< Changing Worldviews.Commentary >

Words are powerful - Thoughts shape - Ideas have consequences

Gary Aldrich

Patrick Henry Center
Posted May 17, 2004

A Little Restraint, Please
with Ashley N. Varner

Has anyone out there NOT been bombarded with wall-to-wall coverage of Iraqi prisoner abuse? Of course not — because the media refuses to report on anything else.
They must be afraid that if they complete one half-hour’s broadcast segment of news without a discussion of the outrageous photographs, voters might remember the higher purpose our military has for its presence in Iraq: to destroy the terrorist-friendly regime while providing a stable security environment allowing Democracy a chance to take root.

These pictures, disturbing and disgusting as they may be, have become a convenient tool by the mainstream media and Hard-Left Liberals to convince the American people we were wrong to go into Iraq.

However, if the media were half as dedicated to journalistic integrity as they now proclaim, we would all hail the praises of the U.S. military effort and the governmental agencies and private corporations now repairing and reviving a once-dilapidated nation.

Prior to our military invasion of Iraq, nearly all Iraqi schools had closed their crumbling doors. Those schools remaining open often lacked electrical wiring, plumbing and windows. School children had no textbooks and teachers didn’t always get paid.

President Bush’s goal was to rehabilitate 1,000 schools before the fall session began last October. Instead, our efforts successfully reopened over 1,500 schools to Iraqi children.

To date, our country has transformed 2,358 schools nationwide. Our troops even put together and delivered over 1 million school supply kits to those children eagerly anticipating their vastly improved educational opportunities.

Don’t these victories mean anything to the Liberals who swear their actions are always “for the children?”

USAID’s update report also heralds outstanding progress in restoring and increasing electrical capacities throughout Iraq. The U.S. surpassed pre-war electrical generation levels in October 2003. USAID’s next goal is a target of 6,000 Megawatts this summer, while boasting a tripling in available electrical capabilities.

Other USAID accomplishments in infrastructure, health and economic growth include:

• Processing an average of 20 non-military arrivals and departures every day at Baghdad International Airport;
• Repairing and Rehabilitating sewage and water treatment plants throughout the country;
• Adding an additional 225,000 cubic meters a day to Baghdad’s water supply —mostly in overpopulated eastern areas;
• Vaccinating 3 million children under the age of five since June 2003, and continuing a monthly catch-up immunization program;
• Renovating 52 primary health-care clinics and re-equipping over 600 clinics to provide essential health-care services;
• Completing the national currency exchange to introduce a solidified Iraqi currency, the dinar;
• Creating 77,000 public works jobs for average Iraqi citizens;

and many other successes the media won’t tell us.
This is the same military Hard-Left Liberals demand to investigate incessantly, deterring them from their purpose in a time of war.

Liberals’ demands are not only unnecessary but also irresponsible and politically motivated, as the military began conducting internal investigations after the initial allegations surfaced in January. Since then, the Pentagon attempted no cover-up, and the guilty parties are already moving toward court-martial proceedings.

In focusing on the gross abuses of a dozen military personnel at one Iraqi prison camp, we forget the 130,000 dedicated men and women risking their lives every day to keep the war from returning to our own soil.

Isn’t it interesting how just the week before, the media ran headlines praising heroes such as Pat Tillman, declaring their “ultimate sacrifice” for our country?

Obviously the patriotic, feel-good sentiment toward the troops is not a natural one for the mainstream media, who quickly return to their old habits of blasting our military and demoralizing those who make it victorious.

© Gary Aldrich 2004 Reprinted with Permission

Gary Aldrich is a 30-year veteran of the FBI, Gary specialized in white-collar crime, including fraud and political corruption, and for five years prior to retiring, he served under former Presidents Bush and Clinton in a national security role. In addition, he was assigned to the U.S. Senate and House, working closely with elected officials on a variety of security issues. He is also the Founder of The Patrick Henry Center for Individual Liberty, which dedicated to promoting the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. Mr. Aldrich has made thousands of radio, TV and personal speaking appearances, including This Week with David Brinkley, Good Morning America, Dateline, Hannity and Combes, The O'Reilly Factor, Inside Edition and others. Mr. Aldrich has also authored editorial pieces for distinguished publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Human Events Magazine and Insight Magazine. In addition, he writes for WorldNetDaily.com weekly and Townhall.com bi-weekly. You can contact him at www.patrickhenrycenter.org