While Michael Yon has left Iraq, the story of the Stryker brigades in Mosul continues and is being reported by others.
There is a new Stryker Brigade in Mosul Iraq from Alaska and there is new embedded reporter with them from a Fairbanks, Alaska paper, the Daily News Miner with them. Margaret Friedenauer has a blog and passage this is one of her posts logged 14 Dec 2005:
I still haven’t seen U.S. troops engaged or encounter car bombs or explosives. But I did see them play backgammon with some local police and Iraqi soldiers. I saw them take photos with more locals and make jokes mostly lost in translation. They gave advice and expertise to local troops on how to conduct a neighborhood patrol. They drank the local customary tea, and many admitted they’ve become addicted to it. They know several locals by name. I didn’t hear one slight or ridicule of a very distinct culture. One soldier mentioned it might be a good idea to clean up the trash around one polling place, and another commented on the status of women in the culture, but they were nothing but respectful, friendly and buddy-buddy with the Iraqis they mingled with today.And this is good stuff.
More than anything in the last few days I’ve heard from soldiers and commanders that people back home don’t quite get it. They don’t see the real picture. They don’t get the real story. Some of them, like Lt. Col. Gregg Parrish, look seriously pained in the face when he says only a part of the picture is being told; the part of car bombs and explosives and suicide bombers and death. It’s a necessary part of the picture, but not a complete one, he says.
I’ve listened to the soldiers and Parrish about the missing pieces of the puzzles that don’t reach home. My selfish, journalistic drive immediately thinks “Perfect. A story that hasn’t been told. Let me at it.”
But I have a slight hesitation; I need to keep balanced. I can’t be a cheerleader, even if I have a soft spot for the hometown troops, especially after the welcome they’ve shown me. I still need to be truthful and walk the centerline and report the good or bad.
But then I realize it’s not a conflict of interest. If I am truly unbiased, then I need to get used to this one simple fact; that the untold story, might in fact, be a positive one. It takes a minute to wrap my mind around it, as a news junkie that became a news writer. The great, career-making, breaking news stories usually don’t have happy endings; they usually revolve around disturbing news, deceit and downfall. Nasty political doings. Gruesome crimes and murders. Revealing secrets.
But I’ve come upon something that is none of those. Not this aspect of it. There are politics to this war and controversies and investigations. But there is another side.
Judging from this and other posts on her blog and her news pages that I have read, both she and the Daily News Miner are very much worth your time.
People in the blogosphere and elsewhere have complained bitterly that there is no "other side" from the main stream media on the good things happening in Iraq. Now there is one being reported. Rise, go forth and give them both the linkie love and e-mail encouragements they deserve.
This is one of Margaret latest and funniest (to me) blog posts:
r rs,and, as they fight to protect us,, "he" my husband took a vow to me and more importantly to god and his country to keep them safe .. my last departing wish to him before leaving him and ,(as i referred to them while i was there)... your sheep... better known as3rd squadron 2nd stryker calvery regiment..lead them outta there safe like you did .
the first tour iraqi freedom.. yes he lead therir guys outta thre after loosing the arch angels sent to watch over them on that mission plumodore and rat.. very dear to srgt j.cox and the rest of the stker brigade hhc24 aka the punishers 24 .. my husband is in his second tour and this time he was put in charge from the jump to lead all of his men safely back to there families amnd homes and to leget te babies back home to there parent's .. i knew zachery mc bride very well and grew to him as well as the other yund boys that wre livivg in germany ion vilsek base and i took a couple of them under my wing ..well mcbride was one of the two and now hes,s gone ... i cant imagine how you are baring the pain as the bio.fam when i as a street adopted momma cant even finish whatever iam doing when i just feel the thought of loosing zach coming o ...i just shut down ... so i bet we alll coulndt even begin to undertand what and hoe my husband feels and endures every time they load up , and they are not in full frmation becuse a big paRT OF IT IS GONE... COULD U IMAGINE?
STYKR J PRIDE
PUNISHERS WIFE 24