Free Republic

A recently released poll shows that Iraqi's a very optimistic about their countries future. Interviewers found that 71% of those questioned said things were currently good in their personal lives, while 29% found their lives bad. When asked whether their lives would improve in the coming year, 64% said things would be better and 12% said they expected things to be worse. Of Iraqi's interviewed, 69% expect Iraq to improve, while 11% say it will worsen. This of course sends the main stream news media into a tail spin and they are desperately trying to spin the poll so that...

FALLUJAH, Iraq (August 17, 2005) -- The stone corridors that once housed bustling commuters and travelers lay ruined and empty under the scorching July sun. Piles of rubble, shards of plate glass, and walls riddled with bullet holes spoke of previous battles fought here. Only the sound of half-torn wallpaper that fluttered in the morning breeze gave any indication of those who once strolled these hallways. Someone walking through the ruins of Northern Fallujah's abandoned train station might not see it for what it is; the proving grounds for the forces that will one day defend Iraqi’s security. It is...

FALLUJAH, Iraq (August 17, 2005) -- Sergeant Jose Martins has a long history of helping shape 'average Joes' into tomorrow's war fighting leaders. From the 18-year-old Marine recruits he taught how to shoot, to the Iraqi soldiers he trained into drill sergeants, this 26-year-old Queens Village, N.Y. native's battlefield expertise has enriched many an aspiring warrior. "I was a PMI (primary marksmanship instructor) at Parris Island for three years," explained the 1997 Martin Van Buren High School graduate, recalling his days teaching future Marines in South Carolina’s famed recruit depot, Parris Island, the fundamentals of shooting. "Last year, I also...