Letting the Troops have their say

While the vapid debate continues in Washington about the future of our involvement in Iraq, one independent reporter has actual done what the politicians never do - asked the troops themselves.

Check out the videos here:
- http://hotair.com/archives/2007/04/12/the-troops-in-fallujah-speak/
- http://hotair.com/archives/2007/04/13/letting-the-troops-speak-for-themselves/

Their comments echo what I have heard from all of my friends that have been downrange - the media is reporting only half the story, yes things are very bad, but at the same time there is still reason for hope. If we leave now, all those who have sacrificed for the future of Iraq will have done so to no effect.

I am not saying the we should be uncritical of our current policy, but the fact is that the administration has made many radical changes in leadership and in tactics on the ground - that the average politician, let alone the average American doesn't full understand the difference in our counterinsurgency doctrine is not surprising. It is a complicated subject that professional Soldiers study for years. While I am certain not an expert, I have invested a significant amount of study in the topic, and while I am not able to see if policy is being well executed on the ground, I can say the doctrine (the policy) is very different from what the Army had been doing in Iraq. We need to at least give this a chance to work.