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A Little Restraint, Please (Iraq -- list of good news not being reported)
Patrick Henry Center ^ | may 11, 2004 | Gary Aldrich and Ashley Varner

Posted on 05/16/2004 2:31:43 PM PDT by FairOpinion

Has anyone out there NOT been bombarded with wall-to-wall coverage of Iraqi prisoner abuse? Of course not — because the media refuses to report on anything else. They must be afraid that if they complete one half-hour’s broadcast segment of news without a discussion of the outrageous photographs, voters might remember the higher purpose our military has for its presence in Iraq: to destroy the terrorist-friendly regime while providing a stable security environment allowing Democracy a chance to take root.

These pictures, disturbing and disgusting as they may be, have become a convenient tool by the mainstream media and Hard-Left Liberals to convince the American people we were wrong to go into Iraq.

However, if the media were half as dedicated to journalistic integrity as they now proclaim, we would all hail the praises of the U.S. military effort and the governmental agencies and private corporations now repairing and reviving a once-dilapidated nation.

Prior to our military invasion of Iraq, nearly all Iraqi schools had closed their crumbling doors. Those schools remaining open often lacked electrical wiring, plumbing and windows. School children had no textbooks and teachers didn’t always get paid.

President Bush’s goal was to rehabilitate 1,000 schools before the fall session began last October. Instead, our efforts successfully reopened over 1,500 schools to Iraqi children.

To date, our country has transformed 2,358 schools nationwide. Our troops even put together and delivered over 1 million school supply kits to those children eagerly anticipating their vastly improved educational opportunities.

Don’t these victories mean anything to the Liberals who swear their actions are always “for the children?”

USAID’s update report also heralds outstanding progress in restoring and increasing electrical capacities throughout Iraq. The U.S. surpassed pre-war electrical generation levels in October 2003. USAID’s next goal is a target of 6,000 Megawatts this summer, while boasting a tripling in available electrical capabilities.

Other USAID accomplishments in infrastructure, health and economic growth include:

-- Processing an average of 20 non-military arrivals and departures every day at Baghdad International Airport;

-- Repairing and Rehabilitating sewage and water treatment plants throughout the country;

-- Adding an additional 225,000 cubic meters a day to Baghdad’s water supply —mostly in overpopulated eastern areas;

-- Vaccinating 3 million children under the age of five since June 2003, and continuing a monthly catch-up immunization program;

-- Renovating 52 primary health-care clinics and re-equipping over 600 clinics to provide essential health-care services;

-- Completing the national currency exchange to introduce a solidified Iraqi currency, the dinar;

-- Creating 77,000 public works jobs for average Iraqi citizens;

and many other successes the media won’t tell us.

This is the same military Hard-Left Liberals demand to investigate incessantly, deterring them from their purpose in a time of war.

Liberals’ demands are not only unnecessary but also irresponsible and politically motivated, as the military began conducting internal investigations after the initial allegations surfaced in January. Since then, the Pentagon attempted no cover-up, and the guilty parties are already moving toward court-martial proceedings.

In focusing on the gross abuses of a dozen military personnel at one Iraqi prison camp, we forget the 130,000 dedicated men and women risking their lives every day to keep the war from returning to our own soil.

Isn’t it interesting how just the week before, the media ran headlines praising heroes such as Pat Tillman, declaring their “ultimate sacrifice” for our country?

Obviously the patriotic, feel-good sentiment toward the troops is not a natural one for the mainstream media, who quickly return to their old habits of blasting our military and demoralizing those who make it victorious.


TOPICS: Editorial; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: abuse; goodnews; iraq; prisoners
According to the media none of the above merits a line in their news, only the repetition of the prisoner "abuse" over and over and over is "news".
1 posted on 05/16/2004 2:31:44 PM PDT by FairOpinion
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl

Ping for more ignored Iraq good news


2 posted on 05/16/2004 2:32:16 PM PDT by FairOpinion (If you are not voting for Bush, you are voting for the terrorists.)
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To: FairOpinion


3 posted on 05/16/2004 2:34:03 PM PDT by Incorrigible (immanentizing the eschaton)
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To: FairOpinion
According to the media none of the above merits a line in their news, only the repetition of the prisoner "abuse" over and over and over is "news".

Did Axis Sally or Tokyo Rose ever portray the Allied war effort in a favorable light?

U.S. journalist wants war to fail. Editors believe it would ensure 'evil' Bush ousted

What we have to realize is that the American liberal news media is today performing the same function that the German and Japanese Propaganda Ministries performed during World War II.

