The Soccer Ball

This story from AP covers what some National Guard members had to say about their experiences while serving in Iraq.

It gets into their reactions and evaluations of what they did and saw there.

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- They are returning home with a sense of accomplishment, but also with feelings of anger and frustration, even despair.

They speak proudly about building up the Iraqi security force, restoring electricity and watching Iraqis walk miles to vote.

But they wonder whether it will be enough to secure Iraq's future, and at times, express bitterness toward the people they wanted to help.

The article goes on to detail stories from four soldiers just back from Iraq.

This one absolutely knocked me out.

Children looking for handouts of candy would often approach 1st Lt. Anselm T.W. Richards and the men in his platoon. The soldiers would oblige them, then ask for information.

Sometimes, the children would tell them who made bombs and dealt in weapons. Everybody in town seemed to know the answer.

One day, Richards says, the parents of a 12-year-old boy told him their son had been beheaded by insurgents because he accepted a soccer ball as a gift from soldiers.

"We said to the parents, 'You tell us who did it and we will get them.' They said if we talk to you, they'll kill us as well,'" says Richards, a hedge fund broker from Philadelphia.

"That's the fear in which these people live. That's probably the biggest hindrance to them moving forward."

This is such an awful story that it's almost too horrific to believe, just as flying planes into the World Trade Center towers seemed unfathomable.

What sort of animal BEHEADS A 12-YEAR-OLD BOY because he accepted a soccer ball from American soldiers?

If you want to talk about atrocities and torture in Iraq, here's a prime example.

Will this be all over the news? Is this front page New York Times or Washington Post material?

Does the story of this young boy rate a piece by Michael Isikoff?

No, this is just an article on the newswire. It's barely on the radar screen.

The Haditha incident, on the other hand, is an obsession. Brian Williams and his colleagues can't stop drooling over that.

...Richards believes no one should be too quick to judge the small group of Marines being investigated in the Nov. 19 deaths of 24 Iraqi civilians, including unarmed women and children, following a roadside bomb that killed a fellow Marine.

"My question is why are people so curious and so eager to find fault with the Marines or soldiers whose lives are on the line," he says. "Why is it their behavior that's being questioned, not the behavior of the guy placing the IED, or the bomb."

He adds: "If it's because children were killed or women, it's understandable, but you know what, those Marines who are killed are children of someone as well."

I think it is utterly irresponsible to say that we created these terrorists, as if the American "occupation" could somehow drive a person to behead a boy for accepting a gift, a soccer ball.

That's insane.

These so-called insurgents are monsters, yet libs prefer to blame their actions on Bush administration policy.

In their deranged world, our enemies are actually Bush's victims.

THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR BEHEADING A CHILD. NONE.

It's the act of a soulless being.

Where's Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch?

Where's the outrage over the acts of the terrorists?

These organizations employ a disgusting double standard, and so do the media and the politically opportunistic elected officials that would rather attack Americans than focus on defeating these positively evil people.

Among the difficulties: Richards says Iraqi insurgents know the U.S. troops wouldn't fire at a school _ "so they will set up on a school or put a sniper on the roof of a school."

Did you get that?

They "know the U.S. troops wouldn't fire at a school," so the terrorists exploit their goodness.

YES, THEIR GOODNESS. THEY EXPLOIT THE GOODNESS OF AMERICAN TROOPS. OUR TROOPS ARE NOT THE ENEMY.

I am so sick of nuts on the Left refusing to admit to the savagery of our enemies and chastising Americans instead.

Richards says the region is safer than it was a year ago, though five of his men were injured by a roadside bomb just a few weeks before the end of their deployment. Among other accomplishments, he says his brigade helped expand the hours of available electricity each day and trained Iraqi police and security officers.

"I'm optimistic in that I feel like I've done everything that I can do and we as a group could possibly do," he says.

According to Richards, progress has been made in Iraq. He should know because he was part of it.

That reality doesn't keep disgraces like John Murtha from insisting that there's been no progress.

Last Sunday on Meet the Press, John Murtha criticized Karl Rove for making comments about the Dems' calls to cut and run from Iraq.

REP. MURTHA: He’s, he’s in New Hampshire. He’s making a political speech. He’s sitting in his air conditioned office with his big, fat backside, saying, “Stay the course.” That’s not a plan. I mean, this guy—I don’t know what his military experience is, but that’s a political statement. This is a policy difference between me and the White House. I disagree completely with what he’s saying.

Flip that around back at Murtha.

It could be said that Murtha was making a political speech, sitting in an air conditioned studio "with his big, fat backside," refusing to acknowledge the accomplishments of our troops.

That may be part of the Dem plan to win back seats in the House, but it's stabbing our troops in the back.

If a few troops were involved in wrongdoing in Iraq, then they should and will be punished.

But without question, the OVERWHELMING majority of our troops conduct themselves with bravery and honor. They deserve our respect and gratitude. I'm so proud of the American military.


WHAT SORT OF PERSON BEHEADS A 12-YEAR-OLD?

I can't stand to think about it.



The question: Is it morally acceptable to "redeploy" now?


The Dems think so. Sure, "bring 'em home" or send 'em to Okinawa.

Yeah, that's a plan.

When Russ Feingold appears on Meet the Press this morning, will Tim Russert bring up the little boy beheaded over a soccer ball?

Will he ask Feingold about the MORALITY of "redeploying"?