Did you know

[Power Ported Performance]

I didn't know!How could we?

Did you know that 47 countries' have reestablished their embassies in Iraq ?

Did you know that the Iraqi government currently employs 1.2 million Iraqi people?
Did you know that 3100 schools have been renovated,

364 schools are under rehabilitation,

263 new schools are now under construction

and 38 new schools have been completed in Iraq ?

Did you know that Iraq 's higher educational structure consists of 20 Universities,

46 Institutes or colleges and 4 research centers,

all currently operating?

Did you know that 25 Iraq students departed for the United State s in January 2005

for the re-established Fulbright program?

Did you know that the Iraqi Navy is operational?

They have 5 - 100-foot patrol craft, 34 smaller vessels and a naval infantry regiment.

Did you know that Iraq 's Air Force consists of three operational squadrons,

which includes 9 reconnaissance and 3 US C-130 transport aircraft

(under Iraqi operational control)

which operate day and night, and will soon add 16 UH-1 helicopters and 4 Bell Jet Rangers?

Did you know that Iraq has a counter-terrorist unit and a Commando Battalion?

Did you know that the Iraqi Police Service has over 55,000

fully trained and equipped police officers?

Did you know that there are 5 Police Academies in Iraq

that produce over 3500 new officers each 8 weeks?

Did you know there are more than 1100 building projects going on in Iraq ?

They include 364 schools, 67 public clinics, 15 hospitals, 83 railroad stations,

22 oil facilities, 93 water facilities and 69 electrical facilities.

Did you know that 96% of Iraqi children under the age of 5

have received the first 2 series of polio vaccinations?

Did you know that 4.3 million Iraqi children were enrolled in primary school by mid October?

Did you know that there are 1,192,000 cell phone subscribers in Iraq

and phone use has gone up 158%?

Did you know that Iraq has an independent media that consists of 75 radio stations,

180 newspapers and 10 television stations?

Did you know that the Baghdad Stock Exchange opened in June of 2004?

Did you know that 2 candidates in the Iraqi presidential election had a televised debate recently?

OF COURSE WE DIDN'T KNOW!

WHY DIDN'T WE KNOW?

OUR MEDIA WOULDN'T TELL US!

Instead of reflecting our love for our country,

we get photos of flag burning incidents at Abu Ghraib

and people throwing snowballs at the presidential motorcades.

Tragically, the lack of accentuating the positive in Iraq serves two purposes:

It is intended to undermine the world's perception of the United States

thus minimizing consequent support, and it is intended to discourage American citizens.

---- Above facts are verifiable on the Department of Defense web site.

U.S. Department of Defense Official Website

.......Pass it on! Give it wide dissemination!

[jjs]

No offense to anyone in the military...the following comment is directed at the instituion/government body, not individual soldiers...

Call me cynical, but in addition to the media, I have a hard time accepting as truth anything that comes from the DOD (or any government body) as well.

[mjr5150]

Amen to that PPP . This will never be front page news . It's disgusting how many people would rather cheapen our efforts for the sake of politicising their point of view ....or their dislike of the administration in charge (like it or not) ....over celebrating the accomplishments of our brave men and women (and others) .....who have heroically installed a democracy in the middle east . There is lots of work to do.........far from perfect.......but thankfully....those of us w/ a conscience can celebrate the hard work that's been done thus far . May god bless them and bring them home safe.....when the job is done .

[300customs]

Originally Posted by jjs

No offense to anyone in the military...the following comment is directed at the instituion/government body, not individual soldiers...

Call me cynical, but in addition to the media, I have a hard time accepting as truth anything that comes from the DOD (or any government body) as well.

very much agreed jjs. tv is a form of control and what they show you over and over is what you will eventually believe. thats why i do not watch much tv, i rarely watch cable.

[mjr5150]

Agreed..........but where does the truth lie ?? In the middle ...of course.........but how many people are smart enough / or care enough to read between the lines ?? Not as many as you would think . The vast majority just believe what they read and don't pursue what info is available on the subject if they dig . Then form you're informed decision . Like the thread starter is saying ....I wish for the sake of the troops........past , present and future......you would see a little more (or any ) stories of their accomplishments . Ain't gonna happen.........doesn't sell papers . This from the decision makers who just broadcast the VT gunman videos and manifesto at the top of the evening news (just like he had wanted ) . Should have told us they recieved it .......and proceeded to burn it shortly thereafter......then went on to the lottery numbers .

Originally Posted by jjs

Call me cynical, but in addition to the media, I have a hard time accepting as truth anything that comes from the DOD (or any government body) as well.

[CUEBALL]

Thanks PPP!!!!!! DING DING DING DING!!!!!!!

Much good going on over there that doesn't get reported. The media generally comes with an agenda (I have met many and sat in on discussions about them with Brigade leadership in Iraq) and you know certain ones will report items consistent with that agenda. You can take them with you when you build a girls school, but they will report the views of a disgruntled Iraqi next door that complains of an American that did him wrong... which may or may not be true. Even politicians will come and do the same thing.. have a briefing where they agree with the program, then go back home and voice their agenda.
But, good news doesn't sell. WE do not buy it, but look for the sensational story for our entertainment. Doesn't matter if it is Iraq, or domestic happenings, the media twists it and sells it to us for top dollar. And we as a people LOVE it.
One of my favorite discussions around the Army office is "How CNN ruined America and the Army". 24 hour news networks have to fill a lot of space, so a small story becomes an onslaught of repetitive truth and spin. When was the last time you saw three days of constant coverage of anything good? In the military, we have been raked over those networks so much, that we subconsciously tend to avoid some of the hard choices needed to accomplish business. Not only in war, but peace as well. I could fill volumes of instances like this. Why do you think part of the conscious decision to cover up things like Tillman's death was made? Someone was thinking of what the damaging headline would be and made the easy coice, not the right thing. On and on and on.

Thanks for the post!!! I too am cynical of the media and what DOD spews out, or the Gov't for that matter. But in the context of this thread, spot on correct!!

[CplDaugherty]

I agree 100%... all these people want to sit over here and say nothing is being done... get off your ass and go over and see it. I've been there, done my part, and seen a change.

[Power Ported Performance]

Many thanks to our troops that make all of this possible.

[300 Addict]

Great write up! I certainly never knew this as well as 95% of the world. Shame on the media for only focusing on the bad! Thanks PPP!

[stevesrt8]

many thanks for mentioning this. Our media does have an agenda and it's so sad to see people who believe everything they see or hear without corroboration.

With the multitude of other sources besides mainstream media outlets we should all be able to inform ourselves better.