This is a great story out of Iraq that I have to pass along. The pictures only serve to show the love and patriotism Iraqis feel for their country.
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…if they’re anti war. You won’t find this kind of in depth reporting anywhere else.

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You know me - I’m not big on honoring politicians or celebrities when there are so many more worthy fallen troops that deserve the honors. However, Lieutenant General Caldwell, Commanding General of the Combined Arms Center at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, has a great blog post up remembering Tony Snow. Having met Mr. Snow when I visited the White House last year, I echo his comments.
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Sadr City has long been a crick in the neck of US Forces and the Iraqi government. It was also a problem for Saddam. Why? Because that is where he kept the Shi’ites in poverty. The slums of Sadr City (formerly Saddam City, formerly Revolution City) has the highest rate of unemployment and worst housing in Baghdad. When Saddam opened his prisons populated by jailed and tortured Shi’ites, they fled and congregated in Sadr City. Like Mos Eisley spaceport in the Star Wars movies, Sadr City was a “wretched hive of scum and villany” (yes, I’m a Star Wars nerd). Every time I had to go into Sadr City (called Saddam City back then), I got into a firefight or had to fight through explosions. Al Sadr militia eventually obtained control over the city and exacted a brutal stranglehold over its population. Thanks to our brave troops and the brilliant surge strategy, Sadr’s militia has no power or authority in the area and Sadr City is no longer a lost cause.
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I got this from Investor’s Business Daily:

Iraq: What would happen if the U.S. won a war but the media didn’t tell the American public? Apparently, we have to rely on a British newspaper for the news that we’ve defeated the last remnants of al-Qaida in Iraq.

London’s Sunday Times called it “the culmination of one of the most spectacular victories of the war on terror.” A terrorist force that once numbered more than 12,000, with strongholds in the west and central regions of Iraq, has over two years been reduced to a mere 1,200 fighters, backed against the wall in the northern city of Mosul.

The destruction of al-Qaida in Iraq (AQI) is one of the most unlikely and unforeseen events in the long history of American warfare. We can thank President Bush’s surge strategy, in which he bucked both Republican and Democratic leaders in Washington by increasing our forces there instead of surrendering.

We can also thank the leadership of the new general he placed in charge there, David Petraeus, who may be the foremost expert in the world on counter-insurgency warfare. And we can thank those serving in our military in Iraq who engaged local Iraqi tribal leaders and convinced them America was their friend and AQI their enemy.

Al-Qaida’s loss of the hearts and minds of ordinary Iraqis began in Anbar Province, which had been written off as a basket case, and spread out from there.

Now, in Operation Lion’s Roar the Iraqi army and the U.S. 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment is destroying the fraction of terrorists who are left. More than 1,000 AQI operatives have already been apprehended.

Sunday Times reporter Marie Colvin, traveling with Iraqi forces in Mosul, found little AQI presence even in bullet-ridden residential areas that were once insurgency strongholds, and reported that the terrorists have lost control of its Mosul urban base, with what is left of the organization having fled south into the countryside.

Meanwhile, the State Department reports that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s government has achieved “satisfactory” progress on 15 of the 18 political benchmarks — a big change for the better from a year ago.

Things are going so well that Maliki has even for the first time floated the idea of a timetable for withdrawal of American forces. He did so while visiting the United Arab Emirates, which over the weekend announced that it was forgiving almost $7 billion of debt owed by Baghdad — an impressive vote of confidence from a fellow Arab state in the future of a free Iraq.

But where are the headlines and the front-page stories about all this good news? As the Media Research Center pointed out last week, “the CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly News and CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 were silent Tuesday night about the benchmarks” that signaled political progress.

The war in Iraq has been turned around 180 degrees both militarily and politically because the president stuck to his guns. Yet apart from IBD, Fox News Channel and parts of the foreign press, the media don’t seem to consider this historic event a big story.

Instead, we get headlines of small incremental US Soldier death tolls.

Much like our own military, the NCOs of the Iraqi Army are quickly becoming the backbone of the Iraqi Army. Their NCO academy has already graduated thousands of Iraqi Soldiers who are on the front lines protecting their nation against insurgents and foreign fighters and influences.

Iraqi Soldiers demonstrate the new NCO Academy obstacle course during a recent ribbon cutting ceremony.

To emphasize the importance of the NCOs, there were no official speeches by the senior officers at a ribbon-cutting event commemorating a new obstacle course in Besmaya, Iraq at the NCO Academy. Instead an Iraqi Soldier read the Iraqi Soldier’s Creed followed by an Iraqi NCO who read the Iraqi Non-Commissioned Officer’s Creed:

I am an Iraqi Noncommissioned Officer
I lead soldiers
I am professional and highly experienced
I lead from the front
I am an example of discipline and high morals
I ensure (keep) the discipline of my Soldiers
I place the interests of my country and my soldiers over my own personal interests
I ensure that my soldiers are well trained and prepared to fight courageously
I work hard so the officers over me can accomplish their missions without having to accomplish mine
I obey those above me and work on gaining their trust
I will never compromise my integrity
I will never forget nor will I allow my brothers and colleagues to forget– that we are professional Noncommissioned Officers
I will always be loyal to my country, to the people of Iraq, and to the army of Iraq
I am an Iraqi Noncommissioned Officer

This is probably the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen. General Petraeus is the man! There’s really no other way to describe it. He’s a natural leader and it’s an honor to serve in the same Army he does.

U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus, commanding general, Multinational Force Iraq, reenlisted 1,215 U.S. servicemembers from all over Iraq July 4, 2008, during a ceremony in the Al Faw Palace rotunda at Camp Victrory in Baghdad. Photo by MNF-I Public Affairs
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Yup, they’re a Texas company!!

A Texas e-commerce company has announced a plan to give personalized banners to families whose loved ones are returning from Iraq or other international deployments to let the soldiers know there are those who care for them.

The company called Buildasign said its promotion will offer up to 10,000 signs – 3 feet by 6 feet – to families to help them welcome home their returning loved ones.

Disclaimer: Your’s may say something completely different than this example. Just sayin….

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A groundbreaking ceremony was held in Bethesda, Maryland, today at the site of the new Walter Reed Medical Center. The new facility will combine the National Naval Medical Center with the current Walter Reed, offering more complete care to all members of the armed forces.

President Bush attended the ceremony and spoke about the many benefits that the new facility will provide Veterans, including increased access to medical specialists.

The construction of this new facility is particularly newsworthy because of the revelations two years ago about the terrible conditions at the current Walter Reed. (more…)

I’ve got my mojo back. I’d like to introduce everyone to SSG Jason R. Arnette. Jason was killed on 1 April 2007 in Iraq and is the Hero of the Week on They Have Names. Please take the time to honor this young man’s life and sacrifice by checking out his profile on They Have Names.