Watching Fox News in the early morning hours of April 9, seeing the Abrams tanks, Bradley vehicles and Humvees of our Marines rolling into central Baghdad surrounded by cheering, jubilant Iraqis brought tears of joy to my eyes and an immediate sense of deja vu from the days of my teenage years in war-torn Nazi Germany.

It was in the early morning hours of April 8, 1945, when Sherman tanks, Studebaker trucks, half-tracks and jeeps of General William Simpson’s Ninth U.S. Army rolled into our small German town of Samswegen near Magdeburg on the Elbe River.

Although initially coming as conquerors, the Americans very quickly were perceived and acted as liberators from a totalitarian, barbaric and genocide Hitler regime.

That early spring day was truly one of the happiest days in my life, making possible many more future “happiest” events.

What stands out most vividly in my memory is the remarkable basic decency and humanity displayed by the American GIs during World War II.

This very same attitude is shown today by our military men and women, as well as our British, Australian and Polish allies toward the Iraqi population.

Our commander in chief, George W. Bush, our brave military men and women and – last not least – our country and its values make us all proud to be citizens of America, the greatest country on earth.

In the words of the liberated Iraqi people: “Thank you Mr. Bush, Mr. Bush is good. Thank you America!”

Klaus D. Kuck, Lewiston

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