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From: RH To: mike@michaelmoore.com Sent: Monday, July 12, 2003 4:57 PM Subject: Iraqi freedom veteran supports you

Dear Mr Moore, I went to Iraq with thoughts of killing people who I thought were horrible. I was like, "F--- Iraq, f--- these people, I hope we kill thousands." I believed my president. He was taking care of business and wasn't going to let al Qaeda push us around. I was with the 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry, 3rd Infantry division out of Fort Stewart, Georgia. My unit was one of the first to Baghdad. I was so scared. Didn't know what to think. Seeing dead bodies for the first time. People blown in half. Little kids with no legs. It was overwhelming, the sights, sounds, fear. I was over there from Jan'03 to Aug'03. I hated every minute. It was a daily battle to keep my spirits up. I hate the army and my job. I am supposed to get out next February but will now be unable to because the asshole in the White House decided that now would be a great time to put a stop-loss in effect for the army. So I get to do a second tour in Iraq and be away from those I love again because some guy has the audacity to put others' lives on the line for his personal war. I thought we were the good guys.

From: Anthony Pietsch Sent: Thursday August 5 2004 6.13pm Subject: Soldier for sale Dear Mr Moore, my name is Tony Pietsch, and I am a National Guardsman who has been stationed in Kuwait and Iraq for the past 15 months. Along with so many other guard and reserve units, my unit was put on convoy escorts. We were on gun trucks running from the bottom of Iraq to about two hours above Baghdad. The Iraqi resistance was insanity. I spent many nights lying awake after mortar rounds had just struck areas nearby, some coming close enough to throw rocks against my tent. I've seen roadside bombs go off all over, Iraqis trying to ram the side of our vehicle. Small children giving us the finger and throwing rocks at the soldiers in the turrets. We were once lost in Baghdad and received nothing but dirty looks and angry gestures for hours. I have personally been afraid for my life more days than I can count. We lost our first man only a few weeks before our tour was over, but it seems that all is for nothing because all we see is hostility and anger over our being there. They are angry over the abuse scandal and the collateral damages that are always occurring. I don't know how the rest of my life will turn out, but I truly regret being a 16-year-old kid looking for some extra pocket money and a way to college.

The major themes in these letters are a lot like the themes in the letter Lee wrote to his son. The soldiers feel it is there duty to serve their country in a time of need. They are showing patriotism, loyalty and passion. Both the soldiers participated in the Iraqi War for different reasons. The first letter, written by RH, thought it was going to be fun and games. He wanted to go and help his country fight the “bad guys” but he later realized that wars weren’t fun. He saw dead bodies, people blown in half, and kids with no legs. He states in his letter, “I thought we were the good guys.” he soon began to loose hope in the American cause. The second soldier was named Anthony Pietsch. He, was lured into the army, “I don't know how the rest of my life will turn out, but I truly regret being a 16-year-old kid looking for some extra pocket money and a way to college.” He used to believe in the cause but after awhile he began to wonder why the Americans were there in the first place.

Lee’s letter showed alot of realism and naturalism, much like the letters from the soldiers in Iraq. The letters from Iraq show realism because they both were loyal to their country and went to war. But they soon realized they were fighting a pointless battle and were beginning to loose hope. It demonstrates naturalism because the letters are written by real people about a real event.

The letter reveals a lot about the character of the United States after 9/11. At first the Americans were all for the war and wanted to change Iraq. But after the war lasted longer then expected, the people of America were getting irritated and soon wanted to pull out the troops. The Americans felt the U.S. was spending too much money and should focus on other things our country needs. Many of our citizens don’t realize what we saved the Iraqi people from lives they couldn't live.

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