Happy Holidays from War Kids Relief

December Update 3

The morning after the December 15th elections I was contacted by an Iraqi friend of mine who wrote "If you ever doubt your time in Iraq just remember it was so I could have my purple finger today." This was a day we have long hoped would come – the elections in Iraq, reflecting the beginnings of a democracy that so many U.S. soldiers have helped to make possible. Nearly 70% of those eligible turned out to vote, during the last US Presidential election only an estimated 55% turned out to vote. Iraq's elections give me hope for their future, and more importantly gives them hope for their future.

War Kids Relief wants to be a positive part of that future as we move ahead into 2006. Before we get past the holidays I would like to give you an update on our progress.

Since its conception in the summer, War Kids Relief has made substantial progress in reaching our goal of helping the children of Iraq rebound and recover from the disruptive effects of war and give them hope for a better future than the one they would face otherwise.
We have worked closely with organizations such as the World Bank, USAID, the Iraqi Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs Child Welfare Council and countless other experts in the field of child development to develop a working model to assist the children in Iraq.

War Kids Relief has been featured on NBC Nightly News, CNN, Fox News, NPR and other media outlets as we spread the message that the children of Iraq are in need of help.

Much has been done, and much more still remains to be done.

In the first months of 2006, we will initiate the first assessment of Iraq orphanages since the war began. We will also begin to focus on the Network of Safe Havens by organizing the existing orphanages of the city, initiating support such as granting new rent payments and providing caretaker training in areas of first aid and counseling. These improvements will make the children's lives much happier and most importantly, safer. Additionally, we will begin reintegrating the children into families through the Family Program. This will provide the children the much-needed family environment where they will be able to attend public schools and be children again.

During an interview with BBC that aired just days ago, I spoke of my frustration, while in Iraq, about the poverty level, the kids living on the streets and the hope of the Iraqi people to just obtain a decent standard of living. My mission while in Baghdad was to help these people as best I could. This mission still continues here.

The next year is a critical time for Iraq, and War Kids Relief will be working hard to provide hope for the nation's children. By working closely with the emerging government we will provide the much needed support as veterans and victims forge a better future.

For more information on War Kids Relief, please visit the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF) homepage, (http://vvaf.org).

Scenes from the Election in Iraq

The following is a link to the Washington Post Article "Scenes - Election Day in Iraq" and it provides wonderful stories of individuals overwhelmed with pride for the right to vote.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/15/AR2005121501074.html

Notes from the Iraqi Election

The following link is to the USA Today artilce "Notes from the Iraqi Election" which provides a wonderful insight into the success of December 15th.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2005-12-15-iraq-election-notes_x.htm

Iraq Veterans on BBC

Check out Garrett Reppenhagen and I on BBC discussing the war in Iraq as veterans. Thanks.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4526718.stm#

Article on Iraqi children

The following is a link to a Washington Times article about Iraqi children written by Tulin Daloglu. It wonderfully describes the many issues the youth in Iraq face today.

http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20051212-094443-6022r.htm

Washington Post Article

The following is a link to a Washington Post article on the Iraq Parlimentary Elections. It is an easy to understand and simple explanation of the current elections.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/12/AR2005121200475.html?referrer=emailarticlepg

December Update 2

By following the headlines you will note that Iraq has come to another exteremly important milestone in its history. Through December 15th, Iraqis at home and abroad will vote for their new government under their newly approved constitution. Voter turnout over the next few days will be closely watched by the international community and may be used as a tool for measuring the affect of the war effort.

Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation and War Kids Relief will also be watching closely, hoping and praying for a safe election week as many of our Iraqi friends go to the polls. Election stations have been set up in the US, Sweden, England, Syria, Lebanon and other nations around the world. These folks will have it easy compared to those in Baghdad, Falluja, Basra, and other Iraq cities where voters fear suicide bombers, car bombers, and many other obstacles that could keep them from dipping their finger in ink and weighing in on the future of their nation. The Iraqi government and US Forces have implemented border shutdowns, curfews, checkpoints, and other deterrents. This makes it very difficult for humanitarian organizations to work during these times as many have pulled into safe zones to watch the election.

We are also watching this election closely because it will determine the people we work with in the Iraqi Ministries over the next several years. The goal for War Kids Relief is to create a program that will become part of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs Child Welfare Council to support the abandoned children. It is increasingly important that our efforts are both supported and participated in by the government to increase the sustainability of our efforts and provide the best hope for the Iraqi children.

There is an estimated 15 million registered voters in this week’s election (1.5 million residing outside of Iraq). Even Sadaam Hussein will have the opportunity to cast a vote for the government that is replacing his oppressive regime. War Kids Relief wishes that each voter will have a safe experience in expressing their hope for a better future.

For more information on War Kids Relief, please visit the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF) homepage, (http://vvaf.org).

December Update 1

War Kids Relief has received a wonderful welcome as the response from both the NBC Nightly News feature as well as CNN Sunday Morning has been fantastic. It was slightly overwhelming and took weeks to respond to the numerous emails, but we are finally back on track.

It amazes me how many people are interested in adopting an Iraqi orphan and trying to bring joy to a child in need. Unfortunately War Kids Relief is not handling international adoption as we are working to reintegrated the children into local families in Iraq. The current Iraqi Government's policy does not allow for international adoption, and War Kids Relief will work in those parameters. There are many organizations who do work toward international adoption from countries like Ukraine, China, and more for those who are interested.

The last few weeks in Iraq have been both violent difficult as the country moves closer to the December 15th election and as insurgents have kidnapped numerous "westerners." It is important to acknowledge that the Sunni minority is trying desperately to become part of the political process as they know that is the future of the country. As noted in a recent NY Times Article, these Sunni politicians are caught in a desperate situation and they work towards becoming part of the new government, while under constant threat by the insurgents. Many are being attacked, kidnapped, or even killed for "crossing the line" and entering into the political process. Hopefully, next weeks elections will show that they are doing the right thing as Sunnis turn out in great numbers to vote.

War Kids Relief is attempting to move forward through the chaos as we have recently introduced our efforts to the United Nations as well as the highest levels of the Department of Defense. I met with the UN in New York last week and hope to open new doors that will gain us the support necessary to move forward with our model. The meeting was successful and I hope it leads to more in the near future.

A few weeks ago, while sitting in the Green Room at CNN, I was able to meet Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and General Pace and introduce them to War Kids Relief. They were quite responsive to our efforts and I hope it will lead to another meeting within the Department of Defense. As an military veteran, it is increasingly important that the military both knows and assists in our efforts. More importantly, we hope in the future to change policy so that engaging the youth becomes an critical aspect to nation building and battling extremists. Of the BILLIONS of dollars Americans are currently spending in Iraq ZERO has been allocated for youth development.

Children are the future, and War Kids Relief is working towards making their future a brighter one. Please stay tuned as we will be increasing our blogging in an effort to raise both the interest and attention needed to make these changes.

For more information on War Kids Relief, please visit the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF) homepage, (http://vvaf.org).