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Iraq war is not being handled well. Really?

Did you know that 47 countries have reestablished their embassies in Iraq?
Did you know that the Iraqi government currently employs 1.2 million Iraqi people?

Did you know that 3100 schools have been renovated, 364 schools are under rehabilitation, 263 schools are now under construction and 38 new schools have been built in Iraq?
Did you know that Iraq's higher educational structure consists of 20 Universities, 46 Institutes or colleges and 4 research centers, all currently operating?
Did you know that 25 Iraq students departed for the United States in January 2005 for the re-established Fulbright program?
Did you know that the Iraqi Navy is operational?! They have 5-100-foot patrol craft, 34 smaller vessels and a naval infantry regiment.
Did you know that Iraq's Air Force consists of three operational squadrons, which includes 9 reconnaissance and 3 US C-130 transport aircraft (under Iraqi operational control) which operate day and night, and will soon add 16 UH-1 helicopters and 4 Bell Jet Rangers?
Did you know that Iraq has a counter-terrorist unit and a Commando Battalion?
Did you know that the Iraqi Police Service has over 55,000 fully trained and equipped police officers?
Did you know that there are 5 Police Academies in Iraq that produce over 3500 new officers each 8 weeks?
Did you know there are more than 1100 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.
Did you know that 96% of Iraqi children under the age of 5 havereceived the first 2 series of polio vaccinations?
Did you know that 4.3 million Iraqi children were enrolled in primary school by mid October?
Did you know that there are 1,192,000 cell phone subscribers in Iraq and phone use has gone up 158%?

Did you know that Iraq has an independent media that consists of 75 radio stations, 180 newspapers and 10 television stations?
Did you know that the Baghdad Stock Exchange opened in June of 2004?
Did you know that 2 candidates in the Iraqi presidential election had a televised debate recently?
OF COURSE WE DIDN'T KNOW!

WHY DIDN'T WE KNOW? OUR MEDIA WOULDN'T TELL US!

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 consequent support, and it is intended to discourage American citizens.

Jo, I find that the best source on progress in Iraq is here:
http://www.brookings.edu/iraqindex

Most of it is from U.S. government sources. It's an amazing resource. You'll find that some of your indicators are out of date. Some things are heading in the right direction, but, for example, crude oil production is about where it was in September of 2003 (p. 26), oil revenue about where it was in September of '04 (p. 27), electricity at March '04 levels (28), number of judges flat since May (32). Lots more cars, but also hour-long gas lines (33). I'm confused by your reference to cell phones, as Iraq has no nationwide cell phone network any more (33). Number of newspapers down since March, water coverage 78 percent (34). Very interesting poll on 35 on the increasing near-majority who believe the country is heading int he wrong direction . Finally, note the poll numbers on 37 on how many believe the situation is getting worse, and, most frighteningly, on 39, the poll by our allies at the British defense ministry indicating that 82 percent want the coalition to leave and 45 percent who think attacks against the coalition are approrpriate.

Media portraits of discouraged Iraqi citizens and discouraged American citizens would seem appropriate, as much as we would all wish things were different.