U.S. Soldiers Share Christmas with Afghan people

By Pauline J. Chang, Christian Post Reporter
Friday, December 24, 2004

Although away from home, the U.S. soldiers of Task Force Pirate were able to share Christmas joy and blessings away from the field, Friday, Dec. 24, 2004. Flying over to Jagdalek, Afghanistan on the morning of Christmas eve, Task Force Pirate members organized a cultural exchange with Afghan people and distributed gifts among them.

In separate news, wounded soldiers in Iraq received a surprise visit from Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, who reminded them of the worthy cause behind their suffering: freedom.
``All I can say is, people basically want to be free," he said to cheers and applause in the refurbished brick and plaster Iraqi building in Fallujah, according to the news agencies, Christmas Eve.

On his secret 12 hour flight from Washington, Rumsfeld told the handful of reporters, “"The purpose of the trip is to thank the troops and wish them a merry Christmas."
There are currently 150,000 American troops stationed throughout Iraq.

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