What the news does not tell you...

This is what the news does not show or tell you enough of:

I have had the opportunity to talk to hundreds ordinary citizens of Baghdad and many dozens of senior politicians… not one, not a single one has said that they want the Americans to leave. They say we are neutral to the sectarian violence and protector from the insurgents for the neighboring countries. I guess this is not controversial enough; popular enough; or spectacular enough to make the news.

Did you know that news agencies pay Iraqis to photo or video insurgents attacking Americans? Our own American news agencies pay money for video/photos of insurgents killing… so the “stringer” needs to find an event to get paid – so to be at the right place at the right time this “stringer” most likely has to be “in” with the insurgents or giving up part of his money to fund events to capture on film. Our own American news agencies are funding the killing of Americans…

The change here has been difficult and complex – but the freedoms now enjoyed are appreciated by all. With these freedoms have come decisions… and more and more are starting to pick the choice of supporting the stability of their own country.

It is interesting to me that the three countries that have most likely killed the most Americans are today our best friends… The UK, Germany and Japan. During WWII, few could comprehend the idea of a “Marshall Plan” (perhaps should have been called the Truman Plan) and how pouring in so much money into a country that we were just at war with could be so beneficial to both countries in the long run. But it takes so much time that the rest of our fast paced world no longer has patience for.

George