Hi Thomas,
For years I have contributed to DAV and PVA and other troop supporters.
I just received a thank you postcard from one of the men who is hospitalized and recovering after being injured by enemy fire overseas.  The crafts kit
he received helped him during his recovery. 
Our men need to know we care whether we agree with the war or not.  They
need our support in any way we can give it.
Thank you so much Thomas for your article.
Your friend,
BarbaraC.

Thank you Barbara, being born to a hippie mom and a father who is a war vet i have always had different opinions of war and what to defend for protection, being a disciple of Christ i saw 9/11 that not only changed my view on a better understanding as to why we have wars but it also cut me down as a whole, as 52 states were in jeopardy, angry i am not, compassionate i am, i will defend anyone who fights for there countrys integrity 24/7 to resolve, to find a solution for the betterment of there countrys, i will defend. I give our troops so much more support for what i understand now. God_bless you Barbara and thank you for your support.

President Bush has called on Congress to pass a bill to provide additional funds for troops in Iraq without setting what he called an arbitrary date of withdrawal.

At the White House Monday, Mr. Bush said Congress has two weeks before members leave town for the holidays to complete a year's worth of unfinished business.

He said some in Congress are withholding funding for the troops because they want to substitute their judgment for that of military commanders.

He vowed to veto any "irresponsible" spending bill Congress sends him.

Congressional Democrats want to link $50 billion in additional war funding to the goal of withdrawing U.S. combat troops from Iraq by the end of next year.

Mr. Bush also called on Congress to renew anti-terrorism legislation that allows U.S. intelligence agencies to monitor phone calls without court permission if they involve a suspected terrorist and one party in the call is outside the United States.

The president also urged Congress to act on a measure to limit the tax burden for Americans, saying the longer the delay continues, the longer Americans will have to wait for tax refunds.

A holiday toy drive for children of U.S. soldiers serving overseas kicked off Saturday at Arden Fair mall with wish lists that remember Mom and Dad, too.

Organizers launched Operation Christmas for Our Troops IV, an annual collection of toys and monetary donations for military families in the Sacramento area. Supporters rallied at the campaign headquarters, a 10-by-12-foot shed where volunteer Rodney Stanhope, "Santa's military elf," is camping out in the parking lot to collect donations from shoppers and passers-by through Dec. 21.

Volunteers are seeking new, unwrapped toys that will be sorted, checked against recall lists and distributed to local military families, Stanhope said. Cash donations will be used to buy grocery cards for families.

In addition, the group is seeking music CDs and movie or television DVDs to send to U.S. troops abroad, Stanhope said. The discs may be new or used.

"Anything from 'Gone with the Wind' to 'Pirates of the Caribbean,' from Celine Dion to Snoop Dogg," said Stanhope, a Navy veteran. "The troops have the same range of tastes that people at home do."

Donations also may be made at the state Capitol, where the California Legislature is co-sponsoring the campaign. The kickoff Saturday drew several lawmakers, including Assembly members Dave Jones and Roger Niello, state Sen. Darrell Steinberg and Rancho Cordova Mayor David Sander.

Stanhope, 40, works for a company that "sells all the cool stuff you see on late-night TV and state fairs," he said. He hopes to attract attention and donations for the toy drive by living around the clock in a donated wooden shed near the Cheesecake Factory restaurant in Market Square at Arden Fair. The Spartan quarters are furnished with a cot and sleeping bag, laptop computer and TV set.

"It draws people down here," said Stanhope, who also lived in a shed in the mall parking lot during last year's holiday drive. "People want to see if I'm really spending the night here and surviving the cold nights.

"It can get pretty cold," he added, "but it's nothing compared to what the troops are going through over there."

He gave a tour of his shed Saturday to Shannon and John Bliss and their children, 4-year-old Emma and 2-year-old Noah. The family dropped in on their way to shop for themselves at the Toys "R" Us store.

"We wanted to see what they were collecting so we could help," Shannon Bliss said. "We have children ourselves, so we know how hard it is for families."

Sacramento organizers hope to exceed last year's campaign, which collected $10,000 in donations and 20,000 toys, Stanhope said. For information about the toy drive, call Stanhope at (916) 410-0599.

Operation Christmas for our Troops IV is organized by Yellow Ribbon America, a nationwide, grass-roots group that supports efforts to help local families of troops serving overseas. Information is available on the Internet at www.yellowribbonamerica.org.