Now is not the time to lax our vigil
The Ogemaw County Herald, Thursday, June 26, 2003
The American flags that were proudly hung in March, when U.S. troops marched off to battle, are becoming a bit frayed.
The signs in front of area businesses expressing support for our soldiers mostly have been replaced by more prosaic messages advertising daily specials.
Yet the conflict in Iraq is far from over.
According to Associated Press reports, last Sunday several U.S. soldiers were seriously wounded when guerilla fighters hurled rocket-propelled grenades at military convoys.
On Tuesday, an American soldier was shot and killed by a sniper while riding in a Humvee near Baghdad.
On Wednesday, gunmen killed one soldier and wounded another in a hit-and-run shooting at a Baghdad propane gas station.
While the Administration appears to be downplaying the significance of the attacks, there are some indications anti-American hostilities in the region are increasing, not ebbing.
In fact, of the 223 U.S. and Coalition casualties since the conflict began, about 50 have taken place since President George W. Bush on May 1 declared an end to combat operations in Iraq.
Three of the casualties were Michigan men – Army Staff Sgt. Sean C. Reynolds of East Lansing, killed on May 3; Army Master Sgt. William Payne of Otsego, killed on May 16; and Army Staff Sgt. Brett J. Petriken of Flint, killed on May 26.
In addition to danger from insurgents, U.S. troops also are facing some of the planet's most brutal weather conditions, including unrelenting heat, with temperatures reaching 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
Iraq remains a perilous place for American soldiers, and likely will remain so for the foreseeable future.
As long as our military men and women are overseas, they need – and deserver – the support of the folks on the homefront.
State rep. Dale Sheltrown of the 103 rd district, which includes Roscommon County, seems to have remembered that fact when he recently introduced an amendment appropriating $10,000 to purchase long-distance phone cards for National Guard members called up on active duty.
Sheltrown indicated his amendment came after hearing from one of his constituents, Nicole Phillips of Lake City, about the difficulties and expenses incurred by military families as they try to stay in touch with loved ones who have been called up for active duty.
Phillips' testimony before a House Civics Commission meeting apparently helped to say some lawmakers who initially had been resistant to the idea. The Military and Veterans Affairs budget, including the appropriation, eventually passed by a 107-1 vote and now is awaiting Senate approval.
The rest of us back home also need to let our military men and women know that they remain in our thoughts and prayers.