experienced over one hundred years ago. It is a building with clean rooms, tables, chairs and clean water so they don’t get sick.”



While most statues and portraits of Saddam Hussein have been defaced, removed or replaced, reminders of the conflict still abound. On many streets, however, life is improving visibly for ordinary people. The streets are far cleaner than a few weeks ago, and on several roadsides, workers in blue overalls make repairs and lay new drainage pipes. Freshly painted blue-and-white police cars, each with a distinctive number emblazoned on the side, are a common sight, as are traffic police. Snyder said, “We need to be focused on what is in the best interest of national security in the United States. Iraq needs to be a Democratic government. It isn’t a matter of fixing a water pump; it’s a matter of getting the schools, hospitals, roads and electricity functioning effectively.”



Snyder’s insights corroborated the latest news from Iraq: families are venturing onto the streets even as dusk approaches. In previous months, only men would brave the risks of robbery or shootings as darkness neared. While the streets appear more relaxed, the coalition has reinforced security around key installations. Power supply has been far more regular in recent weeks, with periods of blackout far shorter than periods of steady electricity.



By the end of the year, the U.S. armed forces will be supplied with the interceptor vest that can stop an AK-47 bullet. Humvee vehicles will also get additional metal insulation to further protect our troops.



When asked about Lt. Gen. Sanchez, Snyder said the readers of ¡Hola! Arkansas would be interested to know that he meet with Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, who is in charge of the U.S. ground armed forces in Iraq. Snyder said of Lt. Gen. Sanchez, that he is “highly respected, a straightforward guy, very smart, very committed and overall just a likeable person.”



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