighborhood, there are 2 or 3 Muslim families. Recently one of my other neighbors sent around a bunch of pictures of U.S. soldiers and Iraqi's and Iraqi children playing with our soldiers........positive pictures. Well....I wanted you to read what one of our Muslim families said in response to these pictures. BTW, this man and his wife and family live 6 months out of the year in their home here...and the other six months in their home in Dubai.
Here's what he said:

"Thanks ever so much for these wonderful pictures, which speak for themselves, though they do not sell newspapers nor improve TV ratings. Despite media emphasis on the negatives, many in Iraq as well as Muslims around the world appreciate the sacrifices of our forces. None can deny that without their brave efforts, the Iraqi men, women and children would still be victims of Saddam's tyranny.

Shabnum and I have said our prayer for the troops and are sending copies of these photos to our friends.

Warm regards,
Mohamed

__________________
"This is a time for a national imperative not to fail in Iraq." Condoleeza Rice, January 11, 2007

..Does this not belong in the OPINION column?

__________________
"Only a fool tests the depth of the water with both feet."

Well, I suppose, Munko. If it bothers you here and all. It could belong in several places........but I decided to place it here because it relates to the Iraq war and support of the U.S. military.

Is that what is MOST important about it to you? But if it makes you happy.....I'll move it.

__________________
"This is a time for a national imperative not to fail in Iraq." Condoleeza Rice, January 11, 2007

And it`s certainly refreshing to hear from someone in Iraq whose life hasn`t been wrecked.

Of course, such testimony is anecdotal and doesn`t establish any principle but it still good to read such sentiments from time to time.

But the main thing that struck me about this story was this line:

IOW, one of your neighbours has circulated a political message around his nieghbourhood, is that right?

Perhaps it is our famous English reserve but I can`t imagine this ever happening in my neighbourhood. Even discussing politics with neighbours is uncommon and somewhat frowned upon here. Anyone who did this would almost certainly be considered odd or cranky.

Is this sort of thing common in your neighbourhood?

Can you confirm the the photos were circulated generally and not specifically to the muslim households?

If the man called `Mohamed` had expressed a contrary view, do you think it would have impacted negatively on his relationships with his neighbours?

His reply, that you have quoted, was this what he said to you? Or was it circulated, in letter form, like the photos?

Sorry for the list of questions but I find this quite fascinating. I have long felt that politics should be more widely discussed in England.

__________________
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.
Marx (G.)

Dear JP5,

1. The letter you share with us could express the writer's true sentiment, or...
2. It could express your own sentiment. Might the writer perceive that you are a right winger and that by sending you this note he seeks to smooth future relations with you and the neighbors by telling you what you want to hear? The letter certainly comports with your politics. I think that strangers who live in strange lands would go out of their way to be seen as non-threatening.

Warm Regards,
Apotropoxy

Political??? She sent around some good and positive pictures of our U.S. soldiers at work. Something we don't nromally get in the press.

We are FREE to send around whatever we want to here. And occassionally do so. We are a pretty close-knit neighborhood.

Yes, the pictures were circulated to everyone in the neighborhood.

I can't speak for the rest of the neighborhood....but it certainly would have with me! Especially if he had blasted our soldiers in any way.

He sent it around to the entire neighborhood for all to read.

It definitely is here. I have a Book Club that meets once a month.....also of my neighbors. We often get into discussions of politics that might pertain to the particular book we're reading. It's great to see how others feel about things and discuss different points of view.

__________________
"This is a time for a national imperative not to fail in Iraq." Condoleeza Rice, January 11, 2007

You say..."The letter certainly comports with your politics." So....what you're saying is that liberals and Democrats DO NOT wish our soldiers well and pray for them? Or perhaps it's that libs and Dems didn't care about Saddam's tyranny? Well.....I wouldn't have gone quite that far, Apot....but you may be correct.

As far as your declaration that he was only "giving what he thinks we would want to hear from him" .......it's a bit short-sighted on your part. Point is: HE DIDN'T HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING OR RESPOND IN ANY WAY. In fact, I didn't respond to the pictures after they were sent around. In part, because I had seen some of them before.

I did, however, think it was pretty heart-warming to know that there are Muslim families who appreciate our soldiers and who appreciate what the U.S. has done in Iraq. It's not something we get in the press.

Sorry for you that you don't.

__________________
"This is a time for a national imperative not to fail in Iraq." Condoleeza Rice, January 11, 2007

[quote="JP5";p="232614"]Easy to knock down a straw man of your own making, isn't it?

I raised the motivation as to his letter's content as a possibility, didn't I?
So?
I have no doubt that there are such Muslim families. This may be one of them. Then again... it may not.
Oh, yes we do. We get feel-good stories almost every day.

[quote="apotropoxy";p="232620"]Well....so sorry, Apot. I'm sorry that you are upset over the fact that a Muslim had something positive to say about our soldiers and said he was passing it on to his friends. I know how upsetting this must be to you but.............WHO CARES?

__________________
"This is a time for a national imperative not to fail in Iraq." Condoleeza Rice, January 11, 2007

Youre neighbor speaks for himself and he has that right. This Muslim, however, cannot be won over with simple pictures of a soldier playing with a child. Thats just one soldier, that doesnt make the war any less criminal or any less illegitamate. Im glad youre trying to find some peace in the chaos but we musnt let people think that soldiers & children playing is the true image of war. They need to see the dead and the dying, the violence and bloodshed of men, women, and children in Iraq. The more they see the more theyll want it to end. Dont give them pictures of soldiers & children but give them pictures of prison abuse and torture etc.

__________________
“Capitalism cannot reform itself; it is doomed to self-destruction. No universal selfishness can bring social good to all.” —Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois