[Dean's World] Dave Price: Sea Change On Iraq Opinion

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Posted by Dave Price:
Sea Change On Iraq Opinion
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1204317221.shtml


   By a significant margin, Americans [1]now believe we are going to
   succeed.
   And even Hollywood is getting on board; Angelina Jolie (!) is
   [2]advocating we stay and help Iraqis build their new democracy, in an
   op-ed published by the Washington Post:

     My visit left me even more deeply convinced that we not only have a
     moral obligation to help displaced Iraqi families, but also a
     serious, long-term, national security interest in ending this
     crisis.
     Today's humanitarian crisis in Iraq -- and the potential
     consequences for our national security -- are great.
     ...
     What we cannot afford, in my view, is to squander the progress that
     has been made.
     ...
     And when I asked the troops if they wanted to go home as soon as
     possible, they said that they miss home but feel invested in Iraq.

   Do[3]they [4]ever:

     After completing two tours in Iraq, Sgt. Wayne Leyde won $1 million
     from a scratch-and-win lotto ticket on Tuesday.
     Now that he's won, Leyde, a 26-year-old member of the Washington
     National Guard, says he's still going to volunteer to go back to
     Iraq for a third tour and won't spend any of the money in the
     meantime.
     ...
     I met the most amazing marine in Fallujah - Gunny William Gibson
     from Pryor, Oklahoma - his friends call him Spanky. Gunny Gibson
     lost his entire leg after an Iraqi sniper fired a round through his
     knee in Ramadi in 2006 - May 16, 2006 - just 19 months ago. He is
     the first full leg amputee to be returned to the fight - redeployed
     as an active marine. This Gunny had been in the marines for 18
     years - that is who he is. He said all he wanted to do was get back
     into the fight. He said returning to Iraq was his first step back
     to feeling like he was a marine again. He runs half marathons with
     his prosthetic and it was when he swam in a race from Alcatraz and
     ended up at the feet of General Mattis out in California. As he
     emerged from the water General Mattis asked him what he could do
     for him - he said, âSir, send me back to Iraq.â

   This is all reminiscent of [5]last year's interview with UPI's Pamela
   Hess.

     "...and he's talking to me very low, under the chatter, and what he
     said was 'Every morning I wake up, and I feel like I'm pushing a
     little girl out of the way of a bus. And I pick her up, and I bring
     her to the other side of the road, and I've saved that little
     girl,' he said, 'every day I feel like that.' And in fact that is
     what s happening there. I can't tell you--"

References

   1. http://hotair.com/archives/2008/02/28/pew-majority-now-believe-us-effort-in-iraq-will-succeed-53-39/
   2. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/27/AR2008022702217.html?hpid=opinionsbox1
   3. http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/WaterCooler/story?id=4358724
   4. http://gretawire.foxnews.com/2008/02/20/an-email-from-jennifer-griffin-in-iraq/4748/
   5. http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1173668638.shtml