[OREALLY]

Thank you...we sure need to hear good news...God bless and protect our troops...

[Radix]

I appreciate this thread.

The 3 ID is way overdue for some R&R!

[Oatka]

Stuff you won't see in print or on TV. Note the humanitarian aid. A note from one of CENTCOM's officers says they send these releases out to all the media ". . . but they don't seem to report it."

http://www.centcom.mil/CENTCOMNews/news_release.asp?NewsRelease=20030673.txt

"June 21, 2003
Release Number: 03-06-73

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TEMPO DOWN AS DESERT SCORPION CONTINUES

BAGHDAD, Iraq – The high level of activity of recent days reduced as Coalition forces continue Operation Desert Scorpion.

Scorpion Combat Operations are:

The 1st Armored Division executed offensive actions in Baghdad conducting six raids and detaining 22 individuals. The unit seized nine rifles, eight pistols, three knives, two boxes of grenades, one bomb and three 127mm rounds.

The 4th Infantry Division operating in an area ranging from Kirkuk in the north to Taji in the south conducted three raids and detained three individuals. The unit seized three AK-47s, one mortar site and one Dragonov night site.

Among humanitarian assistance delivered June 20 was:

The 101st Airborne Division continue work rebuilding drainage ditches and renovating the Mayor’s office in Makhmur, along with rebuilding at kindergarten schools.

The 4th Infantry Division placed a contract for playground equipment and a retaining wall for a school in their area, assisted a general hospital with $1,000 drug and supply purchase and purchased an ambulance.

The 3rd Infantry Division coordinated a trash collection service and removed 64 loads of trash from Fallujah. They continue to work with the municipality to re-establish a waste collection system.

The 3rd Armored Calvary Regiment passed out school supplies to the local schools in the eastern part of Iraq.

Operation Desert Scorpion was created to neutralize non-compliant influences in order to create a secure environment and concurrently provide support to the local government and assist with the economic growth."

[Mr.Clark]

These pictures are obviously forged. QUAGMIRE! QUAGMIRE!

[Destro]

Yea, kind of reminds me of those smiling Vietnamese shoe shine boys in Saigon.......

[cantfindagoodscreenname]

A good friend of ours just returned from Baghdad. He was part of the restoration effort. The first thing I wanted to know was if the Iraqis were still happy to have us there and he said, "Absolutely!" He said that he couldn't even listen to or watch the news because it disturbed him so much. He said that he just loves the Iraqis and that they love us. Every time he went out on the street, Iraqis greeted him warmly.

[M. Peach]

If I were the soldier - I'd be awfully concerned about what was in the tea.... I really feel badly for the soldiers, because they are in a terrible position.

I greatly respect and admire their great sacrifice for America.

[sakic]

Guess this means that our soldiers won't be needing any guns any more.

[Recovering_Democrat]

Whoa whoa whoa...this doesn't fit the quagmire/frustration/anger/resentment template demanded by the New York Times.

Don't you dare bring this up again, you hear me???!!??

[Donna Lee Nardo]

I wouldn't drink that tea.

[CyberAnt]

Didn't the mayor of the city come out and walk the streets with the soldiers ...?? That may have made a big difference.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Did you see FN's Jim Pinkerton live from Iraq yesterday? He was awesome - said just what we've been saying for weeks - that Iraq is very large and that the press keeps reporting from the few isolated hot zones when most of Iraq is very glad we're there.

Even Fallujah, a former Saddam stronghold, is protesting the press's account of their city.

Please check out post #5 and #10, as well.