RE: How many of you have children in Kuwait ECT.

[Mahaffey-Family]

 
I was just reading the post on families with more than 3 children.  It really made me  sad.  My 3 rd son is in Kuwait, he is 19 years old.  I miss him like crazy.  I have only heard from him once after he shipped.  Was just wondering if any of you had children over there.  It sure would be nice to chat with someone in my shoes.  Please don t feel sorry for me, because my son is doing what he wanted to do, and that is serve his Country.  He always said to me, " someone has to protect us, if no one wanted to be Soldiers who would be there to protect you" .

[birol]

 Mahaffey-Family
Hi,
 
 I do not have any children in Kuwait, or Middle East, but, I was in Saudi Arabia during the First Gulf war. My wife and our son, at that time our only child, left S.A.  with the last plane which left the country.
 
 Our house was only only a few miles away from the military air base in Riyadh, and one night I woke up to the sound of explosions, it was around 2 am in the morning, and I was afraid that there was a chemical bomb attack with the alarm sirens going full blast.
 
 I don t recall being that scared ever in my life. It is even difficult to write about it. I didn t have a gas mask, so I taped shut the bathroom doors, windows, took a small tv in with me and perspirated and expected to die as the explosions shook the house and it is a miracle that the windows did not shatter. After two hours of waiting in a bathroom with almost no air left, all clear was announced and I got out.
 
 This repeated several times over the next weeks, sleepless nights, nighmares, Scuds flying over our head, patriot missiles streaking up to the sky, catching them up, exploding, a dozen of them sometimes, the scud missle falling somewhere into the city, followed by a huge explosion. God knows how many innocent people died and was never known at that time. I saw some of the buildings demolished with my owne yes, it was not a nice sight,a  feeling still carry with me, the smell of death .......
 
 After the war, there were stilll a huge amount of American soldires in the eastern coastal city of Dhahran, and we visited the city, saw three US soldiers, young, 19 or 20 tops, My first thougths were, if it weren t for these guys, what was really going to happen, would we be alive ? safe ? where would the Iraqee (sp?) army stop ?
 
 Talked with them for a few minutes, and took a picture of all three of them, holding our son, 1 year old, and we still have that picture. For me, those soldiers were doing what brave and courageous people would do ! They were there for the good of the people, and they did a hell of a good job of it !
 
 I hope your son will not have to fight, but if he has to, we are all proud of him !  
 
 My prayers are with your family and your son and all the soldiers serving their country.  I hope all of them come back safe and sound, proud of themselves  for serving their country !
 
 
 Birol

[Mahaffey-Family]

 Mahaffey-Family
Thank you very much for your story.  I am very happy that your family is safe.  With what you have said, that explains my son s views on this Country.  May God be with each and everyone of us,  Thank you for your prayers.

[Turn Key]

 Mahaffey-Family
I can say nothing but this; I m proud of your son and am praying for his safe return.

[dee106]

 Mahaffey-Family
my nephew is in the marines, he was over there for the first round with " ben."  His unit secured the airport, was there for six months, now they are loading up again to go back for this crap. and if the draft goes in my only child my son will have to go to. Its easier to except them going to get the B,,,,,,, who bombed our country and took so many from us, but its hard to except them going over for oil rights! and to get rid of a pain in the butt that won t play by the " rules"

[sandykayak]

 Mahaffey-Family
Now, if you had said, " How many of you HAD children in Kuwait?"  I could answer: Moi.  My son, who is now 30, was born there.
 
 In fact he was fed so up with the ritual " Where were you orn?"   " Kuwait."  " Where s that?"   that during the Gulf War he said, " Well, at least they now know where Kuwait is!"
 
 We were with the British Embassy from about 1970- to early 1973.  
 
 One day, as we drove around the sea front we saw camouflaged Kuwaiti tanks: they were in preparation for a supposed attack from Iraq.  So, you see, Sadaam had been planning that takeover for years.