Bad News and Good News

[Annie]

Chrenkoff is leaving, http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110007245

Taking My Leave
A roundup of the past two weeks' good news from Iraq.

BY ARTHUR CHRENKOFF
Tuesday, September 13, 2005 12:01 a.m. EDT

It has been almost a year and a half since I first started compiling the often under-reported and overlooked stories of positive developments in Iraq and, later, Afghanistan. Now I must say goodbye.

I have no doubt that good news will continue to come out of the Middle East and Central Asia, but a change in my work circumstances unfortunately prevents me from chronicling it in the future. The trend has been set, however, and I'm sure others will rise to the task of filling the news void and redressing the media's negativity.

Big thanks go to James Taranto, editor of this Web site, who alone in the mainstream media had the courage, imagination and foresight to provide a regular forum for the good news. Bigmajority of news consumers won't hear... thanks also to all the readers for your support and encouragement.

I do not know how Iraq and Afghanistan will look in five or 10 years, but I hope for the best. If, despite the horrendous problems and the enormous challenges, both countries manage to make it through and join the international family of normal, decent and peaceful nations, it will be all due to the amazing spirit and commitment of the majority of their people, and to the crucial help of the coalition members, their soldiers and their citizens. If that does indeed happen, many will wonder just exactly how these two countries, seemingly only in the news when the blood flows, have ever managed to get there. But you, having read these roundups, will not be surprised.

So here's another two weeks' worth of stories from Iraq that the great majority of news consumers won't hear....lots more at site!

But thanks to lots of notice, others are stepping up:

http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2005/09/iraqis-protest-terrorism-as-us-routs.html

Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Iraqis Protest Terrorism as US Routs

IRAQI PRESIDENT TALBANI HONORS THE US FOR SACRIFICES IN IRAQ,
VIDEO HERE

"In the name of Iraqi people, I say to you, Mr. President, and to the glorious American people, thank you, thank you. Thank you, because you liberated us from the worst kind of dictatorship."

"Mr. President, you are a visionary, great statesman. We salute you. We are grateful to you. We will never forget what you have done for our people."

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani
September 13, 2005

While US and Iraqi forces decimated the terrorist stronghold near the Syrian border, Iraqis in Tal Afar protested against the terrorists who had been walled up there. 200 suspected militants were killed in the battle for the city. There were no US casualties.

Also, on Monday, Iraqi President Talabani said the US could start withdrawing as many as 50,000 troops by the end of the year since Iraqi forces are making such great progress.

Iraqi Army soldiers take a break from the fighting in Tal Afar. These Iraqis supplement their American rations with chicken and rice while eating dinner together at a grain silo where they are staying with the U.S. Army in Tal Afar, Iraq, 420 kilometers (260 miles) northwest of Baghdad, Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2005. U.S. commanders said more than 400 people have been captured during the offensive to retake the northern town of Tal Afar. (AP)

US and Iraqi forces just completed an extremely difficult and successful battle in Tal Afar, Iraq. The Allied Forces exacted a heavy toll on the insurgents, leaving almost 200 suspected militants dead and more than 315 captured, Iraqi military officials said.

The US suffered NO casualties in the battle.

Once, again...

Terrorists- 200 Casualties, 315 Captured
US- 0 Casualties, 0 Captured

Forty insurgents were killed in fierce clashes between militants and Iraqi troops who raided suspected hideouts late Monday afternoon. The raids were launched in response to a roadside bombing that targeted an Iraqi patrol earlier in the day, killing one soldier and wounding three, said Capt. Mohammed Ahmed, an Iraqi army spokesman in Tal Afar. Ahmed said 27 militants were arrested.

The Iraqi Prime Minister visited the city to congratulate the troops despite threats earlier from suspected internet terrorist sites that the terrorists were going to release chemical or biological weapons!


Smoke rises after an explosion during fighting in the northern Iraqi town of Tal Afar September 11, 2005. Iraq closed its border with Syria on Sunday to stop what it calls foreign fighters entering the country, as a U.S.-backed military operation to wipe out suspected insurgents in the city of Tal Afar continued. (Reuters)

On Sunday, the residents from Tal Afar protested against terrorism!

The state controlled station (Al-Iraqiya) showed a demonstration of about 150 people of Tal Afar holding banners declaring: "We call on the government to kick out terrorists from Tal Afar." One young man told a television interviewer, "What we want from the Iraqi government is to kill those terrorists."

Also, on Monday, the US heard more great news from Iraq...

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said in an interview yesterday that the United States could withdraw as many as 50,000 troops by the end of the year, declaring there are enough Iraqi forces trained and ready to begin assuming control in cities throughout the country.

Remarks from Iraqi President Talabani today at the White House:

PRESIDENT TALABANI: We have had a good discussion with Mr. President. We are partners. We are proud to say openly and to repeat it that we are partners of the United States of America in fighting against tyranny, terrorism, and for democracy. It is something we are not shy to say and will repeat it everywhere, here and in Iraq, and the United Nations and everywhere.

Iraq is America's ally in the war against terrorism. Our soldiers are now fighting side-by-side with your brave soldiers, now and every day. We have captured many senior elements of al Qaeda. We killed many of them, and we have also many of them in our prisons.

With your support, we could create a society enjoying democracy for the first time, obviously. Now Iraq is a free country. We have all kinds of democracy, all kinds of freedom of expression of parties, groups, civil society, organizations -- that we can say that our democracy is unique in the Middle East.

posted by Gateway Pundit at 9/13/2005 03:46:00 PM

Funny thing, there will be more, since there are many that wish to catch Taranto's eye!