'Bush Good, Saddam Bad!'

Opinion Journal ^ | 08/19/03 | JOHN R. GUARDIANO

[Pokey78]

A Marine reports from Iraq, where things are far better than the media let on.

AL HILLAH, Iraq--There's more to America than New York, Washington and Los Angeles. The same is true for Iraq; there's a vast country outside Baghdad and the "Sunni triangle" that's now the center of a guerrilla campaign. It's understandable that Western press reports are fixated on attacks that kill American soldiers. But that focus is obscuring what's actually happening in the rest of the country--and it misleads the public into thinking that Iraqis are growing angry and impatient with their liberators.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Thank you for the post and the ping!

A Marine reports from Iraq, where things are far better than the media let on.

We can hear you!

If you want on or off my pro-Coalition/anti-wanker ping ling, just ping.

[putupon]

bump

[M0sby]

HOORAY FOR YOU!
A Big WELCOME HOME from our house to yours!
Sincerely from,
Semper Fi Wife,
M0sby

[FairOpinion]

Iraqis routinely ask me to "thank Mr. Bush for freeing us of Saddam" and tell me, "We are very grateful, because you have freed us of our worst nightmare, Saddam Hussein."

The main media doesn't want us to know this. These were the headlines we should have seen after the liberation of Iraq and since, instead of the screaming headlines about the Museum looting of priceless artifacts, that never was, anything to keep the real news from getting out, which is that getting rid of Saddam was a good decision.

[optimistically_conservative]

It would be nice to now overcome the defeatists "we can't win the peace" as we overcame the "we can't win the war" back in the 90s. I would hate to see the Afghanis and Iraqis follow the Kosovars, Bosnians and Haitians in a semi-successful UN led reform effort and their current malaise.

[FairOpinion]

The Iraqis know who their foes are too. Two Iraqi children once spontaneously shouted to me, "France, Chirac!" while giving the thumbs-down sign and shaking their heads disapprovingly. The children quickly smiled and shouted "Bush!" while punching the sky.

I guess there will certain places freezing over, before the Iraqis will give the French another lucrative contract.

[BOBTHENAILER]

"Bush good, Saddam bad!" many Iraqis tell us emphatically--and repeatedly. I'm not sure how George W. Bush is faring with the American public, but he's got a lock on Al Hillah.

Thanks for the PING to this superb story.

[SAMWolf]

Bump

[MeekOneGOP]

Excellent news from Iraq via a U.S. Marine !
Thanks for the post and ping, Pokey78 !

Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my General Interest ping list!. . .don't be shy.

[lowbridge]

bump

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up!

[FairOpinion]

[FairOpinion]

[Klein-Bottle]

My Tag Line says it all.

[PhilDragoo]

As my experience in Al Hillah shows, most ordinary Iraqis are in no way disillusioned with the U.S. What they want--and need--is greater help.

[spookycc]

Thanks so much for posting this, Pokey! I've emailed FOXnews and asked if they would consider sending a camera crew to ANY area of Iraq where we're doing well in the reconstructive efforts.

[Kaslin]

cowalker
Since Aug 19, 2003

Welcome to FR

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

It would be nice to now overcome the defeatists "we can't win the peace" as we overcame the "we can't win the war" back in the 90s.

I think it's too messy and dangerous for the UN and the press, Amnesty Int'l, Doctors w/out Borders and the Red Cross inside Iraq - oh, and Dem politicians / socialists. For their own safety, they should remain outside the border until the troops and the Iraqi people find and remove the bad guys, the WMDs - and get settled.

(^;

[Ann Archy]

Tell your marine a big THANK YOU!!!