Correspondence from 18-year-old soldier before death in Iraq

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.sunspot.net/news/nationworld/bal-letters0126,0,4967085.story?coll=bal-nationworld-headlines

To My Beloved Parents George and Diana Mihalakis,

If you are reading this, then that should mean only one thing; our family is enduring one of the most painful things we have ever seen. Sometime before reading this letter, you got word that I gave the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty as a Military Police Officer in the United States Army. All in the name of protecting and defending the world's greatest nation, The United States of America.

I can promise you that I would not give my life for any other cause and that I am honored to have been able to make such a sacrifice to protect my family and the many families like us, throughout the country. Everyone sooner or later has to part this world. It makes me proud to know that I left while protecting the United States.

Eighteen is such a young age, and you're probably thinking of all the things that I'm going to miss out on. Don't. I got to live such a wonderful life because of you two, and because of that I don't regret missing anything that would later come in the future.

In August of 2002, when I first brought the idea of joining the Army to your attention, I knew it was the right decision. I can promise you, that as I took my last breath, I still in no way regretted the decision I made. You both hesitated early on about my decision.

[WiltedFlowerChild]

1. The True Face of War

I'm sitting here with tears in my eyes. Such a tragic waste. Such love expressed for parents and country. Such compassion for the Iraqi people. So much pain.

And I can't get my own 16 year old son's optimistic, gentle face out of my head.

[Qanisqineq]

2. Too bad Bush doesn't even care

With my husband in Iraq for the last 9 months, all this death and the thought of losing him puts everything in perspective.

[Skittles]

7. Tolania

I am welcoming you to the DU. Bush doesn't care, but we do. You will find support here.

[otohara]

3. This Sounds Like Army Wrote

don't mean to sound cruel, but does anybody doubt that the Army would fake a letter to an 18 year old parents?

[RamboLiberal]

4. It was written in March 2002 - retrieved from Kid's safety deposit box

I can believe it was written by an idealistic young kid about to head in to combat. I think to avoid bitterness many of these young soldiers and their families try to hang on to the thread that they are truly serving their country. I can't deny them that for now. I would think the letter was probably in the young man's handwriting.

Let them have this and don't turn everything in to a conspiracy.

[otohara]

5. Okay

I just don't trust the government and especially the military under Bush/Cheney & Rummy

[ixion]

6. if real, it's really very tragic

that a young mind can be brainwashed with such blind nationalism. I have nothing against self-defense, but Iraq and Afghanistan were not imminent threats, and therefore should have been dealt with through UN channels.

Really sad to see young people dying needlessly.

[WorldBuilder]

8. Tragic

I agree. There's a difference between self-defense and nationalist foreign policy. Bush sent these men & women into the meat grinder for no GOOD reason, and they, not him, are paying the ultimate price.

Chris

[indypaul]

9. Precisely why we need leaders

who have "walked the walk" and not ones who have simply
taken a walk when it was their time for military service
to their country. I can only pray that this young man
will rest in peace and his parents will find the strength
to persevere despite this tragic loss and find comfort in
the fact that their son's service to his country is
more appreciated by those who wish he was not in harms
way than by those who placed him there.