Plea For Help From An American Soldier In Bagdad.

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> Our bill of rights

> Sun, 5 Sep 2004 00:42:40 -0700 (PDT)

> PLEA FOR HELP FROM AN AMERICAN

> SOLDIER IN BAGHDAD

>

>

> A Plea for Help

> Posted by: Spiros D - Baghdad, zz (8/31/2004)

>

http://straighttalk.ourfuture.org/dsp_fact_story.cfm?blog_ID=1 & bge_id=72

>

> I am a soldier stationed in Iraq concerned about the

> role of private contractors in this war, and would

> like to ask for your help. How can you who are way

> over there help me way over here? Well, let me tell

> you how.

>

> For those of you not aware, the US military is not

> the only US organization that is functioning over

> here in Iraq. A large US contractor called KBR

> (Kellog, Brown, and Root), a daughter company of

> Halliburton (once run by VP Dick Cheney), is

> operating on every US base in Iraq.

>

> KBR manages many of the solider services that we

> have here on the base; things like running the food

> service, waste disposal, pumping the latrines,

> laundry services, movement and control, and the

> central distribution center. KBR is also scheduled

> to take over all fuel hauling and freight hauling in

> general. When things started to heat up earlier this

> year KBR put a hold on taking over hauling

> operations. Now that things are seeming to come back

> under some control KBR is looking at taking over

> again.

>

> Now I know you are asking yourself what in the world

> this has to do with you.

>

> Let me explain... KBR is now requesting, and the

> army is allowing, US soldiers to ride " shot gun " in

> KBR convoys hauling KBR goods all over Iraq. KBR is

> afraid to be out on the roads alone and want our US

> soldiers to risk their lives riding shot gun for

> their missions.

>

> KBR is currently staffed by mainly non US

> international personnel along with a growing number

> of Iraqis. Most do not speak English, none have had

> military training on defensive driving, proper

> convoy operations, avoiding ambushes, navigating

> around IED's [hidden roadside bombs], proper

> procedure for calling in support or medivac or fire

> support, procedures to follow after taking enemy

> fire, the list goes on. These drivers are simply

> paid drivers that are making roughly 5 -8 times our

> wages and get paid whether the freight arrives or

> not.

>

> KBR is requesting that US soldiers risk their lives

> at the hands of inexperienced and improperly trained

> individuals to provide them with security. Now there

> is no doubt that we need to protect KBR's missions

> but we have suggested and to date have been denied

> the opportunity to run the convoys with properly

> modified and equipped military vehicles.

>

> We have suggested that we run in the convoys with

> every third vehicle being a US Army gun truck with

> proper drivers and fire support. With this

> arrangement KBR can still haul the freight in their

> vehicles but we would run the mission and deal with

> any situations as they develop the way we have been

> trained to. This is the only way that most of us

> want the missions to be run, the others are just

> afraid to be opposed to the decisions our leadership

> is making.

>

> Here is where you come in. Out of a desire to honor

> the oath we took upon entering the army we do not

> want to disobey a direct order if and when the order

> comes for us to ride with KBR. We do however want to

> make all the lawmakers and politicians aware of the

> danger we are being unnecessarily exposed to on

> these missions.

>

> Our hope is that each of our friends and loved ones

> back home will take a few minutes and send out

> emails to any local, state, and US congressman and

> senators and demand that they require the US

> military to stop this practice of allowing US troops

> in KBR vehicles.

>

> The only ones who have the power to force the

> military to honor the wishes of the people are the

> lawmakers and politicians. So please take a moment

> and send a letter or email to one of your senators

> or congressman and ask or demand that they inquire

> into this matter and demand that it cease.

>

> As of this writing, 3rd Platoon of the 283rd TC (my

> unit) is currently running these missions. We have

> been warned that it is only a matter of time and my

> whole unit will be running these missions. If

> nothing is done back home then more soldiers and

> myself in particular will be placed in unnecessary

> danger.

>

> Please help.

>

> Thank you for your time and help. I miss you all and

> look forward to seeing you all again upon my return.

>

> (NOTE: For additional on the ground stories from

> American servicemen and women, please check out

> http://www.optruth.org)

>