Hearing from the ‘boots on the ground’

How do we know what’s going on in Iraq? From the media, since we don’t get secret intelligence reports (ones which the incoming House Intelligence chairman will be boning up on over the holidays, hopefully). So American public opinion, which is the force behind our elections, is formed and driven by the mainstream media. Very few of them are reporting firsthand on the ground in Baghdad and the al Anbar province, and next to none are reporting on what the troops there are doing and what their response is to the shifting sands of Iraq strategy.

Wouldn’t you like to know? I would. You can find it, if you look.

Lt. Col. Oliver North has been doing an outstanding job of reporting from Iraq this week for Fox News. Every one of his interviews with the troops has been interesting in its personal firsthand account of what the military is doing there day by day, and hopeful in all the positive attitudes and responses these Marines have been giving.

“We’re here to win.”

That’s how a U.S. Marine corporal put it, when I asked what he was doing in Iraq. He spoke, looking squarely into our TV camera — a more intimidating experience for him than the RPG fire he had just faced on the streets of this beleaguered city. When I pressed this 20-year-old from the heartland of America to tell me what “winning” meant to him, he was straightforward: “That’s when these people don’t need me to guard this street so their kids can go to school — when they can do it themselves.”

The young corporal and I were standing outside a small elementary school in this shattered city — capital of the largest province in Iraq. Al Qaeda terrorists had told local authorities — on pain of death — not to allow this female academic institution to un-shutter its doors. Apparently, little girls learning math and science pose a significant threat to radical Islamic jihadists.

Col. North’s reports have aired each evening on Fox, and they’re heartening to see.

There are also blog posts like this one that give voice to some of those troops. Jim Cannon asks Sgt. Kane…

*What can the American public do to help you… to support both the troops and the mission?

Read up on what is going on. Check out what the people on the ground are saying. Milblogs.com has a comprehensive list of military bloggers, with views from different soldiers doing all kinds of different missions. Understand that there is much more to this effort than the daily casualty counts.

As soldiers, we have a great support channel with our fellow soldiers and unit members. Perhaps what is most important is to know that our families are being taken care of back home. Do you know somebody that has a spouse/loved one deployed? Give them a call just to chat, ask if they need anything. Maybe offer to mow the lawn, change the oil on the car, babysit, or invite them over for dinner. Basically let them know that the American people know that they are sacrificing right along with the soldiers and appreciate all that they have given up.

Also, we can never get enough prayer. Pray for the leaders of our country to make good decisions. Pray for the military commanders to have wisdom and understanding. Pray for the safety of the soldiers, and also for their families.

And…

*What can the American public do to better support those that are coming home?

Honestly, I think this is one thing that America has down pretty well. When I got to Dallas on the way home for my 2 week leave, there were people lined up in the airport, clapping, shaking our hands, and welcoming us home. The people in the airport waiting for the plane stood up and applauded as well. The gentlemen behind me bought me a Mocha at Starbucks, and another gentlemen gave up his tickets to a professional football game for the soldier that was traveling with me. We truly felt appreciated. Feel free to say thanks to a soldier if you see them, you may not get much more than a nod and a smile, but they will appreciate it.

I’ve done this many times, and they usually say ‘thank you’ for the thank you. They are humble and consider themselves ‘just doing a job.’ But they appreciate the thanks, and especially, the prayer.