First, here's the feelgood blog as posted on CE and dated September 8: "The Iraqi Special Forces soldiers were outraged by the attack and were also full of fight afterwards. They wanted to go into Fallujah that day and attack the muj. Their commander stood in front of them and told them to bide their time. It came soon enough. They participated in last night’s action and did well. In fact, we just took on 200 more recruits and continue to have high expectations for them. These guys are under constant threats. When they go home on leave, it is not uncommon for them to have to move their families around in order to avoid kidnappings or murders of not only themselves but their entire families, children and all. We just spoke to them today about having faith that we will win and to believe that things will get better. In fact, I am much less tolerant of Americans who are losing their stomach to see this through. These Iraqis have never known freedom and have no idea what life could be life if they see it through, yet they put their lives on the lines based on nothing but faith."

Here's the reality as reported in the Washington Times on August 14, 2004. Says they are going to disband the Fallujah Brigade as worthless, and in fact aiding the rebels.

"The move came six days after a series of kidnappings and the murder of a respected Iraqi National Guard battalion commander, Lt. Col. Sulaiman Hamad Ftikan, a crime officials described as the last straw in the tense standoff with the insurgents in the city."

Later, the same Washington Times reports on September 11. Marines disband Fallujah Brigade, adding "The Fallujah Brigade is done, over," said Marine Col. Jerry Durrant, who oversees the 1st Marine Expeditionary Unit's involvement with Iraqi security forces. "The whole Fallujah Brigade thing was a fiasco."

Unless the "Iraqi Special Forces" are different than the "Fallujah Brigade", and a search has Americans quoted using the terms interchangeably, and there was no mention of "good" Iraqi fighters, the blog is a bit off.

Very often these things as well as letters to the editor are planted by the Pentagon. Anyone wonder why some of us are very suspicious of the "Little Susy is throwing rose petals to the American troops thanking them for the chance to vote and not be afraid of being raped by Uday, grateful even though her father disappeared into the CIA, her mother is being held until her father "talks", and she and her sister are hungry" stories?

Arf