The article in our local paper was from the Cox News Service (by George Edmundson). It emphasized the idealism of the soldiers in their fight in Iraq. It portrayed the soldiers as feeling they were there to restore freedom and democracy. This particular (Reuters) story emphasized more the following orders and trusting the Army (although after the previous 8 years that may also be an important factor).
This quote by a soldier is what was emphasized in the other story I read. "It may be a cornball answer, but believe me, I'm not into all that, but just actually seeing some of them waving and shooting thumbs up. They are like, 'We love you America!'," one infantryman told the analysts. "
In light of the doom and gloom of the local news media, this gives an entirely different picture of why we are in Iraq. It dovetails with many of the things Victor Davis Hanson has written.
But then, when you consider that the purpose of American participation in WWII was to make the world safe for Josef Stalin, "any talk of the flag-waving variety" was after all pretty naive . . .