Michelle Malkin: What I saw in Iraq

Washington Times ^ | 1/20/07 | By Michelle Malkin

[OESY]

Mars to Earth: Send for Gen. Pelosi! [Victor Davis Hanson]


In the context of the great debate over whether the radical plunge in support for the Iraqi war was fueled primarily by the sectarian killing, poor decision-making by Americans, or the media' concentration only on bad news-or all three and more- I was struck today reading the San Francisco Chronicle's "Iraqi Digest", the daily roundup from the front.

There were six items. None were about the recent arrests of militia members or at least the pretense that the Baghdad government promises changes, or Gen. Petraeus's plans, or any losses in the enemy camp, or any acts of heroism by American soldiers as they sought to protect the fragile democracy they fostered.

Instead we get this: (1) Al Qaeda's brag that it cowardly ambushed and killed an American consultant and three security contractors; (2) The US military "admits" that it raided the Sudanese Embassy in Baghdad; (3) Another American soldier will plead guilty to charges of rape and premeditated murder; (4) another Marine admits guilt to kidnapping and killing an Iraqi civilian; (5) 59 Iraqis were killed in a car bombing.

The sixth and apparently only "good news" story provided the balance to the five: 100 more of Saddam's former government will face trial for genocide.

A person from Mars reading this would conclude today that Americans are only doing two things in Iraq: getting killed, and/or violating international law, raping, kidnapping, and murdering the innocent as they watch civilians get blown up.

In contrast on Page One, there is a flashy lead with "Pelosi Leads Dems to Early Victories" with lines following like, "Speaker Fulfills pledge.."; "A daunting agenda", "Dems bleat Clock", and so on.

Our Martian reader of all this might also logically ask, "Can't these foolish earthlings get this brilliant and dynamic Speaker Pelosi over to Iraq to show their Gen. Petraeus how to fix things in 100 hours as she did at home?


http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=ZGJlMzI0MzZlY2UxZTJhMjlmZjgxNDM4OWUzODk1N2M=

[Albion Wilde]

Isn't it time to make sure that their sacrifices and professionalism and dedication to this country and its values lead to a win?

You are so right, and I am with you all the way on that.

[Albion Wilde]

Michelle is a big as a minute but has the heart of a lion.

God bless you, it's true. She came to our FReep of the New York Times' lousy war coverage last year and was so friendly and cordial. She is one stand-up lady.

[Albion Wilde]

I SAW IT IN MY INBOX this evening. It was an email from a familiar name, someone very close to me. But it was the subject line that got me really steamed: FW: Oppose Escalation in Iraq M...

Great post, Valin. DC Chapter has had the privilege of the writer of this post, Citizen SMASH of Indepundit, standing with us at Walter Reed FReeps from time to time.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[malia]

ping

[CyberAnt]

You are so correct. The problem lies in the fact that the liberals don't trust the military. They have a misguided belief that all military people want to take over .. which is par for the libs who really are the people who want to take over .. and they feel intimidated by the military's might. That's why they constantly run it into the ground.

The new "unrestricted" guidelines are proving to be working very well .. the media is ignoring it .. which is proof enough. The fact that we have already gone into Sadr City and arrested several of the terrorist leaders is a very good start .. but I don't recal anybody but talk radio mentioning this FACT. Heaven forbid that Bush's plan is working .. that is not in the dem playbook.

[SandRat]

PING

[Volunteer]

Michelle -

Thank you for this. God bless you for going there and seeing it first-hand.

I've just come from breakfast at a local place my wife and I love. We had the misfortune of sitting near 2 retired college professor who, with copies of the NYT in hand, discussed how the war is "just a grab for oil and everyone knows it." They went on to talk about how the first Gulf War - the one in which I served - was also "just an oil grab by Bush 1".

Is there anything more bitter, angry, or wrong on the face of God's green Earth than an old leftist?

I plan on going back to my little breakfast spot and taking one of your books with me. With any luck, it will give one of these old commie coots a stroke.

Thank you again,

Your big fan in Carbondale, IL.

[ClaireSolt]

The Dems biggest fear now is that Bush will win. The longer it goes the scareder they get.

[Gritty]

The troops I met ask only three things of their fellow Americans back home: time, patience and understanding of the enormous complexities on the ground.

Sorry, fellas. You're not going to get any of the three. The MSM and the Libs have broken that hope.

The best you can hope for is a year of crippling criticism and incessant Congressional attacks from the home front before the plug is yanked. The Dem's figure your defeat is their ticket to full power in '08. They seem to have successfully run the clock back to Vietnam, 1975, and convinced the "American People" the war is not only lost but a waste of time, money, and lives.

Your time is rapidly running out. So is America's.

[bray]

Ask those pinheads if they think that Iran is creating unrest to keep their oil prices up. Better yet that they want to take Iraq's? Watch their heads explode.

Pray for W and Our Troops

[Brasil]

Thanks for the ping.
This is just what the lefties don't want us to read.

[lowbridge]

bump

[mtnwmn]

As my husband and I travel in our motor home I make sure that "Treason" by Ann Coulter is on the dash of our motor home. If a liberal opinion comes my way, they know up front that they are taking a big chance! I think that conservatives should be more aggressive and shut the libs down.

[El Gato]

Your time is rapidly running out. So is America's.

Or at least a few selected cities. Wouldn't be surprised if San Francisco weren't the first to ascend skyward.

[SkyPilot]

God Bless her.

I am glad she was able to see the military close up doing their job. She was probably an incredible morale boost to them. They knew instinctively she was on their side.

They also probably found her to be....errrr.....cute. So would I.

I know it is not PC - but if there is anything that brightens the spirit of a G.I. - it is a pretty girl to remind them what they are fighting for.

[ken21]

god, i'd love to do that!

+ then come back to the u.s.a. + get in some liberals' faces!

[cgk]

Malkin ping!

Please FReepmail me if you would like to be added to, or removed from, the Michelle Malkin ping list...

[MHGinTN]

From her article: I came to Iraq a darkening pessimist about the war, due largely to my doubts about the compatibility of Islam and Western-style democracy, but also as a result of the steady, sensational diet of "grim milestone" and "daily IED count" media coverage that aids the insurgency. Yes, Michelle, the bastards of mainstream media at the alphabet networks spewing the democrats' 'defeat the administration at all costs' fodder over the American scene have succeeded even beyond their wildest imaginations! I'm learning to hate these leftists bastards more every day. If the shooting starts in America in this war against terrorists, I know where I'll seek out targets.