Saturday

Election coverage in Ramadi continues with another article from embedded reporter Joseph Giordano of Stars and Stripes along with various other news sources. We continue to pray for Rory's safety in the next several days. Sometime after the election there is a possibility of him moving to a different location. More on that when OPSEC permits it.

News

Several of us have heard from Rory via email and phone in the past few days. Here's an update from Sarah. He had not received his birthday present that we all worked on just yet :( , but hopefully it will get there soon. Thanks again to everyone who participated.

Here's another article from Stars and Stripes about how the soldiers in Ramadi are preparing for the election. Though the voting in Iraq does not begin until Sunday, voting for expatriots around the world has already begun. Here's an article that talks about that and even here in California Iraqi citizens headed up to LA yesterday to cast their ballots.

Also, Iraqi newspapers published for the first time the names of some 7,000 National Assembly candidates, many of whose identities had been kept secret to protect them from assassination. The interim government will deploy an additional 2,500 troops to help guard the elections, the Defense Ministry said. A total of 300,000 Iraqi and multinational troops will provide security, with Iraq's U.S.-trained forces taking the lead role.

Rory, we continue to keep you in our thoughts and prayers!

News Updates

Our hearts go out to the soldiers that were lost today. I continue to be grateful that Rory is no longer on patrol. And prayers go out to him and all the soldiers that are there as this Sunday's election day approaches.

There is a new article out in Stars and Stripes about US troops helping locals get used to Iraqi forces. Also various news sources (SF Chronicle, BBC, World News, CNN) have reported that the Bush administration will be asking congress for approximately an additional $80 billion to fund the war in Iraq. I will refrain from editorial comment here as much as possible, but all I can say is that that I hope that money goes to keeping Rory safer until he comes home.

We love ya kid!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RORY!!!!!

Today is Rory's 22nd birthday! Wooo hooo!!! I hope you will all join me in wishing him the best for today and the upcoming year.

Ror, I'm sorry that we're not all together to celebrate today, but know that I am thinking about you and hope you have as good of a day as you can over there. I'm doing the birthday cha-cha for you.

Happy Birthday and lots of love!!!

-Simran