PROBABLY NOT WHAT YOU EXPECTED

At least not if you get your news from Reuters and CNN.

An American teaching at the University of Baghdad asked her students how their lives have changed since the war.

Now...if you go read the whole thing, also note that the author clearly believes the US Military to be a bunch of civilian killers and the US Government to sanction that.

And she asks her questions right after the battles in Fallujah. My guess is she was hoping to get some pithy, "lets all hate America" soundbites.

She didn't. Instead...here is the complete list that she publishes.

I asked them what they feel now and how their lives have changed since the war. Here are some of their responses (For readability I made just a few spelling corrections and only slightly adjusted grammar! My students are the best!):

“I feel very sorry about the Iraqi people that are dead. And I want all these things to change and I want the American soldiers to go out from my country without any war with them because I don’t want the American soldiers to die and I don’t want the Iraqi people to die.”

“Only we want the war ended and safety.”

“I think the crime (war) is usually happening every day, every hour in my city. Please stop, stop this war … “

“I only want one great wish, which is that I want my country to live in peace like others.”

“I think that many things have changed but it changed for the worse. One of these things is that when I go to the market, I can’t feel safe.”

“We breathe freedom, at the same time the shedding of blood is still in our cities.”

“Many things have changed in my country: everyone can have a mobile phone and satellite channels. I think once everyone understand freedom in the right way, my country will be the best in the future.”

“There is one thing that changed after the war and that is the Saddam regime is gone forever.”

After class I went down to the cafeteria and had lunch with the students (they never allow me to pay!) and one of the boys asked me, “Please, what hope do you see for the future of Iraq?”

“If Iraqis have hope and faith in a good future for Iraq,” I answered, “and they are willing to stay and work for that future, then I have a lot of hope for Iraq."

Common theme? Life is better but let's stop this war.

Nothing would suit us better, my friends. But the four enemies of which BG Hertling spoke need to get the message.

Can you help carry it to them?