A Marine reports from Iraq, where things are far better than the media let on.

OpinionJournal.com ^ | 8/19/03 | LANCE CORPORAL JOHN R. GUARDIANO

[Huber]

'Bush Good, Saddam Bad!' A Marine reports from Iraq, where things are far better than the media let on.

AL HILLAH, Iraq--There's more to America than New York, Washington and Los Angeles. The same is true for Iraq; there's a vast country outside Baghdad and the "Sunni triangle" that's now the center of a guerrilla campaign. It's understandable that Western press reports are fixated on attacks that kill American soldiers. But that focus is obscuring what's actually happening in the rest of the country-- and it misleads the public into thinking that Iraqis are growing angry and impatient with their liberators.

[Huber]

This is the type of story that needs to get out!

[goldstategop]

Semper fi! My heart goes out to the Marines and to all the brave servicemen and women of our armed forces and Coalition partners serving in Iraq. They do us all proud.

[tkathy]

If only we had a decent media.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

They do us all proud.

Indeed. Pity that so many Americans are willing and eager to hear criticism, condemnation, and complaint when the truth is nearly always so much more positive.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Bump.

[IrishRainy]

bump!

[MEG33]

Thanks for a good news report.

[yoe]

The good Corporal along with others are becoming the equivalent of the former ‘embeds’ during the first part of the War, they are getting the truth of today’s Iraq out. Here is a telling paragraph from another of our brave embeds on the front line.

The SJA of the 1st Marine Division was shot three times while investigating the shooting of two journalists who, giving them the benefit of doubt, were unknowingly in a column of Fedayeen in Basrah targeted early in the war. He wouldn't have been investigating the incident while the bullets were flying if not for the hue and cry of the media demanding an immediate investigation while the battle still raged. I hope they're satisfied. JAGs from the 1st Armor Division performed an heroic rescue operation this past week in Baghdad. They were in the area of an RPG and small arms attack on a MP patrol. Instead of ducking for cover and running out of harm's way, these heros (young captains and enlisted soldiers) charged ahead towards the attack, laid down suppressive fire and extracted several wounded MPs by litter saving their lives. Sadly, one of the MPs later lost both legs but was alive thanks to some brave JAGs.

The letter continues on speaking of heros who daily put their lives on the line while saving their men and the admiration our military has among the Iraqi’s. Our ‘new embeds’ are telling the truth, keep these letters coming.

[MEG33]

More good news!

[mystery-ak]

I know...was going to ping Ragtime Cowgirl, but I see someone already did.

[Sam Cree]

bump

[smiley]

God Bless our troops....wherever they may be....

[SwatTeam]

I love reading these reports and I've written to the local paper and to Fox News asking them to get some of the more positive stories out. So far, nearly all the positive stories are read right here on FR. Thanks for posting this.

[LiteKeeper]

SPOTREP