* In Iraq, isn’t it true that . . .

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In Iraq, isn’t it true that . . .

Tue, 07/25/2006 - 4:34pm

By: Letters to the ...

I have a good deal of respect for our local paper and am hoping that you can answer some questions for me.

Isn’t it true that 25 Iraq students departed for the United States in January 2005 for the reestablished Fulbright program?

Isn’t it true that the Iraqi Navy is operational? They have five 100-foot patrol craft, 34 smaller vessels and a naval infantry regiment.

Isn’t it true that Iraq’s current Air Force consists of three operational squadrons, which includes nine reconnaissance and three US C-130 transport aircraft (under Iraqi operational control) which operate day and night, and will soon add 16 UH-1 helicopters and four Bell Jet Rangers?

Isn’t it true that Iraq has a counter-terrorist unit and a commando battalion?

Isn’t it true that the Iraqi Police Service has over 55,000 fully trained and equipped police officers?

Isn’t it true that it’s safer to walk the streets in Baghdad then those of Washington, D.C.?

Isn’t it true that there are five police academies in Iraq that produce over 3,500 new officers each eight weeks?

Isn’t it true that there are more than 1,100 building projects going on in Iraq? They include 364 schools, 67 public clinics, 15 hospitals, 83 railroad stations, 22 oil facilities, 93 water facilities and 69 electrical facilities.

Isn’t it true that 96 percent of Iraqi children under the age of 5 have now received the first two series of polio vaccinations?

Isn’t true that 4.3 million Iraqi children were enrolled in primary school by mid-October?

Isn’t it true that there are 1,192,000 cell phone subscribers in Iraq and phone use has gone up 158 percent?

Isn’t it true that Iraq has an independent media that consists of 75 radio stations, 180 newspapers and 10 television stations?

Isn’t true that 47 countries have reestablished their embassies in Iraq?

Isn’t it true that the Iraqi government currently employs 1.2 million Iraqi people?

Isn’t it true that 3,100 schools have been renovated, 364 schools are under rehabilitation, 263 schools are now under construction and 38 new schools have been built in Iraq?

Isn’t it true that Iraq’s higher educational structure consists of 20 universities, 46 institutes or colleges and four research centers, all currently operating?

Isn’t it true that the Baghdad Stock Exchange opened in June of 2004?

Isn’t it true that two candidates in the Iraqi presidential election had a televised debate recently?

Isn’t it true that instead of reflecting our love for our country, we get photos of flag-burning incidents at Abu Ghraib and people throwing snowballs at the presidential motorcades?

The lack of accentuating the positive in Iraq serves two purposes. It is intended to undermine the world’s perception of the United States, thus minimizing consequential support, and it is intended to discourage American citizens.

When will we get correspondents with enough honesty and courage to give us the whole picture of what is happening in Iraq?

David Hedlund
Newnan, Ga.

Smells like Victory

Submitted by bladderq on Wed, 07/26/2006 - 11:17am.

Great. Let's declare victory & Support Our Troops...Bring'm Back Alive.

In Iraq No. II

Submitted by Sailon on Wed, 07/26/2006 - 11:11am.

David: Usually those who just want to look at good stuff in a situation like Iraq and Afghanistan (or just as much good as bad) do not have anyone there that they know, to be maimed or killed. They have the philosophy that if their political beliefs are being met that any means justifies a POSSIBLE end. Nearly 3000 dead and nearly 20,000 maimed doesn't register with them very much. This has been going on now going on Five (5), Cinco, years, for goodness sake. I think many of such people would let it go to 20,000 dead and 140,000 wounded! Mistakes should be able to be recognized from 2001 until now.

Let every nation know

Submitted by ArmyMAJretired on Wed, 07/26/2006 - 12:07pm.

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty. - John F. Kennedy

Boy times sure have changed! Maybe they haven't. After this man was killed his successors bowed to public pressure and abandoned Vietnam. The result, there were almost twice as many casualties in Southeast Asia (primarily Cambodia) the first two years after the fall of Saigon in 1975 then there were during the ten years the U.S. was involved in Vietnam.

Do you really want that to happen again?

Again?

Submitted by bladderq on Wed, 07/26/2006 - 12:22pm.

