Feature: U.S. Helps Rebuild Iraq Hope

Iraq Wars ^ | January 15, 2008 | Richard Tomkins

[america4vr]

There's a time for destruction and there's a time for rebuilding. For decades the regime of Saddam Hussein ignored basic infrastructure in the country, and much of what existed when his government fell to U.S.-led coalition forces succumbed in the insurgent battles that followed.

In Khatoon al-Yarmook, long one of the most impoverished neighborhoods in the city of Baquba, that meant to its sole symbol of stability and hope -- its elementary school. Al-Tabrea's cement walls and floors hadn't seen a can of paint for years when Saddam fell, and its septic tank had long ceased functioning. Battles last year between U.S. forces and al-Qaida terrorists entrenched in the area added bullet holes to the mix, as well as blown apart walls and stripped wiring to prevent it from being used by terrorists to detonate explosive devices.

Twelve usable classrooms for its 400 children were reduced to three; it's faculty of 25 dwindled to six; school days were changed to two, half-day shifts to accommodate students whose parents were brave enough to let them out of the house.

Today al-Tabrea is the community's pride.

"Rebuilding of this place was a follow-on to Arrowhead Ripper (the military operation to crush al-Qaida)," Army Capt. Philip Mundweil said at the school's official reopening recently. "The place was bombed out, a lot of the classrooms had bullet holes in them and there was no water and electricity.

"Two months ago we decided to rebuild it and get the community involved in the project as well. It's exceeded our expectations."

Mundweil is the headquarters company commander of the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. For two months he helped oversee the rebuilding of al-Tabrea, arranging local contractors and U.S. military funding for the project.

[america4vr]

Today al-Tabrea is the community's pride.

Rebuilding of the local school out of US discretionary funds for the local population is the kind of story that needs to get out despite the MSM's resolve otherwise.

Damn it. It gets me so angry the sort of slanted perspective they project regarding the President and the military successes we've been having.

[philman_36]

Debate Transcript October 11, 2000
MODERATOR: Sure, absolutely, sure. Somalia.
BUSH: Started off as a humanitarian mission and it changed into a nation-building mission, and that's where the mission went wrong. The mission was changed. And as a result, our nation paid a price. And so I don't think our troops ought to be used for what's called nation-building. I think our troops ought to be used to fight and win war. I think our troops ought to be used to help overthrow the dictator when it's in our best interests. But in this case it was a nation-building exercise, and same with Haiti. I wouldn't have supported either.

Yeah, we overthrew the dictator and then proceeded to do just what Bush said shouldn't be done with our troops.
These "feel good" Iraq stories are the same tactics of the illegal alien "sob stories"!