A voice from Iraq

Lieutenant commander finds rewarding work amid war
By Alan Burke
THE SALEM NEWS (SALEM, Mass.)

SALEM, Mass. — In the midst of the bitter war in Iraq, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Hobie Saunders is surrounded by children.

"They have no fear of us and love to interact," he said. "When we are out on a mobile patrol, the children will come running out of their houses to see us go by. They will stand there with their parents waving or ... hoping to catch a candy or a toy."

In Al Anbar Province, "the Wild West" of Iraq, Saunders, 48, works with U.S. Marines to train Iraqi soldiers. A Peabody, Mass., resident, born in Ipswich, Mass., he attended St. John's Prep in Danvers, Mass., and American International College in Springfield, Mass.

When he tosses treats to the kids, sometimes those goodies come from VFW Post 1011 in Peabody, where Cmdr. Manny Raymond leads an effort to collect cash, clothes and toys for Iraqis.

Such gestures have a positive impact.

"Even the simple things we take for granted, like a flashlight or a stuffed toy can make an Iraqi very happy," Saunders said.

The truth of this increasingly unpopular war, for Saunders, is not reflected in headlines.

"Morale is high. My unit works night and day with the Iraqi soldiers," he said. "We see the results that our work has produced, and I am proud to have made a direct impact in the rebuilding of Iraq."

His region is "very stable. ... Many Iraqis have told me that they were taught to fear and dislike Americans during the old regime. Now this has all changed. They are very trusting of us. They associate Americans with safety and honesty. They know that Americans are here to help them. From where I stand, efforts are going very well in Iraq."

Saunders answered questions via e-mail. Assigned to the Marines as a liaison to the Navy, he's now a military adviser. A veteran of 25 years, even during "peacetime" Saunders saw combat situations in Somalia, Liberia, Panama and Haiti. He's served in both Iraq wars, spending three of the last five years there.

"We eat, sleep and breathe Iraqi," he said. "Our quarters are small plywood huts that can house up to 10 personnel." In the desert, winter is cold. "Ice will form on the rain puddles." And always there is the sand, sometimes blowing, sometimes hanging in the air, getting into everything.

"It's as fine as talc powder." Rain makes it clump together "in a thick, gooey muck" that sticks to boots, adding a pound to each. It's during winter rains, however, that Iraq begins to bloom.

"Terrain is flat, with hills spread out in some areas," Saunders said. "Along the Euphrates River, there are palm trees and grass. ... Sunsets and sunrises are beautiful here. The sun will appear as a large, orange orb, highlighting purple clouds in the sky."

Married with three children, Saunders has grown to know the Iraqis. Most earn about $10 a day raising sheep, growing vegetables or running small shops. His soldiers, both Sunnis and Shias, make $315 a month.

"As with any war-torn area, people need help getting back on their feet," he wrote. "School supplies, clothing, toys are all items that are needed." Saunders traces much of the poverty to years of neglect by Saddam Hussein. "A common sight is to see children playing in the trash piles or people picking through them."

Nonetheless, the locals are warm. "We are made to feel that we are part of the Iraqi family. We celebrate the religious holidays with the Iraqis. We enjoy feasting on roast lamb or goat with rice, along with hobbus (Iraqi flat bread), dates, yogurt and fruit."

Yet, this is a nation afflicted by violence | as seen in the plight of two interpreters, dubbed Jim and Yousif. "They wear the U.S. Marine Corps uniform and live (and) fight with us. ... Jim was captured by insurgents last year, tortured and held for five days. His dream is to become an American."

Both men have forsaken their families "for fear of endangering them." Saunders and his wife, Laurie, are sponsoring them for American citizenship. "They have sacrificed much for their country and for the U.S. Marines in the fight against terrorism. I would like to see the town of Peabody welcome them into the community if they are able to migrate to the United States."

As for those left behind, Saunders remains hopeful, which might have something to do with the instinctive optimism of the children he sees everywhere. He remembers, recently, a little girl. "I don't think she was more than 3 years old." She made herself known as the Americans passed through a checkpoint, offering a big smile and a big thumbs-up.

Alan Burke is a staff writer for the Salem (Mass.) News.

Ellie