Let's back up. I think that great liberal thinker Gen. Ike warned to stay out of any land war in Asia. Think he was remembering Vinegar Joe's experience. Recommended reading would be Paul Vann, Fire in the Lake & for laughs Dispatches. Since you may have been there you might find it enlightening how the whole experience was doomed going all the way back to when Uncle Ho tried to meet with Wilson. They weren't Commie Pinkos...they were Nationalist. Think we will be successful in a "balkanized" country such as Irag? There is no nation nor has there ever been. Support the Troops...Bring'm Back Alive or send the Bush twins.

No way to win this

Submitted by bad_ptc on Wed, 07/26/2006 - 12:38pm.

We’re not the world’s police.

I said it once before; this war is akin to the war on drugs. There is no way to win it with killing one another.

This is a war of ideologies. Someone better realize, and soon, that Muslims out number all other religious beliefs world wide. Do we plan on killing them all?

It’s going to take a shift in doctrine to effect any kind of “change”.

Amen

Submitted by bladderq on Wed, 07/26/2006 - 12:45pm.

This country needs a BIG paradim shift in fighting both wars (drug & world policing) that we are obviously LOSING. Wait...Where is Bomb them back to the "Stone Age LeMay" when we need him? Too bad Cheney has a bad heart.

The only thing we have to fear

Submitted by ArmyMAJretired on Wed, 07/26/2006 - 1:42pm.

You are right about the BIG paradigm shift, but in the WRONG direction. Maybe instead of playing politics with our national security, the party of NO (Democrats) might try getting on board against Islamofascists that want us all dead. Instead of attacking the President from everything from Katrina (Local and State Bluders galore)to Lebanon start attacking Iran and Syria.

The party of Roosevelt sure has dishonored itself with the likes of Dick Durbin and John Murtha "supporting the troops" the way they do.

Yes a BIG paradigm shift is needed indeed. Back to the days of Victory and Unconditional Surrender!

Instead of the Clinton way to engage terrorists by shooting a few cruise missles, they are in a fight for their lives in THEIR backyard, not ours. The best defense is a good offense. Step back and let grown ups handle our defense!

So much for intelligent conversation with you, Maj.

Submitted by kevin king on Fri, 08/04/2006 - 7:40am.

ArmyMaj: This is an absolutely PATHETIC post that does NOTHING to effect actual solutions. No honest and/or sane person on the planet is saying Iraq is going or has gone well. You can criticize Murtha, a great American, from your arm chair, all you want. But who has more CREDIBILITY in Washington? The men you voted for or Jack? Which of these people sacrificed and served in the line of fire?

A: Hastert
B: Cheney
C: Bush
D: Rove
E: Murtha
F: Wolfowitz
G: Rumsfeld

H: Questions? Hu?

AF MAJ STILL WORKING Kevin King

intelligent conversation

Submitted by snark on Fri, 08/04/2006 - 8:37am.

So much for intelligent conversation

You can hardly blame that on the Major. I suspect it's a problem that plagues you.

AF MAJOR

Submitted by ArmyMAJretired on Fri, 08/04/2006 - 8:08am.

Are you still on active duty stupid?

If so quit and join the DNC, Air America, Moveon.org or the ACLU.

The last time I checked the military was supposed to be apolitical.
Kinda like don't ask, don't tell.

You accuse me of being partisan, you are a yellow dog, kool aid drinking poster boy for the appeasement party.

Who pissed in your wheaties this morning?

Arging with you is like wrestling with a pig. everyone gets dirty and the pig loves it. Why don't you and your lap dog bASSmanti go make out somewhere and stop annoying people.

Still got that pre-9/11 mindset, ArmyMajRetad?

Submitted by Basmati on Fri, 08/04/2006 - 8:15am.

The military is supposed to be apolitical? It's a new day, buddy! Remember the Bush regime had Marines in their dress blues at a number of campaign events in the 2004 election. They make such kewl political props!!

(But it's okay if you're a Republican, right?)

BTW, didja see how that group "Vets For Truth" showed up to picket Congressman Murtha yesterday? About 10-20 veterans showed up to try and shout him down. Murtha appealed for veterans who supported him to come to this event and he got somewhere between 100 and 200 vets to show up to support him.

You and your Swift Boat smearbuddies can go crawl back under the rocks you came from.

Murtha

Submitted by ArmyMAJretired on Fri, 08/04/2006 - 8:21am.

I hope the people of Pennsylvania send him home. I have NEVER attacked his service, but strongly disagree with his POLITICAL attack against our troops in the field, who should have the same presumption of innocence as a common criminal.

I know that alot has changed since I retired, but I think that active duty soldiers are still discouraged from publically attacking policy or elected officials. Most wait until retirement like Weasly Clark to get political.

