The Media (and Leftist) Myth is that Iraqis are not spilling enough Iraqi blood for their own freedom, that America is fighting their battle for freedom for them. As a result, many Americans believe the same thing. But that's only because the Media only focuses on the US sacrifice.
The facts of the matter are that the Media doesn't put anything in context nor do they report the full story. For instance, were you aware that
Iraqi Army's casualties are roughly five times those of U.S. forces.
according to Newsweek? And a recent NPR report states
Tens of thousands of Iraqi security personnel have been wounded in the past four years. The Iraqi government does not have accurate figures, but the U.S. Congressional Research Service estimates that by a year ago, more than 33,000 had been wounded.
It would be difficult for you to know that so many Iraqis have sacrificed for their country because if you did a Google search of Iraq Army casualties you will almost exclusively get stories about US military casualties in Iraq.
By contrast, here is an interesting graphic comparing military deaths under President Clinton to those from the fighting in Iraq.
Results taken from Iraq Coalition Casualties and Murdoc Online - Official Department of Defense Report(h/t Gateway Pundit)
The fact is many Iraqis are standing up for their country against the anti-Democratic forces arrayed against them. Recently locals helped out their police against a crew of enemy who attacked a checkpoint
Local citizens rushed to the aid of Iraqi policemen in southern Duluiyah and successfully defended an IP checkpoint from a terrorist attack, just northeast of Balad, Iraq, May 12.
Terrorists launched an attack on the IP checkpoint at approximately 11 p.m.. In response to the attack, 20 armed men from a nearby neighborhood assembled and quickly came to the aid of the policemen manning checkpoint. This grass roots effort contributed a significant impact in thwarting the attack, said Maj. John Throckmorton, operations officer, 3rd Combined Arms Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division.
A reaction force from 1st Company, 3rd Battalion, 4th Iraqi Army Division, also responded to the attack as reports flowed to the Iraqi-manned Balad Joint Coordination Center.
“Iraqi emergency response procedures worked well at every level, from the initial report to coordination through the [JCC] to the response of the Iraqi army. The fact that local citizens also responded according to a plan they developed for neighborhood defense is very encouraging and demonstrates how fed up communities are with terrorist attacks and threats,” said Lt. Col. Kevin Dunlop, commander of the 3rd Combined Arms Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment.
And the tribes local to Diyala Province have banded together against al Qaeda
As Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces continue to provide security and stability throughout Diyala Province, Iraq, many tribal leaders are also uniting to bring peace and stand up against al-Qaida in Iraq.
After a peace agreement was signed between the paramount sheiks of the Karki and Shimouri tribes April 30, other tribal leaders have gathered throughout the region to do the same – provide peace and protection for their people and their lands.
At the Al Abarrah Iraq Army compound, local leaders gathered May 10 to pave a way ahead for peace between some of the rival villages and gain a commitment toward a unified stand against al-Qaida while supporting the government. The leaders also focused on the establishment of a police force in Zaganiyah.
And this is precisely what happened in al Anbar province months ago resulting in a much improved quality of life for the local residents as confirmed by on-the-ground reports from Michael Yon to Glenn Reynolds
Am still in Anbar and just went another day without hearing a single shot fired. Am out with a small group of Marines who live with a much larger group of Iraqis. I enjoy the Iraqi food more than the food at the dining facilities. Some of the Marines out here live in shipping containers. Their "toilet" is WAG bag. (Waste Alleviation and Gelling.) It's every bit as exciting as it sounds. Basically it's a little ziplock baggie -- one-time use only.
I was told that a chemical munition (artillery shell) was found within the last few days.
Today, went on a patrol with Iraqis and a couple of Marines and we talked with Iraqi villagers for a couple of hours. I got to talk with a man who was about 81. His hearing was not good, so I had to sit close. He said he worked for the British RAF here in about 1945-46. I asked him if the British treated him well and he said they treated him very well. Said he made the equivalent of about 25 cents per day but that was good money back then. There is, in fact, a British-Polish-Indian-Aussie-Kiwi cemetery nearby. (I visited and photographed many of the headstones some days ago.)
All the villagers we got to talk with were very friendly. Kids wanted their photos taken, that sort of thing. They were not asking for candy and that was nice. There was a train track nearby (looked to be in very good condition), and a locomotive turned over on its side, derailed. I asked a man what happened, and he said that about four years ago, during the war, an "Ali Baba" (thief) tried to steal the train but ran head-on into another train! He said the police caught the Ali Baba and he has no idea what happened after that.
Marines are getting along well with the locals. They wave a lot, and stop to talk. If the rest of Iraq looked like this, we could all come home!
I guess all that local Iraqi support is paying off.
But you wouldn't know it by the Media reports.