Good News
From Marine Corps News:
Marines from 1st Force Service Support Group joined with the leader of this fishing village, as well as a local Iraqi government official, to break ground June 8, 2004, for a $146,000 water purification system here.
During the ceremony, leaders of 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, were pleased to learn that the project to bring clean water to community residents will also now encompass a second village nearby, potentially tripling the number of Iraqis to be helped.
The visit allowed the unit's commander, Lt. Col. Milt Wick, to meet personally with the village leader and a local Iraqi government official to ensure all parties were satisfied with the incoming system.
Wick also brought 24 Marines and sailors with him to deliver candy, toys, coloring books, crayons and packets of school supplies to the children, while corpsmen assessed the villagers' medical needs.
The unit has "adopted" Al Kabani and visits its residents regularly. Families of the troops ship the donated goods from the United States, so that their Marines can give them to the Iraqi villagers.
"We're very thankful," said the village's leader.
Matt's Chat
STOP THE PRESSES! There is good stuff happening in Iraq? How come we don't hear about this stuff, Dan Blather? Why is it Abu Gharib all the time, Tom Brokejaw?Hoorah! Well done, guys!
Mark's Remarks
And here I thought Iraqis were just coldblooded killers of Americans, and they could never ever handle democracy (at least that is what Jacques Chirac said, along with folks like Dan Blather and Tom Brokejaw).
There is good news in Iraq. So much more than the bad news being reported and in some cases manufactured by the Partisan Press. There is good news, our men and women are doing far more good than harm...They are fixing the problems of a regime that cared more for palaces and Porches than in genuinely helping the citizenry. Our men and women in uniform are liberating Iraqis from decades of hate and oppression. It is going to be tough, and it has cost us resources and human life. However, freedom is never free, but always worth it. A free Iraq will be a boon to peace in the region, toward gaining more allies and opening up this part of the world. However, you have some elitists who say it will never work, that the Mid East cannot support democracy. Of course, these are the same people who said that Reagan's strategy would never work, that communism would last forever and we better get used to it. They said Reagan was wrong, that his working to gain a position of strength would ruin things and not usher in better relations. They were wrong, even as now they attempt to revise history by saying it was common knowledge the USSR was crumbling (total BS, they said the Soviets were strong as ever and would remain so). They were wrong then, and they are wrong today.
God bless our troops. Not everyone is a fair weather patriot, men and women soldiers! God bless you, and we stand behind you!