Swift Boat Smear Buddies

Submitted by Git Real on Fri, 08/04/2006 - 8:19am.

You lost Basswipe. Let it go already. Look forward. Your side is winning because the masses are asses.

Thanks for your service Major. Okay....same to you kev.

Major King

Submitted by Basmati on Fri, 08/04/2006 - 7:59am.

I got quite a chuckle out of your attempt to engage our own ArmyMajRetad in intelligent conversation.

He won't be online here until after he's gotten his daily talking points from "Fox & Friends". In any event, his lack of maturity causes him to take any political position different than his own as a personal affront.

Keep in mind that this guy is someone who advocates taking no prisoners in a time of war (*coughWarCrime*cough) and also enthusiastically endorses torture.

Small wonder the U.S. Army deemed him unfit for battalion command.

Why is it?

Submitted by Git Real on Fri, 08/04/2006 - 8:11am.

That Jasmine Rice tastes great and Bamati Rice gives folks the s#!+s?

Bwaahaahaaaa!

Submitted by christi on Fri, 08/04/2006 - 8:56am.

Thanks, git. I needed a good laugh this morning.

Heck

Submitted by Git Real on Wed, 07/26/2006 - 2:40pm.

Roosevelt himself has been dishonored by the the Democrats. Does any think for a moment that FDR would be in agreement with the likes of Bladder? Gotta admit that these days even the Republicans make FDR look like a right wing war monger and an ultra right conservative. Who'd of ever thunk it?

The part I don't understand is that the Arabs use the left, Hollywood, and our perverted society as their reasons to justify killing us off. I wonder if it would satisfy the Arabs if we offered up Bladder as a sacrifice to the Islamic Facists. Or do you think Bladder that it is only the Conservatives they are after?

Too Much Fox News Big Guy!!!!!!!!!!

Submitted by America1st on Wed, 07/26/2006 - 9:20am.

To answer your "questions" NO

This one had me laughing all morning!!!!!!!

"Isn’t it true that it’s safer to walk the streets in Baghdad then those of Washington, D.C.?"

No, it isn't all true

Submitted by odoylerules on Wed, 07/26/2006 - 8:14am.

You write, Isn’t it true that it’s safer to walk the streets in Baghdad then those of Washington, D.C.?

This is from an AP report this morning

An estimated 100 people a day are being killed in Baghdad. The crimes, blamed largely on sectarian death squads, usually go unsolved. On Tuesday, U.S. and Iraqi soldiers captured six members of an alleged death squad in Baghdad , while attacks elsewhere in Iraq left more than 24 dead.

DC has recently had what they call a murder epidemic, but it was never 100 people a day.

You ask, why isn't there more reporting about the positive news in Iraq?

Because nobody cares. People want to read about the deaths of US soldiers, so we know if the loved ones we have stationed over there were hit or are in danger. When I had a family member over there, I was constantly looking at the ticker to make sure that he wasn't one of the poor kids blown up by a roadside bomb. If they had substituted that to tell me that 20 schools we blew up have now been renovated, I would have been increduluous.

You can't paint over the bad stuff in a war, David. War is hell. People die and get hurt and that is the stuff that gets reported. It isn't a conspiracy to not print good news, it's that people in the media have a responsibility to print important news. We hear about people fighting fires tha have destroyed homes and businesses, not rescuing cats out of trees. The news will break in to tell us about terrible accidents that will stall traffic during rush hour, not about things going smoothly. Think about storm alerts, they don't break in while you're watching "24" to tell you all is well and that the sky is clear.

Newspapers - heck, all media, goes with the phrase, "if it bleeds, it leads." That's why when there are murders or car accidents in the area, those go to the front of your newspaper over schools taking field trips to the Aquarium.

Good for Iraq for all the positives you mentioned here, but a story about the Baghdad Stock Exchange being open for two years pales in comparison to a story about the President moving troops stationed in calmer parts of Iraq and Kuwait to the front in Baghdad to combat the increase in violence and bloodshed.

I'm sorry you think the reporting of sectarian violence, roadside bombings and being on the brink of civil war shows bias or liberal spin in the media, but I have to ask, where did you hear about all these good things? Dare I say, that was one side spinning the "good parts" of this war.

The terrorists sense a void in power.

Submitted by McDonoughDawg on Wed, 07/26/2006 - 9:09am.

They want to seize it if they can, they DO NOT care how many civilians die for their cause of "Peaceful Islam".

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