[leftcoaster]

In the past 5 months, I have talked to 4 local reservists who each returned from Iraq assignments that lasted more than a year.

If it isn't the first sentence they volunteer, it is in their second: They say that what you see on TV is not at all the way it is Iraq. And they say that it is much more POSITIVE than portrayed.

This is why the MSM has such a credibility issue. When do you see any stories about returning service members? Usually only if they are in the minority voicing opposition, or if they have returned with a major injury. Only the local media outlets cover the reports from our friends and neighbors who give first-hand accounts of what is really being accomplished.

As far as David Engel, it seems like if he went to a road-building site or new school or hospital, his chances of needing his flak jacket and helmet would be greating reduced. But, they're not doing that kind of story in New Orleans, either. So why should we be surprised?

[stayathomemom]

I too talked to a reservist who was over there helping with the building of schools. They were told that Dan Rather and his cohorts would be by to do a story on what they were doing. The kids were very excited for the visit. Well Dan arrived in his usual garb and got off his vehicle. All of a sudden his people started getting excited about something and packed up and left. It turns out there had been a road side bombing up the road and they decided to cover that instead. They left behind a lot of disappointed kids and probably not surprised military personnel.