Other voices, other channels

There continues to be plenty of good news to be found in Iraq. The Iraqi army continues to take over responsibility for more battle space, al Qaeda continues to take a beating, and rebuilding of the country is progressing. Moreover, the Iraqi economy is improving, and has doubled in the last three years.

says  Bill Crawford at National Review Online.  This in view of the “enormous publicity” given the dissident generals deserves our attention.  Try a colonel for the other side of the issue, woefully missing as usual from MSM.

Colonel William Grimsley commanded the brigade that first took control of Baghdad Airport. Three years on he remains optimistic about the country's future:

Grimsley, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division's 1st Combat Brigade Team during the opening days of Operation Iraqi Freedom, said history — not current events — will tell the true story of Iraq's metamorphosis.

And that story will show how Iraq ultimately emerged from almost 40 years of a regime that ignored the people's needs and undermined its potential, Grimsley, now a military assistant to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, said during an interview with American Forces Press Service and the Pentagon Channel.

And a major:

Major Kevin Carter just returned from Iraq, and shares this assessment:

Carter believes not enough attention is being paid to the progress being made by Iraqis in taking control of their country. He said the people of Iraq are grateful Saddam Hussein has been overthrown.

"I was told by an Iraqi that only two things could get rid of Saddam, the United States or Allah. I will never forget that," Charter said. "An Iraqi officer told me that if we just up and left the country would implode. They are so grateful for us being there and toppling Saddam. Even the Sunnis, who benefited under Saddam, thanked us."

And  a Marine serving with an Iraqi unit:

"Everybody hears about all the car bombs in Baghdad and how many people got shot. Those things are reality — I don't want to downplay them. But there's a lot of good things happening," he said.

And there’s more more more, for 2,800 words in all, for gosh sake.  But alas, how few people talk this way at Billy Goat’s or at parties?  I swear, they’re Gnostics: They just know how things are, that’s all.