"Positives" from Iraq?

IBD

Oh those crazy guys over at Investors Business daily (IBD) are at it again. Once again they are reporting those facts out of Iraq that we all suspect the Mainstream media (MSM) knows about but just haven’t had the opportunity or the right time slot to run the story themselves. In today’s issue in the “Issues & Insights” section, (located in paid section so unable to link to story, subscription is well worth it) there was information on the “positives” happening in Iraq that the MSM just seems to ignore.

“Our schools, government services, businesses and offices were closed”, wrote Najim Abdullah Abid Al-Jubouri. “Our streets were silent, and no one dared walk them. Our people were barricaded in their homes out of fear; death awaited them around every corner. Terrorist occupied and controlled the only hospital in the city.”

In a report presented to Congress by Gen. John Abizaid, some of the good work being done by our troops was duly noted:

* Over 3,600 schools have been rehabilitated, and over 47,000 school teachers and administrators have been trained.

* Approximately 240 hospitals and more thean 1,200 clinics have reopened.

* Baghdad’s three sewage plants, which serve 80% of the city’s population have been rehabilitated…

A recent visit to the Georgia National Guard’s 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team in Iraq by several U.S. Senators found: “During their “Occupation,” the team had built a generating plant for a town that never had electricity, built a school to replace a mud structure and dug wells to provide fresh water to a town were children were being sickened from filthy, contaminated water”.

Note from Baghdad...

15 March 2006
1241 hrs.

Hi Steve,

I am Honored.

What a morale builder to see that sign & our beloved flag on one of my favorite highways. Thank you & all involved. You all have made my deployment and I am humbled indeed.

I speak to many of the locals over here in broken or no english whatsoever, they tell me or make me understand just how much they love America, our President, and our free society. We did the right thing here. We had the means, that gave us the responsibility.

So many of these good people have told me the horrors under which they have lived and the tragedys of losing family...

I spoke with a Colonel and a Captain of the Pifsh-merga Malitia (Kurds). The Colonels family was buried alive under their house by Red Guards. The Captains brother was fed to the lions-alive! These truely world class warriors, respect us and loved that I take time to learn as much as I can from them. I really enjoy soldiering with such good people. They teach me (with patience) their language, their culture, customs & courtesys.

They also love to hear of America, my family and my good friends back home. I'm happy to be here. I'm blessed to have supporters like you, your fellow workers, and of course SWAC... Thanks to all of you! Our home-front warriors!

Your Militant, Conservative, Republican Warrior,

Herb Harman

Ssgt. Herb Harman is presently serving his country and all of it's Citizens in Baghdad Iraq. He volunteered for this duty and assignment and finds time to let us know that our efforts are appreciated by he and his fellow troops. I have been fortunate to meet several soldiers that have served with him and he is held in the highest regard. He is a member of SWAC (Staunton-Waynesboro-Augusta- County Republican group) and is also coordinating distribution of "Care Packages" being sent over to him by the "From Our Hearts" program operating out of Churchville, Virginia...

Rally Photos...

"The Valley shows it's support, again"...

Staunton, VA.

Numerous local supporters came out to rally and show support to the troops serving all over the world in the war against terrorism. SPC. Collin Thomas was driving by and saw the anti-war protesters on the streets and then saw the larger crowd that came out to show their support for the Troops and the President. Thomas then drove home to change into his BDU's and returned to the rally to show his support for his fellow service members still serving in Iraq. He then met up with Jan Harman who he knows because of his service with her husband Sgt. Herb Harman who is presently serving in Baghdad Iraq. Specialist Thomas understands that many of the troops will see media coverage of the protesters and their efforts but he also knows that many of the troops he served with will also see that their are many still in the States that will turn out to support our military. Specialist Thomas told me of when he returned from serving in Iraq he was walking thru a airport in the United States in uniform and several people came out of the crowd to hug him and thank him for his service. Thomas did not know these people but yet they showed their appreciation publicly without hesitation...

Numerous members of the local Republican club have joined forces with a dedicated group from Churchville, VA. who last year started sending "Care Packages" to several local troops serving in Iraq. They found that there are many troops who do not receive any letters or packages from home and wanted to do something about it. By the end of last season this group, "From Our Hearts" was sending up to 100 packages a week to troops serving our country and it's citizens. The 2006 season will be kicking off on Memorial day and running thru September 11th.

Please go to the below site to see this group in action and help this very important effort. It is easy to say "I Support the Troops" but actions always talk louder...

http://fromrhearts.blogspot.com/

Standing for the troops...

Staunton VA.

Yesterday was the third year anniversary of the beginning of the war on terrorism in Iraq. All across the nation there was a coordinated effort by ant-war protesters to show their objections to the war in Iraq and how much could have been done in other areas with the money spent on the war. The amount of teachers that could have been hire, the research on AIDS that could have been done, the amount of prescription drugs that could have been provided, etc.

I have photos and comments on the rally I attended in Staunton Virginia yesterday. I was standing on the side of supporters who truely support the troops and the President in their efforts to confront terrorism. My group was labeled "War Supporters" by the local media and in fact there was much disgust by the "Anti-war" people that we came out to show our support for the troops and the President...

Unfortunately I have been having problems uploading photos to this blog. I plan to get some more up as soon as I can and to provide more quotes and comments from yesterday...

** The above photo that did get uploaded is of Robert & Ruth Talmage holding a photo of their Nephew SSgt. Kenneth Dull, U.S. Marine serving in Iraq with Marine Wing Support Squadron MWSS-374...