4 posted on 05/16/2004 2:43:27 PM PDT by Polybius
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To: Polybius

And here is something else I found that you don't hear much in the media. One would think THIS would be huge news:

2003 Global Terrorist Attacks Fall to Lowest Level Since 1969 (down 45% from 2001)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1136717/posts


5 posted on 05/16/2004 2:57:04 PM PDT by FairOpinion (If you are not voting for Bush, you are voting for the terrorists.)
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To: FairOpinion

This type of news should be emailed out to everyone. Each of us should make a point to distribute good Iraq (and economic) news weekly to extended family and co-workers.


6 posted on 05/16/2004 3:13:48 PM PDT by GR2
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To: FairOpinion; MJY1288; xzins; Calpernia; TEXOKIE; Alamo-Girl; windchime; Mr. Silverback; ...
Great list!

Thanks for the post, FairOpinion.

SFC Ray Reynold's recent list is getting a lot of coverage, too.
 
Thank you, Gary Aldrich and the Patrick Henry Center....and so many of our fellow Freepers for caring about the troops, finding and sharing the stubborn facts. 
 
Americans are bypassing the press, hunting for the truth.... awesome news for the good guys! (^:

7 posted on 05/16/2004 3:47:37 PM PDT by Ragtime Cowgirl (May God continue to bless and protect our brave troops and allies.)
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl

Bump.


8 posted on 05/16/2004 3:48:55 PM PDT by SAMWolf (Vengence is mine says the Lord, but I'm busy, so I sent the US Marines.)
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl
We are winning ~ the bad guys are losing ~ trolls, terrorists, democrats and the mainstream media are sad ~ very sad!

~~ Bush/Cheney 2004 ~~

9 posted on 05/16/2004 3:56:47 PM PDT by blackie (Be Well~Be Armed~Be Safe~Molon Labe!)
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl
"Thank you, Gary Aldrich and the Patrick Henry Center....and so many of our fellow Freepers
for caring about the troops, finding and sharing the stubborn facts."

Thank YOU Ragtime Cowgirl !
10 posted on 05/16/2004 4:08:11 PM PDT by 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub (Thank You Troops! Past, Present and Future)
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To: FairOpinion

You won't hear much of this story in the n\mainstream media either. Marines awarded for bravery.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1136564/posts


11 posted on 05/16/2004 4:37:26 PM PDT by barker (Normal people scare me.)
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To: FairOpinion
Does anyone have a ping list for all freepers?

I know they don't but I wish it existed. Not only are we being bombarded by the doom and gloom crowd, a lot of freepers falling for it and becoming demoralized.

12 posted on 05/16/2004 4:40:16 PM PDT by CWOJackson
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To: CWOJackson

No ping?...Bump


13 posted on 05/16/2004 5:00:44 PM PDT by World'sGoneInsane
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To: FairOpinion
More schools are now open, Iraqi hospitals are better staffed and equipped, and even more oil is being exported from Iraq post-war than pre-war.

25 million Iraqis go about their daily lives in peace, while fewer than 4 thousand insurgents still bear arms against us.

In our worst month (which was still good overall) we lost 130 valiant Americans in Iraq...a fraction of the more than 3,000 per month killed on American highways.

14 posted on 05/16/2004 5:19:16 PM PDT by Southack (Media Bias means that Castro won't be punished for Cuban war crimes against Black Angolans in Africa)
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To: FairOpinion
USAF doing good in Iraq http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1136191/posts
15 posted on 05/16/2004 5:32:44 PM PDT by Veloxherc (To go up pull back, to go down pull back all the way.)
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To: FairOpinion

Thak God for our men and women in uniform who are willing to draw the terrorists toward them and away from US.

That does it. One of my very best friends was due home this month but had his tour extended to September. I'm going to buy an M1 Garand and refurbish it for him.


16 posted on 05/16/2004 5:59:41 PM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (Even if the government took all your earnings, you wouldn't be, in its eyes, a slave.)
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To: 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub; Ragtime Cowgirl

"Thank YOU Ragtime Cowgirl !"

I couldn't agree more Tonk, she's one rootin', tootin' cowgirl, eh? Always inspiring and enlightening.


17 posted on 05/16/2004 6:36:42 PM PDT by JLO
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To: 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub
You're very welcome, Tonkin.

FR Veterans teach, and inspire. (^:

18 posted on 05/16/2004 6:40:49 PM PDT by Ragtime Cowgirl
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl

Bump!


19 posted on 05/16/2004 8:33:40 PM PDT by Alamo-Girl
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