Ninth+Grade+Perspectives

This book gives me such a great perspective of what is going on in the war. It shows how the marines are feeling and what they do. If people would know more about the war and why we are there, then maybe they would not be so ignorant with the comments they make about the war. If people were more educated about the war we would have better politicians and less questions we want answered.Lmt //I'm curious about what comments you're referring to. Could you share a "for instance" to make this comment more clear? What have you learned about why the US is in Iraq?// -- mwm

-As a high school student, I can honestly say, I know very little about the current war happening today. Just because we are teenagers doesn’t mean we aren’t citizens of the United States. We should have the right to know what’s going on. I can speak for many when I say the only thing I knew then was how high the prices of gas were. It’s interesting to learn about the current events, and that could help teenagers like me enjoy going to school everyday. lrh Students should know about the current conflict in the Middle East. The schools should educate students about the war because a lot of people don’t know a lot of detail that goes on. They just might think that there are American soldiers shooting at Iraqi soldiers and Iraqi soldiers shooting at American soldiers all day long. Before I read this book and listened to the people who came in to talk to us that is what I thought the war was. Now I know what really happens and a lot more details about the sacrifices of the military. Eab But Lieutenant Kopelman can’t help it. He automatically falls in love with Lava. The dog brings him comfort and affection. Lava makes him feel like he can still have human-like feelings even during the war and destruction. ELH

Lava shows Kopelman love and affection that he hasn’t had since he has arrived in Fallujah. I understand how he must feel not having anyone to love for so long. Lava brings him comfort and reminds him of how it was back in the states. CML

The book __From Baghdad with Love__ is so good! It is so detailed, and you can just picture things in your mind, and get a full effect of the war. Reading this book is a great educational experience because it teaches you things about the war, which people should know about. Reading this book has really affected me and changed my thoughts on the war. E.A.P //From what to what? I'm curious! -- mwm//

__From Baghdad with Love__ is full of caring people who work hard for each other. We see Kopelman working hard to make arrangements for Lava. Bonnie is working from her Military Mascots group to help Jay. Sam is getting the documents for Lava’s health vaccine. They all come together and help each other out whenever someone is in need. They work together well and have great communication. This is the quality that our teenagers will need to solve the controversy in the Middle East. It’s going to be our job to make the world peaceful again. CES

In the book From //Baghdad with Love// I love how this little puppy makes a hard tough soldier just seem so real. It makes him seem more human and it gives him a soft side that they don’t want people in the military to have very much of. I love how not only Jay has this soft side around Lava, but everyone that Lava goes around, soldiers, Anne, everyone. It is just amazing how much power just a tinny little puppy can have. Lava has Jay so wrapped up that he will do anything, talk to anyone just to get him home as soon as possible. This book just makes me wonder, if it is this hard to get a tiny puppy over seas just imagine how hard it would be to create whole new communities, schools, arrange elections, build buildings and just basically make a whole new better and safer life for the people of Baghdad. //A very good observation. And Baghdad is only one city in an entire country!// -- mwm

Freshman KLAF

__From Baghdad, With Love__ is entertaining, easy to read, and informational. The book tells of events that have happened in the past few years. It can bring a sense of joy and hope to those who read it. It tells of how something as small as a puppy can give the soldiers the will to fight for what is important. It may show some people what is really going on over in Iraq. It can inform those who have been misled by the media about what is truly going on across seas. Kmk //And what do you say that is? --mwm//

//From Baghdad with Love// has made me look at the war in a new perspective. It has shown me all the soldiers sacrifice to keep the country safe. By the soldiers caring for Lava as they do shows me that their full hearts and mind is into helping everything they can no matter what or who it may be. The relationship that Jay and Lava formed can teach us a lot about how you may have to sacrifice a lot but you are awarded in the end. MC //I'm not too sure what your 2nd sentence means? what do you see as the "award" that Jay achieves?// -- mwm

