To the Editor:
I enjoyed reading the Nov. 12 article "Prof. reflects on summer of aid work in Karbala," by Jenn Buck. I spent six months in Karbala as a Marine Civil Affairs Officer; I was called up from the reserves. I respect the sacrifices Mr. Reinhart made helping the citizens of Karbala, and can testify to the impoverished conditions of southern Iraq, specifically Karbala. Reading the article reminded me of the sadness I felt on a daily basis driving around the city and seeing the results of the Baath Regime. The media seem focused on the high visibility stories that occur in Iraq, but fail to report on the decades of atrocities that occurred and are currently being documented. I would encourage all your readers to take time and research what occurred in Iraq since the late '70s and embrace Mr. Reinhart's spirit of sacrifice. All politics aside, Iraq is a better place than it has been for the last few decades. Just ask any citizen of Karbala.
