Why Soldiers Have to Buy Advertising Time to Explain the War
Reader Sara Kennedy writes:
I just wanted to let you know that I had a very interesting conversation last night with Patricia Macintosh. She is a flight attendant with Omni Airlines International which handles some of the transporting of soldiers from the US to Iraq. She is older, from Birmingham England (she has lived in the US for 30 years) and decided to take these flights after she retired.I was curious about her experience and I asked her about the flights. She immediately expressed her anger and frustration with what Americans did not know. She explained there were schools and sewer systems being built and soldiers going back tour after tour. She said she would do anything to get the word out because Americans just "don't have a clue." I explained that some of us do. She was obviously emotional over the media circus surrounding the war and it was clear this was discussed with the soldiers on these very long flights. She is very supportive and has been given letters and medals from some of the soldiers she has met. It was a captivating conversation. Even though I know the situation in Iraq is much better than I'm being told, it was still very emotional to hear first hand what has been going on in Iraq and with the soldiers. She is in Edina until March 1st when she leaves to go back to Iraq. She said she would be there now if she wasn't having minor health problems.
She also saved a young mother and her baby from drowning in our apartment complex pool. She is nearly 70, probably doesn't weigh more than 110 lbs. What a lady!
She'd better be careful, though, about expressing those "un-American" views, or the Democratic Party will start demanding that she shut up.
