Frankly Speaking

Interesting. I wonder Frank, what you are using as a bench mark for "good news?" Also, am still trying to find some verification that this is indeed a "war".. I mean, I know that he said major combat operations had ended a number of years ago (May 2, 2003) when he stood on the deck of an aircraft carrier congratulating everyone for a "job well done." I can't imagine winning a war, if it isn't a war, much less a "conflict" like Vietnam.

I am also trying to find some kind of verification of the latest "success" but as one would imagine, the main stream media seems to be focusing on the number of American losses rather than the deaths of a few enemy combatants. Funny how the only reports about these successful endeavors come from one person who is not part of the main stream media... nor is there any way of verifying the information.

Ed, Ed, Ed. Major combat operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom did come to an end with the overthrow of Saddam. The people we are fighting in Iraq now are part of the overall war on terror that encompasses more than just the state of Iraq. The difference now is that there is a freely elected, Democratic government in Iraq that is supporting our efforts to combat terrorism.

Here's a quick question about comparing Yon's coverage to those of the big 5 networks (including CNN there). How many of them have reporters outside of the green zone? From what I can gather from mil blogs, the military people I've spoken to, and from watching their coverage of the war, I think the number is somewhere right around zero. They may venture out long enough for a remote broadcast, but they run their little asses back inside the green zone as fast as possible.

The reasons I like Yon's coverage are many.

1. Yes, he does give the good news.. but
2. He balances it with the bad news. In his latest dispatches he has been covering the excessive civilian deaths.
3. He's there, on his own, embedded with the troops, putting his life on the line to cover this war. I would compare him to Joe Galloway covering the battle of LZ X-Ray.

What pisses me off most about these politicians is that the last soldiers completing the surge have barely set foot in country and the politicians are already declaring it a defeat. How the hell do the know if they don't give it time to work? Gen Petraeus is supposed to give a report in September, but no one seems to want to wait until the report, and I think it's because they're all scared shitless there may be good news. Hell, the Democrats have built their entire platform around defeat in Iraq, and if we actually win they are going to look like complete ass-clowns.

Frank, you could give the troops a dozen more years, a few billion in weapons and armor, and...

they

would

never

accomplish

anything...

You are either failing to realize (doubtful since you are pretty sharp otherwise) that the region has been fighting for thousands of years, they do not want true democracy, and their religion is contrary to the ideas of freedom.

The sooner we either drop a 25 megaton nuclear bomb on the whole region (israel included) or pull out troops out of combat in the region, the sooner we can get back to something more worthy of our time and effort... say building 200 foot tall, 25 foot thick, concrete barriers along every border.

Secondly, you refuse to trust mainstream media, but you have no problem trusting a complete stranger whose information is not supported or denied by the government or a verifying source... that in itself is very telling.