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Lee soldier humbled by thanks of Iraqis

Nov- 8-2004 » Filed Under: Iraq News

It's not clear from the article whether this Marine reservist is part of Task Force Olympia, but he operates in the Mosul region and has some very interesting experiences to share.

[Link to Full Article]
By Derek Gentile, Berkshire Eagle Staff

LEE -- Vivien Cord of Armonk, N.Y., acknowledges that she knows James Pow only by the beautiful, flower-petal designs he shows at the arts and crafts shows she runs in New York and Connecticut.

But a few months ago, Pow, a 45-year-old Marine reservist-turned-craftsman, told Cord and her husband, Ed, that he was being sent overseas to Iraq.

"I said to him, 'Please, keep in touch,' " recalled Vivien Cord. "It was a little unsettling." [...]

Pow kept his promise to Cord. Last Monday, he sent them a long e-mail about his life in Iraq since early July. Vivien Cord agreed to share the message with The Eagle.

"I thought his words to us offered a valuable peek into the life we don't hear about in the news," Cord said. "I loved how he responded. Perhaps people who know Jim will appreciate this opportunity." [...]

Pow describes a world of "freakish" violence, in which fellow soldiers often die, contrasted with scenes of children who shyly cadge cookies from him while herding their animals.

"I am presently near the Syrian border," Pow wrote, "west of Mosul near the city of Tal Afar. I work with Kurdish peshmerga soldiers to protect the people here from attack. There is a lot of fighting in the north, especially in the city of Mosul, and we have our share in this area, too.

"My peshmerga soldiers and I are out on patrol every day and night. My present duties give me a much better opportunity to meet many more Iraqi people than the average GI. Some days, I see no Americans for many hours. I live, eat and serve with Iraqi soldiers every moment. I have learned to speak Kurdish very well and do okay in Arabic.

"I have met so many nice Iraqi people. To hear their humble thanks to our country for giving them a chance at a future of freedom is moving. They all know there [will be] a few tough years ahead before the terror and chaos ends. All with whom I speak want a better life. For most, their biggest fear is that America will leave too soon.

Read the rest...


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