PDB (Peters’ Daily Briefing)
Here’s some interesting facts from today’s Peters’ Daily Briefing from Iraq, entitled Infantry Patrol:
Instead of collapsing into sectarian strife, the brigade’s area of operations had become quieter since the Samarra bombing. The people do not want any part of more violence. The zone’s big event had been a thousand-man demonstration by Sunnis and Shias together at the al-Rahman Mosque, to protest the media’s overreaction to the flurry of attacks that followed the bombing of the Golden Mosque.
John Murtha told an all-too-willing Bob Schieffer yesterday that civil war had broken out in Iraq. He’s been spouting that lie since he came out with his plan to “immediately redeploy” U.S. troops. In fact, he said that he couldn’t trust Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Pete Pace in that interview.
I wonder if he’ll now say that he can’t trust Ralph Peters’ reporting from Baghdad’s streets. After all, Peters’ information goes further than anything that Gen. Pace or President Bush has said.
The truth is that Murtha’s the liar. He’s ignored Washington Times reporting that says
“A prominent Sunni religious leader in Anbar province, Sheik Abed al-Latif Hemaiym, told The Times in an interview in Amman that Sunnis were prepared to work with the Americans. “We now believe we must get on good terms with the Americans,” Sheik Hemaiym said. “As Arab Sunnis, we believe that within this hot area of Iraq, facing challenges from neighboring nations who want to swallow us, especially the Iranians, we feel we have no alternative.”
He’s ignored the rebuilding projects that have been completed. (See my News from the Iraqi Theater series.)
He’s lied about American troops being the main targets of the insurgents. According to the Washington Times reporting I just listed, terrorists who want to topple Iraq’s government are the insurgents’ main targets.
Considering Murtha’s long list of lies, why shouldn’t we think that he’ll attack Col. Peters’ reporting, too?
Staff Sgt. Adam T. Navarro, an Army Reservist serving in Iraq, is a member of New York’s Finest in “real life.” Born in Manhattan, raised in The Bronx and now a resident of Brentwood, Officer Navarro works in Queens. He could serve as a symbol of NYC’s heart and soul: A big-fisted bear with a great sense of humor, strong opinions and a fan not only of the Yankees, but of Yankee Stadium itself. (He’s a Post fan, too. Back home, his morning ritual begins with the sports section.)
His police experience has been a great advantage in Iraq (as he puts it, “Never underestimate the value of a New York City cop”). A veteran of Bosnia, as well, he sees a common threat: No matter what the elites or the media say, “The poor are always happy to see U.S. troops.” He worries that the people back home aren’t getting a true picture of Iraq. Navarro’s a firm believer in the mission.
I couldn’t agree more. So much for the notion that the overwhelming majority of troops want out ASAP.
Cross-post at LetFreedomRing