We don't see this kind of reporting in the mainstream press

I got this via Strykernews.com
By Kathleen T. Rhem, American Forces Press Service

BAGHDAD, Iraq, June 20, 2004 – Iraq's deputy prime minister implored the American press to provide more balanced coverage of operations in Iraq.

Barham Salih, a prominent leader from Kurdish northern Iraq, made his plea June 19 to American reporters traveling in Iraq with Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz.

"I hope you from the American press will be able to tell people back home … that (through) this mission you are giving an entire nation an opportunity to be rid of their challenges," he said.

"These soldiers are helping renovate schools and so on, and very, very little of that is reported," Salih continued. "We have to be grateful to those young men and women who have come from afar, sacrificing their lives to defend our security and our freedom."

He said context is important, and many American papers don't put things in the proper context. For instance, he said, "Many of the op-ed writers before the war predicted that Kirkuk would become the scene of the most vicious civil war," he said, referring to the northern Iraqi city that has been the site of problems between Kurds and Arabs.

"There are tensions in Kirkuk," he said, "but no civil war."

New Iraqi President Ghazi al-Yawer explained his belief that 90 percent of what's happening in Iraq is good news, and 10 percent in bad. "The media is magnifying the 10 percent, ignoring the 90 percent," Yawer said.

He said the scandal surrounding detainee abuses at Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison is a perfect example. The issue is clearer to people like him who have lived in the United States and understand American values, he said.

"I know this is outrageous to the American public (and) to the American administration as much as it is outrageous to the Iraqis," Yawer said.

But, he added, regular Iraqis "have been breastfed hatred to the United States and Great Britain for 45 years."

Yawer said he and other Iraqi leaders are working to acquaint the Iraqi people "with the real values of the American Bill of Rights and other great things you have in your constitution."

Spaghetti Fund Raiser

Funny the relevance of things. At Calvary Christian Church we have as our V.B.S. mission project this year Rock Lake Christian Assembly which is a camp for youth and other church functions. One of our local restaurants "Fazoli's" allows different charitable organizations to run fund raiser. They provide the food we provide the eaters. For $4.49 you can get 'all you can eat' spaghetti dinner. With a drink and tax it runs $6.07. Out of this we get $1.00 per meal. I bought 4 dinners. Total bill $24.28. If I stayed home and ate I could have given the $24.28 and this would have been tax deductible. As it is the camp will get $4.00. I also worked one hour as others did; busing tables, handing out literature, stickers etc. Well, we have to eat and the food is well worth the money, regardless that I am on a low carb diet. Who makes out? Everyone. While I was at the door, I made too good contacts for prospective new members, the camp will get extra money, Fazoli's made more profit by people coming to dinner who probably wouldn't have, and two of my granddaughters got a good experience.

Father's Day

Tomorrow is Father's day. I think of Patrick, my son who is in Iraq. His wife and daughter are in Lacey, Washington. One if not the greatest tragedy of war, is the time taken out of a person's life by being away from family. My grand-daughter, Isabella just celebrated her second birthday nine days ago. Her father was gone. He was also gone last Christmas. Tomorrow her father will be gone on father's day. I remember 35 years ago when I was gone on my first father's day. Jennie my daughter was five months old. I was in Naples, Italy on the USS John F. Kennedy CVA-67. For 270 days I was away from my family. When I returned after that deployment, Jennie being so young did not remember me. Her rejecting me when I arrived back from deployment was more hurtful than the 9 months I was gone. I made a promise then that I would never be separated from my family for so long again. I figured there were four million people looking after the military and only one looking after my family. So, after 13 years, 3 months and 24 days I left the navy. (I did recoup the time 12 years later by serving another 9 years in the reserves, thus retiring). Today all of our fine young people who serve are volunteers. They had not threat of conscription. I have mixed feelings about that. Some give all, but most give nothing. I believe one of the problems with our country is because the majority let the minority do all the sacrificing. My wife Linda and I have 3 children. All are serving in a capacity in the military. I always figured that the 22+ years I served covered my family who couldn't serve or I could protect them from having to serve. I never once tried to persuade any of them to join as I did. I talked Patrick out of joining once, until he finished law school. The second time, I did not try. I asked my children why they wanted to be in the military. Their answer was simple. 'Dad', you served and we want to. Patrick is approaching his 4th year anniversary in the Army. He has went from a Specialist to 2LT. He has been a paratrooper, member of the Stryker Brigade, became an Arabic linguist, and trained in military intelligence. He is obligated to the Army for another year and half. The army has really made a man out of him. His head is on right and he has his priorities straight.
Tomorrow will be lonesome for me even though there will be others around me. The good shepherd who had 99 sheep in the pen, did not rest until that lost one was in the fold.
I know if he can he will call me tomorrow.

Erin finally did it.

Today was a good day in church. Erin Haven who was a year younger than Patrick has finally gotten his degree in EE from Lawrence tech. I was able to present him with a gift from the church and pick on him a little. I made the observation that Patrick had gotten his degree plus one year in law school and has served four years in the Army in the same amount of time. I have known Erin (female name for male person)married before Patrick (one of the reasons he got slowed down in school)since he was born. His dad Doug was a close friend of mine and fellow leader in church. We lost Doug to cancer about 10 years ago. Erin was 16. I look at him like a son and want to be a grandfather figure to Jonathon his son. Erin is very devout and I see him as a elder of the church some day.

If I knew it was this easy, I would have done this before.

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