The story of alligators... and Iraq

From the esteemed (oh man, I know he'd hate that) Michael Yon's latest dispatch Three Marks on the Horizon (my emphasis):

False advertising is afoot. I write these words from Indonesia, soaking wet, having just returned from photographing rice paddies in a pouring rain, wearing a Florida Gators shirt. That means there is a green alligator on my chest. While supporting my team, my shirt perpetuates the myth that alligators are green, when in fact they are black when wet, gray when dry.The mantra that “there is no political progress in Iraq” is rapidly becoming the “surge” equivalent of a green alligator: when enough people repeat something that sounds plausible, but also happens to be false, it becomes accepted as fact. The more often it is repeated—and the larger the number of people repeating it—the harder it is to convince anyone of the truth: alligators are not green, and Iraqis are making plenty of political progress.

There may be little progress on political goals crafted in America, to meet American concerns, by politicians who have a cushion of 200 years of democracy. Washington might as well be on the moon. Iraqis don’t respond well to rules imposed from outside their acknowledged authorities, though I have many times seen Iraqi Police and Army of all ranks responding very well to American Marines and soldiers who they have come to respect, and in many cases actually admire and try to emulate. Our military has increasing moral authority in Iraq, but the same cannot be said for our government at home. In fact, it’s in moral deficit because many Iraqis are increasingly frightened we will abandon them to genocide. The Iraqis I speak with couldn’t care less what is said from Washington but large numbers of them pay close attention to what some Marine Gunny says, or what American battalion commanders all over Iraq say. Some of our commanders could probably run for local offices in Iraq, and win. To say there has been no political progress in Iraq in 2007 is patently absurd, completely wrong and dangerously dismissive of the significant changes and improvements happening all across Iraq. Whether or not Americans are seeing it on the nightly news or reading it in their local papers, Iraqis are actively writing their children’s history.

You must read the whole thing if you really want the truth of what is transpiring in Iraq.... Aye, there's the rub: IF YOU WANT THE TRUTH...

P.S. I don't even have to be in Iraq to know how true this statement from Yon is (hell, Michael -- they don't have any moral clout IN the USA and we think it's a circus act... both sides of the aisle):

Washington has no moral clout in Iraq. Washington looks like a circus act.

But more importantly, I believe Yon when he says

The authority is coming from our military. The importance of this fact would be difficult to overstate.

x-posted at Some Soldier's Mom

Fort Riley heroes. Real heroes.

Ones that would be acceptable to Rosa Brooks, even.

'Raider' medics recognized for skill, bravery under fire

By Pfc. Nathaniel Smith
4th IBCT, 1st Inf. Div. PAO

BAGHDAD - They often are the first people who arrive to render aid when Soldiers are wounded in combat. They are combat medics and have saved numerous lives while serving in Iraq.

Spc. Nicholas Roden, a medic with Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division from Moline, Ill., and Spc. Nicholas Bryant, a medic with Troop B, 1-4 Cav. from Baltimore, are two such professionals whose skill was recognized at an award ceremony July 20 at Forward Operating Base Falcon.

The two received the Army Commendation Medal with Valor device for their actions with their respective units while on patrol in southern Baghdad's Rashid District.

Roden, who works with the 1-4 Cav. personal security detachment, and his convoy were exiting a hostile area when he got word over the radio someone had been hit. The moment he heard, he said there was only one thing on his mind.

"Get to my casualty and take care of him," he said.Roden did get to the wounded Soldier, despite having to cross an intersection that still was taking fire. For Bryant, the method of attack was different, but his reactions were no less impressive.

When his convoy was hit by an improvised explosive device, he immediately grabbed his aid bag and rushed to the stricken vehicle. After assessing the situation, he realized what he had to do. He removed his protective gear and crawled under the truck only to find his comrade was beyond help. Upon treating a casualty inside the truck who had his leg broken in three places, Bryant remained inside the vehicle as it was being lifted by a crane to stabilize his wounded patient, preventing further injuries.

"I just got a surge of adrenaline when I saw somebody hurt," Bryant said. "You don't think about yourself, you just worry about them. I just wanted to get them out as fast as I could."

Staff Sgt. Grant Pratt, the medical treatment noncommissioned officer for 1-4 Cav. from Dillon, Mont., said it was nice to see the medics recognized. "It makes me feel good because usually medics don't always get honored for the job that they do," he said. "For our medics to be the only guys (being recognized) right now in the squadron, it makes me feel good for our guys."

Staff Sgt. Jacob Perez, the medical evacuation noncommissioned officer for 1-4 Cav. from Corpus Christi, Texas, said Bryant's and Roden's recognition reflects highly on his unit. "I think it makes us look great," Perez said. "We pretty much are the best medical platoon within the entire brigade, and everybody knows that."

The Raiders' medical platoon put in a lot of hours prior to deploying, and Bryant and Roden's actions are reflective of that, their NCOs said. "We trained almost on a daily basis. Instead of sending these guys home, we were doing classes, we were training," Pratt said. "We knew we were coming here. We trained hours and hours and hours every day." "We know what to expect and what's going to happen. There's a bunch of guys fresh out of basic and advanced individual training," he added. "We weren't going to let them be focused on the basic book knowledge of a medic. We knew that it's far more advanced than that."

Bryant and Roden have been honored for their hard work and uncommon actions under fire, but if you ask them, modesty is all you'll get. "I appreciate it, but I was just doing my job," Bryant said. Roden added, "I appreciate it, but I'd rather have my friend back." Such humility is expected from the two medics, Pratt said. "It's a testament to their character. They are very humble guys," he said.

"We've made our guys understand that their job is more important than patches or awards and all that stuff, and they understand that more than a lot of people out here who can't wait to get a combat patch or who are chasing a combat medical badge or combat action badge or infantry badge," Perez added. "They just go out there looking for stuff. Our guys do their job, and they're good at their job.

"If somebody wants to recognize them for valor, that's great, but it's not going to go to their head and they're not going to change their job in any way."

Well done, soldiers!

"We've made our guys understand that their job is more important than patches or awards and all that stuff, and they understand that more than a lot of people out here who can't wait to get a combat patch or who are chasing a combat medical badge or combat action badge or infantry badge," Perez added. "They just go out there looking for stuff. Our guys do their job, and they're good at their job.

More importantly, I think - well done, Staff Sergeant Perez. Getting the job done and coming home is more important than merit badges, however deserved they may be.