If you read __From__ __Baghdad____, with Love__ you will come out with a new insight of what soldiers go through on a daily basis. I know that people already see what the soldiers go through in the news but after actually reading what they do, you see it is really tough and stressful. In the book you see that there is a lot of caring people who are fighting for us and who are fighting for the people in Baghdad for a better life. -ANC

We as students should know about the conflict in the Middle East. The Iraqi War should be taught in schools, because there are troops fighting in the war and they need our support. When reading the e-mail titled //You’ve Been in// //Iraq// //Too Long If…//, on page 75, I thought of how used to the violence the troops are. This means that the soldiers are exposed so much explosions and gun-shots that is isn’t out of the ordinary; as it would be for us. If one is educated on the war, they would have more of a desire to help out because they know about the conditions in Iraq. Without students being educated in school, few kids will take the initiative to learn about the war on their own time. -AS //You make some good points. In what way can students "help out"? --mwm//

In the novel __From Baghdad with Love,__ Lt. Col. Kopelman finds an abandoned puppy in Fallujah. He falls in love with this puppy and all he does is think about how to keep him safe and keep him healthy; he treats him as if he were his own child. Lt. Col. Kopelman is always finding different ways to get Lava into the states safely but not many people want to help him because they do not want to be involved. Reflecting on this tale I realize how much the Lava Dogs and Lt. Col. risk trying to get Lava home. CJR //In your opinion, is it worth all the effort? --mwm//

-Hearing about all of the experiences of a soldier in the Iraq war is very shocking. It hurts to know exactly what they go through on a daily basis, though it is good to hear the positive aspects such as Lava and Lt. Colonel Kopelman. It’s hard for us students to get into the news and listen to every detail of the war. If we really knew what it was like, we’d care a whole lot more. TDP //So, are you suggesting that it's possible for you to learn what it's like, or not possible? --mwm//

-When I think of the word “war” many things come to mind. I picture it in a barren field with lots of dust and random cannons going off with many explosions. Humvees will pass you going about 100 miles per hour. I realize this isn’t right because Iraq is home of many people. I could never even imagine living in the conditions that they do and falling asleep to noises of explosives. CG //An excellent point that often gets lost in our understanding of the war. Thanks for pointing this out. --mwm//

What we are doing in Iraq is a good thing because we’re trying to help them achieve freedom and trying to improve their lives. When people over here say things like “all we’re trying to do is help them and they attack us” they really aren’t thinking about why the Iraqis might feel that way. They are scared, and when we came over there they saw us as strange and foreign people who did not speak their language or really even know much about their culture. We frightened them with are sudden “move” into their homes. If someone one day just showed up around your house and didn’t leave after a week or so you would probably think they were a threat too. We just have to remember that there is a reason for everything and just because we don’t always know what it is doesn’t make it insignificant. **THE** //Hmm -- you make a good point. I'd definitely feel that I was threatened if someone showed up around my house, bombed my city and didn't leave for several years. -- mwm//

I feel that by reading this book and being informed on what is going on in Iraq, we can try to come together as a family to really help out. We can let the soldiers over seas know how much we care about them and try to bring the same amount of joy to their faces as a little puppy can. Lava has touched the hearts of the new family he has gained and caused every one of the soldiers to have a different outlook of war and life. I find it so amazing that a puppy can be the one to remind a solider of the ones he or she is fighting for. MEF

In __From__ __Baghdad____, With Love__ Lieutenant Colonel Jay Kopelman has a very loving relationship with Lava because he reminds him of home. Lava comforts him and lets him forget about all the terrible things that are going on over there. If this little puppy can help him and his fellow marines escape for just a little while; imagine what they other puppies could do for other marines. If every camp was allowed a puppy or dog, the marines fighting over there would feel just a little more comforted. I feel that they should let the marines have at least a little comfort while fighting for or country. ml //So whyt do you think there's a regulation that prohibits dogs?// //--mwm//