First of all, thank you for showing the pictures of the casualties in Iran. They are graphic and disturbing but their exposure is necessary. People need to see what is happening in there. My heart goes out to those brave people in Iran, they are fighting for freedom and I admire them. They have more of a spine than many Americans today do. But that is because they have experienced some things that most Americans haven't: hardship and oppression. We have forgotten how it feels to be in their shoes. Again, may God help the Iranian people overthrow their oppressors.
I'm actually writing to you tonight to tell you how proud I have been these last few days to be an Iraq Veteran. There is something missing in our news media and all the talk about the events in Iran- Maybe, just maybe, is it at all possible that these people in Iran saw a functioning democracy right next door in Iraq and thought, "Why can't we have that?" Or is this all just a coincidence? I've asked that question to a lot of people in the last few days and I refuse to believe that they are not connected. You can't tell me that those Iraqis coming out of the polls with their blackened fingers didn't have any influence on the Iranian people and what is happening today.
According to Bush and Cheney one of the reasons we went to Iraq was to set up a democracy right in the center of the Middle East in the heart of repressive regimes and that freedom would spread in a reverse domino effect. Is this the start of that? I think so. But if it is nobody wants to give any attention to it because they won't admit that Bush may have done something right. Case in point: President Obama. He was against the Iraq War from the start. It was that single issue that he rose to prominence on. He of all people does not want to acknowledge the wisdom of George W. Bush in this area. It would undermine his entire platform of Change and no "more of the same" and all that. Everybody knows that Obama doesn't want to take an active role in this crisis but I just hope that his lack of action doesn't doom this for the Iranian people fighting in the streets. This is a great opportunity, the United States has waited 30 years for something like this, I just hope that President Obama doesn't blow it. I kind of wish it had happened even a year ago. Whatever happens happens. May the Iranian people free themselves from the oppressive grip of the Mullahs. I learned a lot in Iraq, but one thing stood out to me: freedom exists only for those who are worthy of it and willing to pay for it. The problem with the Iraqis was that they didn't want it bad enough. Turn on the TV, the Iranians want it. I hope they want it bad enough now and will be willing to pay for it. It won't be cheap.
Anyways, I have been especially proud of my time in Iraq these last few days. It does my heart good to see Iranians stnding up for their right to vote. I feel like what we did over there had ramifications that reached further than anyone has discussed in a long time. Now we are just starting to see them. I see these brave people in Iran fighting for freedom in their streets and I feel like I helped make a big difference. If the Iranian regime collapses then there will be absolutely no doubt that Iraq was worth the struggle.
President Obama: Please do not leave the Iranian people high and dry. I beg you, please don't let this opportunity slip by.
Atlas, keep up your reporting for the Iranian Freedom Fighters. The left likes to call terrorists Freedom Fighters, these people standing up in Iran are Freedom Fighters. We need to back them up.
Your Marine
