So Where Is The Good News?
By Thomas D. Segel (10/12/05)
Harlingen, Texas, October 8, 2005: Search as you may, it will still be difficult for you to find much good news about anything taking place in either Afghanistan or Iraq. It isn’t that positive news is in short supply. It is the “If it bleeds It leads” mentality of the mainstream media that keeps death and bombings in the headlines and relatively uplifting accomplishments banished to the inside pages of publications and almost always omitted from radio and television newscasts.
According to American military personnel communicating with friends and family, there is important progress being made all across Iraq. The problem is few correspondents will leave the security of Baghdad’s Green Zone to cover the events. Those who do write on significant accomplishments claim their stories get little attention by editors in the networks and newsrooms. The selective editing by those who control the content of news reports reflects a strong tendency by the media to tilt in favor of left-leaning ideas on the war.
It is not for lack of content that such news fails to make it to electronic broadcasts or places of prominence in publications. Each day dozens of press releases are provided by military commands and the Department of Defense. However, in the eyes of most establishment media, such stories are viewed as PR hype and those with positive content are deposited in circular files.
What are some of the stories we failed to see in major publications or hear reported on the evening news?
How about the new fort that has been completed on the Iran/Iraq border or another fort that was built on the border of Kuwait? They were constructed and are being utilized by Iraqi army troops. Security units now operate from these command centers.
Speaking of centers, one for troubled teenagers was opened. It has outreach operations in northern Iraq. The center works with adolescents who have committed crimes or have demonstrated serious behavior problems. It offers family therapy, educational support, life skills training and social activities. There is also adult/teen mentoring patterned after the Big Brother Program.
Most you have not heard that work has continued in the upgrading of schools across Iraq. This summer the rehabilitation of water and sanitation facilities in 180 schools was completed.
In Sadar City 86.5 million dollars in infrastructure improvements has been completed and another $246 million is ongoing. This includes increased drinking water and electricity to serve more than 240,000 people.
Soldiers from the 7th Infantry Regiment joined local contractors in cleaning up the roads and repairing broken sewer pipes in Abu-Dashir. At the same time four new substations opened and provide power to the electrical distribution system serving 1.3 million residents of Basrah.
In Mosel a substation expansion project has doubled the capacity of a 400kV transmission line to Baghdad and now provides in increase in the amount of power to the entire country. This addition impacts more than 6 million people.
A new 260 bed maternity hospital has been opened in Mosel. It provides health care for women and children and is already serving up to 700 patients a day. In the same city three new police stations have been built and are manned, increasing local security. The main railway station has been completely renovated and is in operation.
The Iraqi Special Forces Barracks in Baghdad has been completed along with five military company barracks and one senior barracks. Included were utilities consisting of potable water, septic tank and electricity. At the same time it is reported that construction is 95% complete on a 21.9 million dollar public works and water project for the capitol city.
The list goes on with dozens upon dozens of projects either completed or underway. This is enhancing the quality of life for the average Iraqi citizen. All of this takes place despite the harassment by insurgents.
The public understands it is the objective of insurgents to destroy this infrastructure and defeat the establishment of a self-sustaining government and nation. The upcoming constitutional election now looks on track and will allow all of Iraq to answer the question of what kind of governance is desired. But, this is good news we seldom read in the daily newspaper.
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