Madam, - The other day I was enjoying the comfort of my home when I looked out the kitchen window and saw my old friend the cherry tree in the backyard.
A half-century ago, my mother baked a cherry pie and I threw some cherry seeds into a flower garden in the backyard. The cherry tree has grown from a tender shoot into a sturdy tree that has weathered many storms through the years and now graces the backyard with its lofty presence.
While I was admiring the cherry tree, my thoughts returned to my recent tour as a soldier in Baghdad. I recalled with honour the night I stood guard in a watchtower when the democratic elections took place in Iraq. The view from the watchtower was of barbed wire and abandoned buildings.
Late at night, a sniper fired a bullet that just missed me by inches. My close call with death made me realise that the American mission to plant the seeds of democracy in Iraq is a noble, but dangerous undertaking.
Those who opposed freedom, justice and equality will not give up their power and privilege without a fight. They will trample underfoot the seeds of democracy at every opportunity.
However, with the passage of time, freedom, justice and equality will take root in the hearts and minds of the people. The seeds of democracy will flower and bear fruit when the time is ripe for change.
Armed with hope and courage, the people of Iraq overcame fear and repression to vote for candidates of their choice. The future of Iraq is now in the hands of the democratic majority. - Yours, etc,
Sgt. RILEY KING, Corvallis, Oregon, USA.