Is there a way to reach out to help the Iraqi people?

While peace may be a dream I don't believe it is an impossible dream. Afterall, war is a choice. We can work to make the "dream" a reality. Many of us have had dreams that we have made come true. There is no reason we could make peace a reality throughout the world if enough of us choose it, work toward it. We have the greatest opportunity in the history of mankind to connect with other people, to become friends with people different from each other but sharing so many similarities. With the communications technologies the world is getting more connected. When we know each other as individuals, like we do on myLot for instance, war could be less likely. So I, for one, am reaching for that dream of world peace. And I know that there must be ways to reach out to the people in Iraq. We just need to discover it.

Can we outlast the insurgents? They seem to have a limitless supply of "martyrs" and finances. Is there something the Iraqi people can do to help themselves? It is challenging to empower a people who have suffered so much from the war. They are confused about who to support, I'm sure. I pray that a just peace can come to the Middle East.

Unfortunately, this is more easily said than done. I too would like to have peace in Iraq. The allies in Iraq ARE trying to make that happen. Really, most of us would like nothing better than to pull out, but are uncomfortable to say the least with what the consequences of that would be. Until the people of Iraq have generally good lives, violence will still be the norm. The allies are trying to steady the economy and set up basic necessities, like clean water, but the insurgents are destroying those facilities as fast as we can rebuild them. [sigh] It is very frustrating.

Are there ways for private American citizens to help in personal ways, ways that put faces on both the giver and the receiver? Peace on earth begins with individuals.

That part I'm not sure about. While I was there, we got a lot of things donated, like clothing and school supplies from church groups and such. But it always seemed like too little to really help. The military was faced with trying to decide out of 1000 families, which 20 were going to get the help. It's not that they don't want to give the supplies, it's trying to figure out how to do it without making things worse instead of better. The military that are there - for the most part - really do care about the Iraqi people. They are trying to help. Of course, there are exceptions. You know the old idiom about a few bad apples? Well those are the ones that get noticed, not the rest of the bushel. The best I can suggest is to contact the Public Affairs Office for your local units or bases. This is a little out of my lane, so I'm not entirely sure of the procedure. You could contact the Red Cross, but generally, they don't tag a donation for a specific need. The donation goes into a pot and needs are determined and pulled from that pot. I'm not saying it's wrong. I personally have a lot of respect for the Red Cross. I'm just letting you know how it works. Keep in mind that the Iraqi people have been kept at poverty levels for decades. The embargo didn't help, but it was not the main reason. Iraq COULD have been self-sufficient, in which the trade embargo wouldn't have hurt it much. But, as is often the case, those on top were living VERY well, while keeping the common people in poverty. No easy fix. We are talking about a LOT of people. And most of them don't know any other way of life. This is a difficult transition for them. They don't really know whom to trust. So, the only ones they DO trust, as far as authority figures, are the religious leaders. And you know what their point of view is.

Thank you. For a while there was a marine in Afganistan who was collecting empty plastic medicine bottles for a hospital there. But once he was deployed elsewhere I didn't know what to do with them. That is why I thought there must be some way we can get some of the basic needs of institutions like schools and hospitals rather than individual citizens. I know that can cause problems when one family has more than another. So I will keep looking for someone with the right connections. Thanks again.